Moving electronics from the USA to Guatemala starts from two matches: the voltage is the same (120V/60Hz) and the plug types are the same (Type A/B), and a personal laptop, phone and camera count as traveler’s baggage under RECAUCA art. 578. The complications are commercial quantities, high-value individual items, and the personal-luggage allowance. This guide covers what sails through, what gets taxed, and what should be shipped vs carried.
Who writes this: We’re Guatemala Life, a Guatemala-based team. We watch travelers clear SAT customs at La Aurora with laptops, TVs, drones, and DJ gear, and we see what retail looks like on the other end (what’s cheaper locally, what’s worth bringing, what warranty coverage actually works). Voltage and plug specs are verified against the IEC’s World Plugs country reference and CNEE’s published distribution standards — SAT is the tax and customs authority and does not publish electrical standards. US-side airline and customs logistics reflect published carrier and CBP rules.
What most new arrivals don’t realize until they try it: Guatemala’s 120V/60Hz and Type A/B plugs mean every US consumer electronic works here without adaptation. No step-down transformers, no plug adapters, no dual-voltage switches. This is genuinely unusual compared to moving to Europe, Mexico, or most of Latin America — and it’s one of the biggest practical wins of the Guatemala move.
Quick summary: Pack it in your carry-on or checked bag. Personal laptops, phones, and tablets go through duty-free. TVs are allowed but flag-declared. Goods beyond your baggage items that exceed the US$500 allowance pay tax on their whole value: 0% DAI on laptops, phones, tablets and cameras, 15% on TVs and consoles, plus 12% IVA on value + DAI. US voltage is identical to Guatemala — everything works with no adapter. Ship excess in a container under menaje de casa OR buy in Guatemala (prices comparable for most items).
Cost snapshot
Typical electronics in luggage for one person:
| Item | Value (USD) | Duty in Guatemala | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro (personal) | $2,500 | $0 | One per traveler, personal use |
| iPhone (personal) | $1,200 | $0 | One per traveler |
| iPad | $800 | $0 | Not always challenged |
| AirPods | $200 | $0 | Personal item |
| Nintendo Switch | $350 | $0 within the US$500 allowance; ~$101 (15% DAI + IVA) if taxed | Often passes unchallenged |
| DSLR camera + 1 lens | $3,000 | $0 as your one baggage camera; ~$360 (0% DAI + IVA) if taxed | Carry in hand luggage |
| 55" TV | $800 | ~$230 (15% DAI + IVA on the whole value) | Over the US$500 allowance, so no partial exemption |
| Drone | $1,500 | $180 IVA, plus DAI (tariff line not verified) | DGAC flight authorisation to fly it |
Voltage and plug compatibility
This is the best news for Americans moving to Guatemala:
| Spec | USA | Guatemala | Compatible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 120V | 120V | Yes |
| Frequency | 60 Hz | 60 Hz | Yes |
| Plug type | Type A (2-pin), Type B (2+ground) | Type A, Type B | Yes |
| Amperage (residential) | 15A / 20A | 15A / 20A | Yes |
Guatemala’s 120 V / 60 Hz and type A/B figures are the IEC World Plugs country entry; the 60 Hz national frequency and the permitted voltage-deviation band are set by CNEE’s Normas Técnicas del Servicio de Distribución. If you are coming from outside North America, the answer is different — see power adapters and voltage in Guatemala, which breaks it down by origin country.
No adapter or converter needed for any US appliance. This includes:
- Laptops and chargers
- TVs (all modern TVs accept 120V)
- Refrigerators, washers, dryers (check capacity fits Guatemalan kitchen)
- Small kitchen appliances (blender, microwave, toaster)
- Gaming consoles
- Hair dryers, curling irons
Exceptions (rare): some large European or Asian-sourced 240V appliances you may have owned in the US (commercial ovens, certain European-sourced dryers) may need transformers. Bring only 120V appliances.
Duty-free airport allowance
SAT’s customs rules for travelers (declared on the electronic traveler declaration, which you file online before you fly; step-by-step guide) give you:
- Your baggage, tax-free with no value cap (CAUCA art. 113). RECAUCA art. 578 lists what counts: clothing and personal items, medicine in reasonable quantities, and one each of a personal computer, a mobile phone and a camera, among others.
- US$500 per traveler for goods other than baggage (gifts, new purchases), tax-free (RECAUCA art. 582 lets each country limit it to once every six months, and the traveller’s declaration SAT uses asks whether you have used a tax exemption in the last six months), if you have been outside the country at least 72 hours (CAUCA art. 114; RECAUCA art. 582). It is personal and not cumulative. Above US$500 you pay tax on the whole amount, not just the excess (SAT’s traveler procedure).
- Alcohol and tobacco have their own baggage limits per adult: 5 liters of wine or spirits combined and 500 grams of tobacco (RECAUCA art. 578 j).
Minors: we found no separate, lower allowance for minors in CAUCA, RECAUCA or SAT’s traveler procedure.
What this means for electronics:
- A traveler with a personal laptop ($2,500) + phone ($1,200) + AirPods ($200) = nominally $3,900, but these count as personal effects you were already using, not new purchases. Declared and inspected correctly, they pass.
- A traveler with a NEW laptop still in the box from Best Buy, if customs does not accept it as your one personal computer: it counts as goods other than baggage. A $1,500 laptop is over the US$500 allowance, so tax falls on the whole value: 0% DAI + 12% IVA = about $180.
The dividing line: used personal items (1 per traveler) vs new items / commercial quantities.
What SAT customs officers actually challenge at La Aurora: in practice, the things that get flagged are obvious commercial quantities (5+ of the same item, sealed retail boxes stacked) or high-value electronics still in factory plastic. A single laptop that looks used, a single phone in your pocket, a tablet in your bag — these clear routinely. If you’re traveling with a new sealed-box laptop you just bought at Best Buy, unbox it at home, set it up for a week, and let it look like yours before you fly.
Laptop strategy
Use in USA first, bring as personal
Your MacBook or Dell that you’ve been using for a year passes as a personal item, no duty. Carry in your carry-on.
New laptop bought for the move
Open the box. Set it up. Use it for 1-2 weeks in the US. Now it’s a used personal item. Carry in carry-on.
Multiple laptops
Multiple laptops raise suspicion of commercial import. Rule of thumb:
- 1 laptop: personal, no duty
- 3+ laptops: likely flagged for duty, possibly inspection
Shipping a laptop instead of carrying
If you must ship, use DHL or FedEx with insurance. Declare at true value. Pay 12% IVA (~$300 on a $2,500 laptop). See Ship a box from USA.
TV strategy
TVs are the trickiest electronic because of size and obvious value.
Option 1: Pack in a protective case, check as luggage
Many airlines allow TVs up to 55" as checked baggage in specialized TV cases. You pay the oversized/overweight baggage fee ($150-$300 per airline). Declare at customs.
Option 2: Include in a container of household goods
If you’re doing a full move with a container, include the TV in the menaje de casa inventory. Menaje de casa can waive the DAI - for residentes pensionados and rentistas, and partly (up to 70%, by SAT resolution) for Guatemalans returning after 24 months abroad - but the 12% IVA still applies. See Menaje de casa.
Option 3: Ship via courier
Guatemalan couriers charge by cubic feet for TVs. A 55" TV in original packaging is approximately 8-10 cubic feet = $250-$500 to ship. Risk of damage is moderate.
Option 4: Buy in Guatemala
TV prices in Guatemala are approximately 15-30% higher than US retail but the delta is smaller than shipping cost for large sets. A 55" Samsung in Guatemala is Q5,500-Q8,000 ($700-$1,030) vs $500-$800 in the US. Delivery included. Warranty works locally.
Recommendation: for moves of 1 TV, buy in Guatemala. For moves of 2+ TVs, ship in a container.
From what we see in Guatemala’s retail landscape: Samsung, LG, and TCL TVs are widely available at Electronica Panamericana, MAX Zonas 10/15, Walmart, and PriceSmart. Current pricing runs roughly 15-30% above US retail for the same model. Importing a US-market TV means you carry the panel risk yourself across a 10-15 day courier transit, and the US warranty does not cover Guatemala. One TV: local purchase wins on total cost once warranty and shipping risk are included.
Phone — unlocking and carriers
Your US iPhone or Android works on Guatemalan networks with a SIM swap:
- Tigo — largest network, best coverage, 4G
- Claro — second largest, competitive rates
Guatemala has two mobile carriers; Movistar no longer operates in the country.
Requirements:
- Phone must be carrier-unlocked in the USA before moving
- 4G/5G bands: most US phones (iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel) have the bands Guatemala uses — LTE Band 2, 4, 5
- NO CDMA phones — old Verizon/Sprint CDMA-only phones don’t work. All modern phones are GSM/LTE.
For carrier details, see the Phone Plans Guatemala guide.
Cameras, drones, and specialized equipment
Cameras
One personal camera (DSLR, mirrorless, point-and-shoot) is part of your tax-free baggage. A second camera counts toward the US$500 allowance; above it, 12% IVA applies to the whole amount (cameras are 0% DAI). Carry in hand luggage.
Drones
Flying a drone in Guatemala needs a DGAC flight authorisation: tourists file form DVSO-OPS-805, whose text says the aircraft is not subject to registration because its stay is temporary; residents file DVSO-OPS-801 so DGAC can decide case by case whether the aircraft must be registered. The rules in force are RAC 101 (2013) and Operational Directive DO-004-2025; the rules this page used to state, for drones up to 25 kg registering within 30 days, are not in them (corrected 24 September 2026). Heights, airport rings and restricted sites: drone rules in Guatemala.
Professional broadcast / production gear
Guatemala is not an ATA carnet country (the carnet-country list published by the Corporation for International Business does not include it, checked 2026-09-24), so a carnet will not clear professional gear here. Professional radio / video gear may also need a SIT telecommunications permit. Consult a customs broker.
A consumer satellite messenger is a different case from professional radio gear, and it has its own dedicated page: satellite messengers in Guatemala reads the Ley General de Telecomunicaciones and Acuerdo Gubernativo 574-98 to show who those instruments actually bind, including the express exception for global-radiocommunication equipment.
Medical devices
CPAP machines, prescription electronic medical devices pass as personal medical items, duty-free. Bring the prescription.
For a CPAP specifically, the flight side is where most of the published rules live — the carry-on exemption, the manufacturer’s-label requirement, the 150% battery arithmetic and how TSA screens it. That, plus what SAT’s own baggage definition does and does not say about a medical device, is set out in bringing a CPAP machine to Guatemala.
Small appliances — bring or buy?
| Item | Bring from US? | Buy in Guatemala? |
|---|---|---|
| Blender (Vitamix, etc.) | Bring — cheaper in US | Available but 30-50% more |
| Microwave | Bring if included in container | Buy locally — shipping not worth it |
| Coffee maker | Bring — you know the brand | Available |
| Air fryer | Bring | 40-60% more expensive |
| Instant Pot / pressure cooker | Bring | Limited local availability |
| Stand mixer | Bring | Available but expensive |
| Vacuum cleaner | Bring only if corded 120V | Available |
| Toaster / toaster oven | Bring | Available |
General rule: small kitchen appliances are worth bringing because they’re 30-50% cheaper in the US and 120V voltage matches.
Warranty considerations
Most US manufacturer warranties do NOT cover Guatemala:
- Apple: limited international warranty (Apple Care can be globalized at purchase)
- Samsung: US warranty doesn’t transfer; buy Samsung locally for local warranty
- Microsoft / Xbox: US warranty honored in Guatemala service centers for certain product lines
- Amazon devices (Echo, Fire): US warranty only, very limited in Guatemala
If warranty matters, buy in Guatemala.
Common mistakes
- Bringing a converter you don’t need. US to Guatemala voltage is 1:1. Converters are wasted weight.
- Forgetting to unlock phones. Locked phones are paperweights on Guatemalan networks.
- Declaring new electronics at zero value. SAT spot-checks prices. Under-declaring risks seizure.
- Shipping a 65" TV via courier. Fragile, expensive. Better to buy in Guatemala or bring in checked luggage.
- Assuming gaming consoles region-lock. Modern consoles (Xbox Series, PS5, Switch) do not region-lock at the hardware level. Digital accounts / regional stores may vary.
- Flying a drone without the DGAC authorisation. Get the form that matches your status before the trip: drone rules.
- Bringing a CDMA-only old phone. Will not work on any Guatemalan carrier.
- Packing fragile electronics in soft luggage. Hard-sided cases are essential for laptops and cameras.
Internet and tech setup after arrival
Once you arrive, you need:
- Local SIM card (Tigo or Claro) — Claro publishes Q5.00 for the SIM plus a Q10.00 recharge to activate it; Tigo does not publish the price of its physical chip, and its eSIM costs Q50 (carrier pages, checked 21 September 2026)
- Home internet (Tigo, Claro) — Q229-Q809/mo, from a 150 Mbps plan up to 700-750 Mbps or a TV bundle (provider prices read September 30, 2026)
- Amazon Prime / Netflix / Spotify — US accounts work via VPN; local accounts often cheaper
- Currency USB C charger — Guatemala uses USB Type C standard, same as US
For internet plans and provider comparisons, see the Internet & ISP Guide (when published — most data currently in the interactive map).
How we verified this
Last verified: April 2026. Voltage and plug compatibility confirmed against Guatemala’s residential electrical standard (120V/60Hz, Type A/B). Traveler allowances and IVA/DAI rates re-checked on 22 September 2026 against CAUCA arts. 113-114, RECAUCA arts. 578 and 582, SAT’s air-traveler baggage procedure and SIECA’s tariff lines. Drone paperwork corrected on 24 September 2026 to match our DGAC-sourced drone guide. Local pricing (TVs, small appliances, mobile plans) tracked against Guatemala City retail. Airport customs practice reflects what we observe at La Aurora. Processes change — if you hit a discrepancy, email us and we’ll correct within 48 hours.
Corrections & updates
If SAT tightened the $500 allowance, DGAC updated drone rules, or your arrival customs experience diverged from what’s on this page, email us and we’ll update within 48 hours.
Related guides
- Ship a box from USA — Courier comparison
- Household goods (menaje de casa) — Container moves
- Guatemala Import Calculator — DAI + IVA estimator
- Guatemala customs for travelers — duty-free limits, the DVE declaration, and what you can carry in your luggage
- Phone Plans Guatemala — Tigo and Claro comparison
- Bring musical instruments — Specialized gear
- Moving from USA hub — All relocation guides
Official sources
- SAT Guatemala — Aduanas — Customs authority
- SAT Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero — the electronic traveler customs form
- DGAC Guatemala — drones and aviation — Drone flight authorisation
- SIT Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones — Telecom permits
- Guatemala Import Duty database — SAT duty tables
Information verified April 2026. Duty rates, SAT allowances, and DGAC requirements change — verify with customs at the airport on arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my laptop and phone in my suitcase without paying duty?
Yes. Guatemala allows one laptop and one phone per traveler as personal effects, duty-free. Extra laptops or phones count as goods other than baggage: SAT’s own examples: if you bring three laptops, two are goods other than baggage; if you bring five phones, one for your personal use and four for relatives, the four are goods other than baggage. They go on SAT’s electronic traveler declaration with quantity and value. They can be exempt up to US$500 if they are not for commercial purposes, not prohibited, and you spent more than 72 hours outside Guatemala (SAT guide GDE-19); above that, taxes apply (12% IVA + any applicable DAI). Above US$1,000 of such goods, SAT’s guide says a customs broker must prepare the declaration.
What voltage does Guatemala use?
Guatemala uses 120V / 60Hz — identical to the USA. Type A and Type B plugs (same as US). Your US laptop chargers, TVs, appliances, and phone chargers all work without any converter or adapter. This is one of the biggest advantages of moving from the USA vs Europe or Asia.
What's the duty-free allowance at the airport?
Two separate things. Your baggage - clothing, toiletries, and one each of a personal computer, a mobile phone and a camera, among other listed items - enters tax-free with no value cap (CAUCA art. 113; RECAUCA art. 578). On top of that, goods other than baggage (gifts, new purchases) enter tax-free up to US$500 (RECAUCA art. 582 lets each country limit it to once every six months, and the traveller’s declaration SAT uses asks whether you have used a tax exemption in the last six months), if you have been outside the country at least 72 hours (CAUCA art. 114; RECAUCA art. 582). Above US$500 you pay tax on the whole amount, not just the excess.
Do I need to declare a TV?
Yes. RECAUCA art. 578 counts one portable TV as baggage; a full-size set in its box counts against the US$500 allowance for goods other than baggage. Above US$500 SAT charges tax on the whole value, not the excess: 15% DAI (SAC 8528.72.90) plus 12% IVA on value + DAI, about 28.8% - roughly $230 on an $800 TV.
How much duty on an expensive camera or drone?
One camera is part of your tax-free baggage (RECAUCA art. 578). A camera beyond that, or one that is shipped, pays 0% DAI (SAC 8525.89.90; camera lenses 9002.11) plus 12% IVA - about $360 on a $3,000 camera, not $510. We have not verified the tariff line for drones; IVA alone on a $1,500 drone is $180. Carry it in your carry-on; if asked, declare.
Can I ship a big-screen TV in a courier box?
Technically yes but the risk of damage is high. Most couriers charge based on cubic feet, making large TVs expensive per unit. Better options: buy the TV in Guatemala (prices comparable), or include it in a container of household goods under menaje de casa.
What about gaming consoles and graphics cards?
Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC gaming hardware import fine. A console is not 0% DAI: it pays 15% DAI (SAC 9504.50) plus 12% IVA on value + DAI when shipped or taxed above the US$500 allowance; computer parts such as graphics cards are 0% DAI (SAC 8473.30), so just the 12% IVA. Guatemala has no region-locking issues for modern consoles.
Are there any banned electronics?
Restricted: commercial radio transmitters (require SIT license), drones (flying one needs DGAC authorisation; see the drone guide), encryption devices (restricted). Not restricted: laptops, phones, tablets, TVs, consoles, cameras, headphones, routers, printers, USB drives, external hard drives.
