In short: Yes, a foreigner can buy a car in Guatemala. SAT’s transfer requirements accept a passport “en caso de ser extranjero”. Before the sale you need a NIT and a SAT Agencia Virtual account. The transfer (traspaso) costs Q120 plus a fixed IVA of Q1,000 (car 2-3 years older than the current year) or Q500 (4+ years older). Only near-new cars pay 12%. The car needs a free physical inspection at the DEIC (police). Both parties sign in front of a notary. Check for loans on the car at the Registro de Garantías Mobiliarias. On Encuentra24 on 24 September 2026, the median asking price across 186 used cars was Q104,950 (≈US$13,700).
This page covers the foreigner’s side of a private purchase. The step-by-step SAT procedure is on our vehicle transfer page. Every rule below is from SAT’s own requirement and FAQ pages, read on 21 and 24 September 2026. Prices are from Encuentra24 listings read on 24 September 2026.
Can a foreigner own a car here? What SAT asks for
SAT’s page for the ordinary private sale — Traspaso con Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos Endosado y Legalizado ante Notario — lists the owner’s documents. The first line settles the foreigner question: “Documento de identificación vigente: DPI o pasaporte en caso de ser extranjero”.
What a foreign buyer needs in hand:
| Requirement (SAT) | What it means for a foreigner |
|---|---|
| Valid ID: DPI, or passport for a foreigner | Your passport |
| Agencia Virtual + up-to-date RTU | Register with SAT first; the RTU is the tax registry behind your NIT. See our NIT guide for foreigners |
| ISCV solvency on every vehicle registered to the owner | SAT applies this to the owner; if you already own a vehicle here, its circulation tax must be paid |
| Q120 transfer fee (form SAT-8611) | Paid through Declaraguate |
| IVA on the sale (form SAT-2311) | Fixed Q500 / Q1,000 for older cars (table below) |
| Current circulation card (tarjeta de circulación) | From the seller |
| Endorsed title (certificado de propiedad), signatures legalised by a notary | Both parties before the notary |
| DEIC physical inspection before going to SAT | Free; valid 60 business days |
SAT’s list does not include a residency document for either party. Nothing in it limits a foreign buyer to residents.
What the transfer costs
The tax on a private car sale depends on the model year, not the price. SAT’s FAQ applies Article 55 of the Ley del IVA:
| Car’s model year (vs. the current year) | IVA on the sale | Plus SAT fee |
|---|---|---|
| Current year, next year or previous year | 12% of the value in SAT’s Tabla de Valores Imponibles | Q120 |
| 2 to 3 years older | Q1,000 fixed | Q120 |
| 4 or more years older | Q500 fixed | Q120 |
So in 2026, a 2023 or 2024 model pays Q1,120 in SAT charges and a 2022-or-older model pays Q620, whatever the agreed price. A 2025, 2026 or 2027 model pays 12% on SAT’s table value plus Q120.
Two more costs:
- The notary. The endorsement must be legalised by an active notary. The Código de Notariado lets notaries set their fees freely and gives a fallback range of Q50-Q200 per authentication. Our notary fees page has market rates.
- The DEIC inspection (expertaje). SAT describes it as “un procedimiento gratuito” at the DEIC, the criminal-investigation division of the national police. The certificate is valid 60 business days.
Deadlines (SAT): the IVA must be paid within 15 business days of the notary’s legalisation. The transfer must be filed within 30 business days of the endorsement. After that, SAT applies the sanction in Article 94 of the Código Tributario.
Before you pay: three checks
- Liens. A car bought with a loan can carry a garantía mobiliaria (security interest). The Registro de Garantías Mobiliarias (rgm.gob.gt) runs a public search. It lets anyone check “si determinadas personas individuales o jurídicas aparecen como deudores garantes o si bienes específicos que cuentan con un número de identificador están asociados a alguna garantía mobiliaria”. Search both the seller’s name and the car’s identifiers.
- Circulation tax and fines. SAT won’t process the transfer unless the owner is up to date on the ISCV for all their registered vehicles. SAT’s FAQ also ties printing the year’s sticker to being solvent on traffic fines. Ask the seller for the current year’s ISCV payment and the calcomanía.
- The physical inspection. The DEIC expertaje is required before the SAT step anyway. Do it before you hand over money, not after.
What used cars list for: 186 listings on 24 September 2026
We read the first ten results pages of Encuentra24’s used-car section for Guatemala on 24 September 2026. That gave 200 unique listings, of which 186 were priced in quetzales. We left out 14 ads labelled in dollars, because at least one of them states a quetzal price in its own text.
| Model years | Listings | Lowest | Lower quartile | Median | Upper quartile | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 186 | Q24,900 | Q71,492 | Q104,950 | Q161,250 | Q890,000 |
| 2012 and older | 33 | Q24,900 | Q40,950 | Q69,900 | Q89,995 | Q239,000 |
| 2013–2017 | 61 | Q32,900 | Q54,995 | Q79,500 | Q119,950 | Q399,000 |
| 2018–2021 | 50 | Q69,990 | Q94,998 | Q132,445 | Q187,248 | Q450,000 |
| 2022–2025 | 42 | Q74,900 | Q120,218 | Q165,450 | Q222,175 | Q890,000 |
Our calculation from the captured listings. At the Banguat rate of Q7.63682 per US$ (24 September 2026), the overall median is about US$13,700.
How to read these numbers:
- They are asking prices, not what cars sold for.
- 135 of the 186 carry Encuentra24’s “Resaltado” (highlighted) label, in the default order we read. The sample leans toward those highlighted ads.
- The table mixes pickups, SUVs and sedans, so a median is a starting point for a budget, not a valuation of a specific car.
Bringing a car from the US instead
If you are weighing an import against a local purchase, the duty and IVA on an imported used car are on our SAT import page. First-time registration of a new vehicle is covered on the vehicle registration page.
Related
- Vehicle transfer (traspaso): the SAT procedure step by step
- How a foreigner gets a NIT
- Converting a foreign driver’s licence
- Importing a used car from the US
- Traspaso de vehículo (Spanish)
Sources
- SAT — Traspaso con Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos Endosado y Legalizado ante Notario (requirements, fees, deadlines, DEIC inspection): https://portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/requisitos-tramites-agencias/traspaso-con-certificado-de-propiedad-de-vehiculos/ — read 2026-09-24.
- SAT — Preguntas frecuentes, temas de vehículos (Art. 55 Ley del IVA scale, free expertaje, 60-day validity, ISCV and sticker): https://portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/preguntas-frecuentes/temas-de-vehiculos/ — read 2026-09-21 and 2026-09-24.
- Registro de Garantías Mobiliarias — services page: https://rgm.gob.gt/ — read 2026-09-24.
- Código de Notariado, Arts. 106 and 109 (CENADOJ copy) — read 2026-09-21.
- Encuentra24 — Autos usados en Guatemala, results pages 1-10: https://www.encuentra24.com/guatemala-es/autos-usados — read 2026-09-24 in a browser session.
- Banguat reference exchange rate, 24 September 2026.
This page covers what SAT publishes; your notary is the final check on a specific sale. Information current as of 24 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreigner buy a car in Guatemala?
Yes. SAT’s own requirements for a vehicle transfer (traspaso) ask for a valid identity document: a DPI, ‘o pasaporte en caso de ser extranjero’ — a passport if you are a foreigner. You also need to be registered with SAT: an Agencia Virtual account and up-to-date data in the RTU, which means having a NIT (tax number).
Can a US citizen buy a car in Guatemala on a tourist stay?
SAT’s transfer requirements list a passport for foreigners and do not ask for a residency document. What they do require is a NIT and an Agencia Virtual account in your name, so get those first. Our NIT guide explains how a foreigner obtains one.
How much does it cost to transfer a used car in Guatemala?
For a car older than last year’s model, SAT charges Q120 for the transfer (form SAT-8611) plus a fixed IVA: Q1,000 if the car is two to three years older than the current year, Q500 if it is four or more years older. Only cars of the current, next or previous model year pay 12% IVA on SAT’s table value. On top of that comes the notary’s fee for legalising the signatures, and the DEIC inspection, which SAT says is free.
How do I check if a used car has a loan (lien) on it in Guatemala?
Search the Registro de Garantías Mobiliarias (rgm.gob.gt). Its public search service lets anyone check whether a person appears as a debtor, or whether a specific asset with an identifying number is tied to a security interest. Also ask the seller for proof that the circulation tax (ISCV) is paid: SAT will not process the transfer unless the owner is solvent on the ISCV of all vehicles registered to them.
How much does a used car cost in Guatemala?
On 24 September 2026 we read 186 quetzal-priced used-car listings on Encuentra24. The median asking price was Q104,950 (about US$13,700). For model years 2013-2017 the median was Q79,500; for 2018-2021, Q132,445. These are asking prices on one marketplace, most carrying Encuentra24’s ‘Resaltado’ (highlighted) label, not sale prices.
Can I drive in Guatemala on my foreign licence after buying a car?
The rules for driving on a foreign licence, and for converting it to a Guatemalan one, are on our foreign licence conversion page. Buying the car does not change them.
