DIGECAM First Firearm Carry License Guatemala 2026: Requirements, Exam, Q590

The first firearm carry license is the document issued by DIGECAM (Direccion General de Control de Armas y Municiones, the firearms control directorate under the Ministry of National Defense) that authorizes a Guatemalan citizen to legally carry a civilian-use firearm. The official DIGECAM evaluation costs Q400 (theory, practical, and psychological exam) and the license costs Q190 per year of validity, so the official initial cost is Q590 (Q400 evaluation + Q190 first-year license). The applicant must pass DIGECAM’s own theory, practical and psychological evaluations (Reglamento Art. 37) and submit clean criminal and police background checks. The license is valid for 1 to 3 years (the applicant chooses the term, at Q190 per year) and must be renewed before expiration (Art. 72, Decreto 15-2009).

Quick summary: Mandatory in-person procedure (it cannot be completed 100% online). Official initial cost Q590 (Q400 evaluation + Q190 first-year license). Time: not published by DIGECAM. Validity: 1 to 3 years (applicant’s choice). Requires passing DIGECAM’s evaluations and current background checks. People with convictions for violent crimes, domestic violence, or drug trafficking do not qualify.

What Is the Carry License Under Guatemalan Law?

Under Decreto 15-2009 (Firearms and Munitions Law — LAM), no Guatemalan citizen may carry a firearm in public without a current DIGECAM-issued license. This license certifies that the holder:

• Meets the age requirement (25 or older for the first license under recent reforms)
• Passed DIGECAM’s five evaluations: basics of the Firearms Law, firearm safety, technical operation, use of the firearm, and a psychological evaluation (Reglamento Art. 37, 75 points minimum each)
• Has no criminal or police record that would disqualify them
• Is registered in DIGECAM’s biometric system with current fingerprints and photo

The license is personal and non-transferable. It only covers firearms registered to the holder via a DIGECAM possession registration. Carrying a firearm that is NOT registered in your name — even if you hold a valid license — is still a crime.

Who Can Apply for the First License

Eligible:

• People 25 or older (Art. 80): Guatemalans with a valid DPI, and foreigners who hold temporary or permanent residence (DIGECAM asks for the migration resolution)
• No criminal record for intentional offenses
• No police record showing complaints for violence
• No active court orders (substitute measures, prohibitions, restraining orders)
• Pass DIGECAM’s psychological evaluation
• Resident in Guatemala — the procedure does not apply to people living abroad (the DIGECAM license is only valid on Guatemalan territory)

Not eligible:

• People with active convictions for homicide, murder, femicide, rape, aggravated robbery, drug trafficking, organized crime
• People with active protective measures for domestic or psychological violence
• People with open criminal proceedings for an intentional offense
• People whose psychiatric evaluation flags them as a risk

Requirements

Personal documents

• Valid DPI (original plus a legalized photocopy)
• Antecedentes Penales, current
• Antecedentes Policiacos, current

Procedure-specific documents

• Certification of having passed the evaluations — Art. 72(b)(3) requires it. DIGECAM itself runs the five evaluations (basics of the Firearms Law, firearm safety, technical operation, use of the firearm, and a psychological evaluation), each passed with at least 75 points, and issues the certificate of approval (Reglamento, AG 85-2011, Art. 37). The Q400 evaluation fee is paid to DIGECAM; the evaluations take place at 32 calle 18-80, zona 5, Guatemala City, 08:00-11:00, and you bring the firearm with twelve (12) rounds for the practical part (MINDEF, tramites.gob.gt service 1642, read 24 September 2026). DIGECAM publishes a Guía de Evaluación on its trámites page.
• Q590 payment receipt from an authorized bank (BANRURAL, Banco Industrial, G&T Continental, others): Q400 for the evaluation + Q190 for the first-year license.

Also on the official list

Per the official catalogue entry for this trámite (tramites.gob.gt/servicio/1642) and Art. 72 LAM, do not overlook these — they are frequently the reason a file is bounced:

• Notarized declaración jurada stating that the data and documents filed with DIGECAM are truthful (Art. 72; the catalogue lists it explicitly)
• Legalized photocopy of your DPI, in addition to the original (Art. 72(b)(1))
• The firearm itself plus twelve (12) rounds for the practical evaluation — bring it under a sporadic transport licence, which is free and requestable from digecam.mil.gt (Art. 48)
• Migration resolution — for foreigners, the original and a photocopy of the Dirección General de Migración resolution granting temporary or permanent residence
• Both payment receipts — one for the evaluations, one for the licence
• Both application forms — the evaluation request and the first-carry-licence request

Sometimes requested in practice — not on the official list

These do not appear in Art. 72 LAM or in the official catalogue for this trámite. Some applicants report being asked for them anyway; bring them if you have them, but do not treat them as blockers:

• Current address proof (recent utility bill)
• Employment or income proof showing your source of income — note this is officially required to buy a firearm (Art. 59) and to import one (Art. 34), just not for the carry licence itself
• Personal references (a form signed by 2 adult witnesses with their own DPI)

Step by Step

Stage 1 — Pull background checks (1-2 weeks)

1. Get the criminal and police background checks online or in person. Both are valid for 6 months, so do NOT pull them too early. Start this step only when you are ready to push through the rest of the process.

2. Make sure your DPI is current. If it expires within 6 months, renew the DPI first — DIGECAM rejects the procedure if your DPI expires before the license you would receive.

Stages 2-3 — DIGECAM’s evaluations

3. Study DIGECAM’s Guía de Evaluación (linked from the first-licence row of digecam.mil.gt/tramites).

4. Take the evaluations at DIGECAM. There are five: basics of the Firearms Law, firearm safety, technical operation, use of the firearm, and a psychological evaluation. Each must be passed with at least 75 points; they can be oral or written (Reglamento, AG 85-2011, Art. 37). They take place at 32 calle 18-80, zona 5, Guatemala City, 08:00-11:00. Bring the firearm with 12 rounds for the practical part, moved under a sporadic transport licence (requestable at digecam.mil.gt).

5. Receive DIGECAM’s certificate of approval. DIGECAM itself issues it (Art. 37 lit. d); if you fail, it tells you the deficiencies and you may retake (LAM Art. 75).

Stage 4 — Pay and book DIGECAM appointment (1-3 weeks)

9. Pay the Q590 fee at an authorized bank (Q400 evaluation + Q190 first-year license). Keep the original receipt and make 2 photocopies.

10. Book your appointment online at digecam.mil.gt/citas. Select “Primera Licencia de Portacion” and choose a location (Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla, or other delegations).

11. Show up to your appointment with all documents in order:

• Original DPI plus a legalized photocopy
• Original criminal and police background checks
• DIGECAM’s evaluation certificate
• The notarized sworn statement
• Both payment receipts (evaluations and licence)
• Both application forms

12. Biometric capture. DIGECAM takes fingerprints from all 10 fingers, a formal photograph, and digital signature.

Stage 5 — Vetting and delivery

13. DIGECAM reviews your file and queries PNC, the Public Ministry, and the Judicial Branch databases to confirm you have no open cases or active restrictions.

14. If everything checks out, you are summoned for delivery. You will get an email or phone notification. Pickup is in person, at the same location where you applied.

15. Pick up your physical license. It is a plastic card with your photo, personal data, issue date, expiration date (per the term you chose, 1 to 3 years out), and a verification QR code.

Cost and Time

Timeline drivers: DIGECAM appointment availability and the completeness of your paperwork.

Common Mistakes That Delay or Kill the Application

• Pulling background checks more than 6 months before your appointment — DIGECAM rejects them as expired. Pull them 2-4 weeks before your appointment, not earlier.
• Paying an outside clinic or range for a “DIGECAM exam” — for a first licence DIGECAM runs the evaluations itself and issues the certificate (Reglamento Art. 37).
• Failing to disclose a past criminal case assuming it will not show — DIGECAM cross-checks with PNC, MP, and OJ. If you are caught hiding something, on top of rejection you can face an Art. 322 ideological falsehood charge.
• Having an active restraining order or protection measure for domestic violence — DIGECAM verifies this and rejects automatically. If you have active measures, do not start the process until they are lifted.
• Not bringing the original DPI to the appointment — only originals are accepted, no photocopies or old cedulas. No DPI = no processing.
• Showing up late. DIGECAM has a 15-minute grace period. After that you must reschedule, and the next opening can be 2-3 weeks out.

Legal Duties of the License Holder

Holding a license does NOT give you a free pass. The Firearms and Munitions Law (Decreto 15-2009) imposes ongoing duties for the entire time you hold the license:

Safe storage — recommended practice, not a LAM duty

The Firearms and Ammunition Law contains no general secure-storage article for civil firearms. Art. 65 governs collection firearms (war-class collection pieces must have the firing pin removed and deposited at DIGECAM); Art. 69 covers depositing a firearm with a third party. Earlier versions of this page presented a safe as an Art. 65 legal duty — it is not. What we recommend, and why:

• Store the firearm unloaded, in a secure location out of reach of minors and unauthorized third parties.
• Store ammunition separately from the firearm, ideally in a different box or compartment.
• A safe or gun safe is worth it on the merits: theft is the main pipeline by which registered firearms end up with organized crime, and the firearm stays registered in your name after it is stolen.
• If a minor accesses the firearm, there is an accidental discharge, or a third party uses it to commit a crime, general Penal Code liability for negligence applies — independently of the LAM.

Transport (Art. 48 LAM) — this one is a legal duty

Moving the firearm outside the carry context (maintenance, hunting, recreation, an occasional need) requires a sporadic transport licence — free, valid a maximum of 15 days. The firearm must travel unloaded, in its holster, case or properly packed, with ammunition in its boxes or properly packed.

How you must carry (Art. 82(i), Art. 130, Art. 131 LAM)

• Concealed, without ostentation. Open or intimidating carry is a falta: a Q1,000-1,500 fine plus six months of licence suspension. A second offence allows cancellation for up to a year, a third for up to three years (Art. 131).
• Carry the physical licence. Having a valid licence but not the card on you is a Q1,000-1,500 falta; the firearm goes to DIGECAM within 24 hours and a judge rules within 72 (Art. 130).
• Never while intoxicated. Carrying while drunk or under the effect of drugs, narcotics or barbiturates is a Q1,000-3,000 fine plus one year of licence suspension, even with a valid licence; on a repeat the fine doubles and the licence is cancelled definitively (Art. 128).
• Magazines must not hold more rounds than the firearm was originally manufactured for, nor protrude from the grip (Art. 82(i)).

Places where carry is restricted in practice

Correction: the LAM contains no prohibited-locations article. Art. 95, cited for this list in earlier versions of this page and across most Guatemalan firearms guides, governs the authorization of shooting instructors — and the “Q5,000-25,000 fine” quoted with it appears nowhere in the statute. Both have been removed rather than repeated.

The following venues commonly bar firearms under their own rules and property rights, not under a LAM article. Expect to be refused entry or asked to check the firearm, and check the specific place before you go:

• Schools, colleges, universities and any educational center
• Hospitals, clinics, sanatoriums and public or private health facilities
• Bars, nightclubs, cantinas and venues that sell alcoholic drinks
• Banks, money exchanges and financial agencies (except uniformed security from an authorized firm)
• Government buildings (Ministries, Congress, Courts, municipalities)
• Churches, chapels, temples during religious services
• Public sporting events (stadiums, sports palaces)
• Marches, demonstrations, and public gatherings
• Nightlife venues and events where alcohol is the main feature

Where a venue is a court, a government building or a voting centre, separate rules (Penal Code, judicial regulations, electoral rules) may apply on top of the venue’s own — but not the LAM.

Alcohol and drugs (Art. 128 LAM)

It is illegal to carry a firearm while drunk or under the effect of any prohibited drug, narcotic, barbiturate, or any substance that impairs your mental or volitional faculties — even with a fully valid licence. The sanction is a fine of Q1,000-3,000 plus one year of licence suspension; on a repeat, the fine doubles, the licence is cancelled definitively and the firearm is forfeited. The security forces must send the firearm and the licence to a competent judge.

(Art. 80, cited here in earlier versions, is a different rule: it governs who may not hold a carry licence at all — under-25s, people declared legally incapable, and those convicted of the Art. 73 crimes. The 25-year minimum age is correct and does come from Art. 80.)

Timely renewal

The license is valid for 1 to 3 years (Art. 72, Decreto 15-2009). You must renew it before expiration. Under Art. 76, once you file, your expired licence plus the sealed copy of the renewal application works as a provisional licence for a maximum of 45 days while DIGECAM resolves. Under Art. 132, carrying on a licence expired 30 days or less is a falta (fine Q1,500-3,000), not a crime; past that you are carrying without a valid licence and Art. 123 applies — 8-10 years, non-commutable. (The LAM sets no “renew from 60 days before expiry” window; earlier versions of this page stated one we could not locate in the statute.)

Mandatory reports

• Change of address: the application includes a promise to report any change in your data (Art. 72 LAM); the law sets no deadline in days, so notify DIGECAM as soon as possible.
• Stolen or lost firearm: report to the PNC or MP and notify DIGECAM as soon as possible (Art. 66 LAM; the law sets no deadline in hours).
• Stolen or lost license: report and request replacement.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Many of these offenses are non-bailable — they do not allow substitute measures or release on bail.

Related Procedures

• MINDEF / DIGECAM hub: Defense and DIGECAM procedures
• Renewal (at expiration, 1 to 3 years): DIGECAM Carry License Renewal
• Register a purchased firearm: Possession Registration with Purchase Contract
• If your firearm is stolen: Report a Stolen or Lost Firearm
• If your license is stolen: Replace a Stolen or Lost License
• Import a firearm purchased abroad: Individual Firearm Import License
• Background check prerequisite: Antecedentes Penales — Organismo Judicial (cape.oj.gob.gt)
• Background check prerequisite: Antecedentes Policiacos — PNC / MINGOB
• Renew your DPI (if close to expiring): Guatemala DPI ID

Official Links

• DIGECAM procedures portal
• Book a DIGECAM appointment
• DIGECAM fee schedule
• Legal framework — DIGECAM
• DIGECAM trámites catalogue — requirements per trámite
• Book a DIGECAM appointment
• Official trámite costs
• Firearms and Munitions Law — Decreto 15-2009 (Congress)
• Official DIGECAM email: correodigecam@digecam.mil.gt