Sending packages from the USA to Guatemala is a routine task for many in the diaspora — birthday gifts, household supplies, paperwork, electronics and care packages. This page compares the main shipping options, explains customs (SAT) rules, and covers the practical points that affect cost and reliability.

Major shipping options

Diaspora couriers

If you use a diaspora courier, ask for a written quote for your package’s weight and declared value, and compare more than one.

Ask each courier:

  • Its price for your weight and destination, in writing
  • Whether it delivers to the recipient’s address or to a pickup office
  • How it handles the SAT declaration, and whether duties and IVA are included in the quote
  • What tracking it gives once the package is in Guatemala

Cost: ask for a written quote.

DHL Express

Ask DHL for a quote for your package.

Check before you ship:

  • The delivery estimate it quotes for the recipient’s address
  • Whether duties and taxes are billed to you or to the recipient
  • Drop-off or pickup options near you

Cost: get a quote for your package’s weight and dimensions.

FedEx International

Ask FedEx for a quote for your package.

Check before you ship:

  • The delivery estimate it quotes for the recipient’s address
  • Whether duties and taxes are billed to you or to the recipient

USPS Priority Mail International

Published, nationwide prices from the US Postal Service. To Guatemala: Flat Rate Envelope $50.55, Small Flat Rate Box $52.20 (4 lb max), Medium $102.55 and Large $132.05 (20 lb max); by weight, 1 lb $63.05 and 5 lb $85.65; 44 lb maximum (USPS Notice 123, effective 4 October 2026).

Correction (23 September 2026): this page previously called USPS the cheapest option for small packages and documents and priced it at about $30-$70. Guatemala is in USPS’s flat-rate price group 8 and weight price group 10 (USPS Notice 123, effective 12 July 2026): Flat Rate Envelope $50.55, Small Flat Rate Box $52.20, 1 lb $63.05, 5 lb $85.65. See our corrections policy and the USPS Priority Mail International guide.

Pros:

  • Published prices, no account needed
  • Merchandise insurance at no charge up to $200 of value (USPS Notice 123)

Cons:

  • Ask at the counter for the current delivery estimate to Guatemala

Cost: $52.20 for the Small Flat Rate Box (up to 4 lb); $85.65 for a 5 lb package at the weight rate.

Specialized diaspora services

For smaller diaspora-focused couriers, get written quotes and ask how they declare the package to SAT.

Cost comparison example

For a 5-pound package from Los Angeles to Guatemala City, declared value $200:

ServiceCostDelivery time
Diaspora courierWritten quoteAsk the courier
USPS Priority Mail Intl$85.65 (5 lb weight rate; USPS Notice 123)Ask USPS
DHL ExpressAsk for a quoteAsk when you get the quote
FedEx International PriorityAsk for a quoteAsk when you get the quote

For documents only (under 1 lb):

ServiceCostDelivery time
USPS Priority Mail Intl$50.55 (Flat Rate Envelope; USPS Notice 123)Ask USPS
DHL ExpressAsk for a quoteAsk when you get the quote
FedEx International PriorityAsk for a quoteAsk when you get the quote

Customs and SAT (Guatemalan tax authority)

Packages entering Guatemala go through SAT customs. Some rules to know:

Duty-free threshold

RECAUCA art. 566 puts courier goods worth up to 1,000 Central American pesos in the category of shipments subject to taxes; anything above that goes through the general customs process. Among goods, the family-parcel exemption is the tax-free route: CAUCA art. 116 exempts small family parcels with no commercial character, sent by relatives abroad for the recipient’s own use or consumption, if their total customs value does not exceed 500 Central American pesos, and RECAUCA art. 596 allows the exemption only if the recipient has not used it in the previous six months. The simplified declaration excludes goods subject to permits, certificates, authorizations or other non-tariff restrictions, and exempt family parcels (arts. 566 and 573, checked 31 October 2026). When taxes apply:

  • DAI (import duty): set by the item’s tariff line
  • IVA (value-added tax): 12%
  • Combined cost: depends on the tariff line; ask your courier or a customs broker to classify the item

Items requiring extra scrutiny

  • Commercial quantities: the family-parcel exemption covers only non-commercial shipments for the recipient’s own use (CAUCA art. 116)
  • Pharmaceuticals: for an import for a patient, MSPAS asks for a diagnosis letter or medical certificate signed by the treating doctor in Guatemala and the prescription; for over-the-counter medicine the product photos, diagnosis letter and insurance proof are omitted, but not the prescription
  • Valuable items: keep the purchase receipt to show value

Prohibited items

Ask your courier for its prohibited and restricted list before you pack, and check the receiving rules for medicine above.

If your package is held in customs, you (or your designated recipient) may need to provide:

  • Proof of value (purchase receipt)
  • Proof of personal use (vs. commercial)
  • Identity documents
  • Payment of duties and IVA

Practical tips

Declare accurately

Declare the actual value and contents. Customs value decides which regime the parcel falls under (RECAUCA art. 566) and whether the family-parcel exemption can apply (CAUCA art. 116).

Use descriptive item names

List specific items, such as 2 t-shirts, 1 pair of sneakers and 1 book, rather than a vague description.

Keep receipts for valuable items

If you’re sending expensive items (electronics, jewelry), include a copy of the purchase receipt. This documents the value if customs questions it.

Insure for valuable shipments

USPS Notice 123 lists Priority Mail International merchandise insurance at $0.00 up to $200 of value and $13.85 for $200.01 to $300. Ask DHL, FedEx or your courier for their coverage and price.

Use the recipient’s full DPI/passport on the receiving address

Ask your courier which ID number it needs for the recipient, and include it with the address.

Plan around Guatemalan holidays

The Código de Trabajo (art. 127) lists paid holidays that include:

  • Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (March/April)
  • Independence Day (September 15)
  • All Saints’ Day (November 1)
  • December 24 from noon, December 25, December 31 from noon, and January 1

Ask your courier for its cut-off dates around these days.

What to send vs. what to buy in Guatemala

For diaspora considering whether to ship items vs. buy them in Guatemala:

Better to ship:

  • Specific brand items you cannot find locally
  • Personal items with sentimental value

Better to buy in Guatemala:

  • Anything bulky or heavy, where shipping is priced by weight

The break-even calculation depends on item value, weight, the item’s tariff line and what you can find locally.

What’s next

For other diaspora services:

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the cheapest way to send packages to Guatemala?

It depends on weight and service, so compare quotes. USPS Priority Mail International is the option with published prices to Guatemala: Flat Rate Envelope $50.55, Small Flat Rate Box $52.20, 5 lb at the weight rate $85.65 (USPS Notice 123, effective 4 October 2026). Diaspora couriers, DHL and FedEx quote per shipment.

How long does shipping to Guatemala take?

Ask the carrier for its current delivery estimate to the recipient’s address before you ship, and allow extra time if SAT inspects the package.

Are there import duties on packages to Guatemala?

Yes, as a rule. RECAUCA art. 566 puts courier goods worth up to 1,000 Central American pesos in the category of shipments subject to taxes. Among goods, the tax-free route is the family-parcel exemption for small family parcels sent by relatives abroad for the recipient’s own use, with no commercial character, worth no more than 500 Central American pesos (CAUCA art. 116), and only if the recipient has not used the exemption in the previous six months (RECAUCA art. 596). Above that, import duty (DAI) by tariff line and 12% IVA apply. The simplified declaration excludes goods subject to permits, certificates, authorizations or other non-tariff restrictions, and exempt family parcels (arts. 566 and 573, checked 31 October 2026).

What can I NOT send to Guatemala?

Ask your courier for its prohibited and restricted list before you pack. For medicine imported for a patient, Guatemala’s health ministry (MSPAS) asks for a diagnosis letter or medical certificate from the treating doctor in Guatemala and the prescription; for over-the-counter medicine the product photos, diagnosis letter and insurance proof are omitted, but not the prescription.