A tourist can legally ride a rented scooter or motorcycle in Guatemala only with a licence that covers motorcycles. The Reglamento de Tránsito lets a foreign licence be used for the vehicles it authorises, while your immigration stay is in force (Art. 24), and fines Q400 for riding with a licence that does not correspond to the vehicle (Art. 183). Two of the three Antigua rental pages we read on 26 September 2026 ask only for a valid driver’s licence, so the check is on you. This page sets out the rules, what three Antigua rental companies charge and require, and the Q500 helmet-and-vest fine that catches riders and passengers.
Quick summary: Licence: foreign licences cover the vehicles they authorise, only while your immigration authorisation is valid (Art. 24); Guatemala’s motorcycle class is Type M (Art. 23); riding with a licence that doesn’t match the vehicle is a Q400 fine (Art. 183). Prices in Antigua (read 26 Sep 2026): scooters Q375-Q450 a day or Q1,500-Q1,800 a week; 200-250cc motorcycles Q450-Q500 a day; dual-sport touring bikes US$90-120 a day with a 5-day minimum. Deposits: Q500 cash at the scooter shops, US$1,000 on a credit card for the touring bikes. Gear: helmet for rider and passenger (Art. 94) plus an orange reflective vest, both carrying the plate number (Art. 48 ter); Q500 fine (Art. 184).
The licence rule, article by article
| Rule | What the Reglamento de Tránsito says | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Licence must match the vehicle | When driving on a public road you must carry a valid licence whose type corresponds to or includes the vehicle you are driving | Art. 22 |
| Guatemala’s motorcycle licence | Type M is for all motobicicletas and motorcycles; Type C is for cars, panels, microbuses and pick-ups up to 3.5 tonnes | Art. 23 |
| Foreign licences | Holders of a foreign licence may drive in Guatemala the vehicles their licence authorises, and only while their immigration authorisation is in force | Art. 24 |
| Becoming a resident | Transferring the foreign licence to a Guatemalan one of the same or a lower type becomes obligatory | Art. 24 |
| No licence | Q400 fine | Art. 183, numeral 1 |
| Licence not carried with you | Q200 fine | Art. 181, numeral 3 |
| Licence that doesn’t match the vehicle | Q400 fine | Art. 183, numeral 4 |
| Expired licence | Q300 fine | Art. 182, numeral 1 |
So the question to ask yourself is not whether the shop will rent to you, but whether your own licence lists motorcycles. For the full picture of Guatemalan licences and converting a foreign one, see our Guatemala driver’s licence guide.
Pedal e-bikes are not a loophole. Under the Reglamento, a two-wheeler with pedals and an electric motor of up to 1,000 watts is a motobicicleta (Art. 7, numeral 66), which puts it in the Type M class. Standing electric scooters fall under a different rule; both are covered in our page on electric bikes and scooters.
What Antigua rental companies charge (read 26 September 2026)
| Company | Vehicle | Per hour | Per day | Per week | Deposit | Licence they ask for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galis Tours (4a Calle Oriente, Antigua) | Automatic scooter or motorbike | Q150 (US$20) first hour; Q225 (2 h); Q300 (3 h) | Q400 (US$53) | Q1,500 (US$200) | Q500 cash (US$71) | Valid driver’s licence (copy or scan accepted) |
| Simoon Tours (Antigua) | W150 scooter | Q125 | Q375 | Q1,500 | Q500 cash | Valid driver’s licence (copy or scanned) |
| Simoon Tours | W150CC scooter | Q150 | Q450 | Q1,800 | Q500 cash | Same |
| Simoon Tours | DM200cc motorcycle | Q125 | Q450 | Q1,800 | Q500 cash | Same |
| Simoon Tours | DM250cc motorcycle | Q150 | Q500 | Q2,000 | Q500 cash | Same |
| Ride Guatemala (Antigua) | Honda XR250 Tornado / Honda XRE 300 | — | US$90 | US$575 (monthly US$2,100) | US$1,000 on a credit card | Motorcycle licence or endorsement; age 21+ |
| Ride Guatemala | Honda Tornado 300 | — | US$105 | US$650 (monthly US$2,400) | Same | Same |
| Ride Guatemala | Kawasaki KLR650 | — | US$120 | US$750 (monthly US$2,600) | Same | Same |
Prices and requirements are the companies’ own, as published on their websites on 26 September 2026. Galis Tours and Simoon Tours both say helmet and a full tank are included, and both quote their rates at US$1 = Q7.50. Ride Guatemala’s rental page shows no date for its rates (its footer reads 2018 and a Covid notice on the site says updated June 10, 2021), so confirm prices when you book. It rents with a 5-day minimum, only by prior reservation, and includes liability insurance, a helmet, saddlebags, a basic tool set and unlimited mileage; fuel and riding gear are extra (a riding suit is US$15 a day). Simoon Tours also rents automatic ATVs at Q450 and Q500 a day.
How to read the gap in licence requirements. Two of the three companies ask only for a valid driver’s licence, copy or scan accepted. Ride Guatemala asks for a “Motorcycle License or Endorsement”. The Reglamento is written on the second model: the licence has to cover the vehicle (Arts. 22 and 24). A shop accepting your car licence does not change the article a traffic officer applies.
Gear and paperwork: what the rider must carry
| Item | Rule | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet, rider and passenger | Obligatory whenever on a public road (Art. 94) | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 10) |
| Plate number on the helmet | Retroreflective white on black, Arial, 2.5 cm wide and 4 cm tall, visible from 5 metres (Art. 48 ter b) | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 10) |
| Orange reflective vest, rider and companion | Silver retroreflective stripes front and back, plate number printed on the back (Art. 48 ter a) | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 10) |
| Plates on the bike | Riding without plates | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 1) |
| Tarjeta de circulación | Not having one: Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 2). Riding without carrying it or an authenticated photocopy: Q200 (Art. 181, numeral 1) | See left |
| Riding on sidewalks, cycle lanes or bus-only lanes | Prohibited for motorcyclists | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 11) |
| Riding or stopping between lanes, zigzagging | Prohibited for motorcyclists | Q500 (Art. 184, numeral 12) |
The rental pages say a helmet is included; none of the three mentions the vest. Ask for it, and check that the helmet and vest carry the bike’s plate number. More on the helmet rule, including the passenger and the absence of any age exemption, in our motorcycle helmet law page.
A pre-ride checklist
- Your licence lists motorcycles (a motorcycle class or endorsement), and your passport shows you are within your permitted stay (Art. 24).
- The bike has plates, and you know where the tarjeta de circulación is (or an authenticated photocopy).
- Two helmets if you carry a passenger, both with the plate number.
- Two orange reflective vests, with the plate number on the back.
- The deposit terms in writing: Q500 cash at the scooter shops; US$1,000 on a credit card at Ride Guatemala, which says you are responsible for damage to the bike and equipment up to that limit.
- Insurance: ask what the rental covers, and read your travel policy on motorcycles.
Parking in Antigua: the city marks motorcycle bays with white lines; see Antigua’s vehicle and parking rules.
Related guides
- Guatemala driver’s licence: types, CECOVE and conversion
- Motorcycle helmet law in Guatemala
- Electric bikes and scooters
- Speed limits in Guatemala
- Driving in Guatemala
- Travel insurance for Guatemala
Sources
- Ley de Tránsito and its Reglamento (Acuerdo Gubernativo 273-98, with reforms), compiled edition (read 21 September 2026): Arts. 7 (numeral 66), 22, 23, 24, 48 ter, 94, 181, 182, 183 and 184.
- Galis Tours, Antigua Scooter & Motorbike Rental page and home page (read 26 September 2026).
- Simoon Tours, Rentals page and home page (read 26 September 2026).
- Ride Guatemala, Motorcycle Rentals page (read 26 September 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent a scooter in Guatemala with my car licence?
A shop may hand you the keys, but the traffic rules tie the licence to the vehicle. Article 24 of the Reglamento de Tránsito lets holders of a foreign licence drive in Guatemala the vehicles their licence authorises them to drive, and only while their immigration authorisation is in force. Article 22 requires you to carry a valid licence whose type corresponds to or includes the vehicle you are riding, and Article 183 fines riding with a licence that does not correspond to the vehicle at Q400. Guatemala’s own motorcycle class is Type M (Art. 23). Of the three Antigua rental pages we read on 26 September 2026, two ask only for a valid driver’s licence; the dual-sport company asks for a motorcycle licence or endorsement.
How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Antigua Guatemala?
On the shops’ own pages, read 26 September 2026: Galis Tours charges Q400 (US$53) a day or Q1,500 (US$200) a week for a scooter or motorbike, and Simoon Tours charges Q375 or Q450 a day and Q1,500 or Q1,800 a week depending on the scooter. Both also rent by the hour, from Q125 to Q150 for the first hour, and both ask for a Q500 cash deposit per bike.
How much does it cost to rent a motorcycle for touring Guatemala?
Ride Guatemala, an Antigua tour company, rents dual-sport motorcycles with a 5-day minimum: US$90 a day for the Honda XR250 Tornado or XRE 300, US$105 for the Tornado 300 and US$120 for the Kawasaki KLR650, with weekly rates of US$575 to US$750 and monthly rates of US$2,100 to US$2,600. It asks for a motorcycle licence or endorsement, a minimum age of 21 and a US$1,000 security deposit on a credit card (read 26 September 2026).
Do passengers have to wear a helmet in Guatemala?
Yes. Article 94 of the Reglamento de Tránsito obliges the rider or the passenger of a motorcycle or motobicicleta to wear the protective helmet whenever they are on a public road. Article 48 ter adds an orange reflective vest for rider and companion, and the plate number on both the vest and the helmet. Article 184 numeral 10 fines missing helmet or vest at Q500.
What papers should the rental bike come with?
Plates and the tarjeta de circulación (the vehicle registration card). The Reglamento fines riding without plates or without a tarjeta de circulación at Q500 (Art. 184, numerals 1 and 2), and riding without carrying the tarjeta or an authenticated photocopy of it at Q200 (Art. 181, numeral 1). Ask the shop where the card is before you leave.
Does the rental include insurance?
Only one of the three pages we read says so. Ride Guatemala lists third-party liability insurance as included on all its tours and rentals. The Galis Tours and Simoon Tours rental pages list what is included (helmet and a full tank) and do not mention insurance (read 26 September 2026). Ask before you sign, and check whether your own travel insurance covers riding a motorcycle.
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