Ending a registered unión de hecho (common-law union) in Guatemala takes two things: a legal act that ends it, done before a notary or a court, and a note on the union’s entry in RENAP’s Civil Registry. This guide covers both steps and what changes once the note is made. To register a union in the first place, see our unión de hecho registration guide.

Quick summary

  • What it is: recording in RENAP’s Civil Registry that a registered unión de hecho has ended (cese de unión de hecho).
  • Two routes (Civil Code Art. 183): mutual agreement before a notary or a first-instance judge, or a court declaration based on the divorce/separation grounds in Art. 155.
  • Required first: for mutual agreement, an agreement on the children, support and guarantees under Civil Code Art. 163.
  • RENAP fee: RENAP’s general note says registrations are free within the filing period and late ones pay Q25.00 (RENAP services page). RENAP’s tariff excepts registrations ordered by a competent judge from the late fee; the sources reviewed do not say how it applies to a notarial cese.
  • Result: both partners are free of the union, and child-support duties continue (Civil Code Art. 185-186).

The Civil Code (Decreto-Ley 106), Article 183, says a unión de hecho can end by mutual agreement of the man and woman “en la misma forma que se constituyó” (in the same form in which it was set up). It can also end for any of the grounds Article 155 sets for divorce and separation, “en cuyo caso la cesación deberá ser declarada judicialmente” — in that case a court must declare the end.

For the mutual-agreement route, Article 183 says the end must be recorded “ante el juez de Primera Instancia del domicilio de los convivientes, o ante un notario” — before the first-instance judge for the partners’ place of residence, or before a notary.

Before the end can be recognized and annotated in the Civil Registry, Article 183 adds that “debe cumplirse previamente con lo que dispone el artículo 163 de este Código” — the partners must first meet Article 163, the rule for divorce by mutual agreement.

If you and your partner do not agree, the court route applies. This page does not list the Article 155 grounds.

The agreement you need first (Article 163)

Article 163 of the Civil Code says that couples separating or divorcing by mutual agreement must present a draft agreement (proyecto de convenio). Article 183 applies that rule to ending a unión de hecho. The article is written for spouses, and it lists these points:

Point in the agreementWhat it settles
CustodyWho is entrusted with the children
Child support and educationWhich parent pays, or each parent’s share if both do
PensionWhat support is paid to a partner who lacks enough income of their own (the article’s wording is husband to wife)
GuaranteeThe security given so the obligations in the agreement are met

Step by step: notarial route

  1. Agree to end the union. Under Article 183, both partners must agree.
  2. Settle the Article 163 points above: children, support, pension and guarantee.
  3. Sign before a notary. RENAP’s notarial service page names two possible documents: a public deed (escritura pública) of cese, or a notarial record (acta notarial) of cese. Civil Code Articles 185-186 also refer to the notary who authorizes “la escritura de separación, liquidación y adjudicación de bienes” — the deed of separation, liquidation and allocation of property.
  4. Notice to the registry. Under Articles 185-186, once the proceedings are finished and the legal requirements are met, the notary “dará aviso al Registro Civil en que se inscribió la unión de hecho” — the notary notifies the Civil Registry where the union was registered, so the entry can be annotated.
  5. RENAP documents. RENAP lists the “Testimonio de la escritura pública de cese de la unión de hecho o acta notarial de cese de unión de hecho, en original y duplicado.” That is the certified copy of the deed or the notarial record, in an original and a duplicate.

Step by step: judicial route

  1. File before the court. This applies to a mutual agreement recorded before the first-instance judge of your domicile, or to an end based on Article 155 grounds, which must be declared by a court (Civil Code Art. 183).
  2. Wait until the ruling is final. Decreto 90-2005 (RENAP Law), Article 80, says court resolutions are registered only when they are “ejecutoriadas” (final).
  3. The court sends the information. The same Article 80 gives judges “quince (15) días” from the date the ruling becomes final to send the information to the Civil Registry.
  4. RENAP documents. RENAP’s judicial service page lists a “Certificación de resolución judicial en la que se haya declarado el cese de la unión de hecho.” That is a certified copy of the court resolution declaring the end of the union.

Documents RENAP lists

RENAP cites Article 16 of its Board Agreement (Acuerdo de Directorio) 104-2015, the Civil Registry registration regulation, for requirements that apply to every registration and annotation. The items quoted below come from that list. The quoted list may not be complete.

DocumentRouteSource
Testimonio of the public deed or acta notarial of cese, original and duplicateNotarialRENAP notarial service page
Certification of the court resolution declaring the ceseJudicialRENAP judicial service page
“Formulario proporcionado por el Registro Nacional de las Personas -RENAP-, en los casos de existir” (the RENAP form, where one exists for this type of entry)BothAcuerdo 104-2015, Art. 16
“Comprobante de pago por concepto de inscripción extemporánea, cuando corresponda.” (proof of the late-registration payment, when applicable)BothAcuerdo 104-2015, Art. 16

Fees and deadlines

ItemWhat the source saysSource
Filing periodRENAP lists “Otras Inscripciones - 30 días”RENAP services page
Fee within the periodEvery registration is free if done within the established periodRENAP services page
Late fee (general note)“Q. 25.00”, “por considerarse inscripciones extemporáneas” (because they count as late registrations)RENAP services page
Court notice to the registry15 days from the date the ruling becomes finalDecreto 90-2005, Art. 80
Notary or court feesNot published in the official sources reviewed—

The 30-day line is RENAP’s general entry for other registrations. RENAP’s services page does not say from which date that period counts for a cese. On the late fee, RENAP’s tariff excepts registrations ordered by a competent judge; the sources reviewed do not say how it applies to a notarial cese. Ask RENAP or your notary which date and fee apply to you.

What changes after the cese is registered

Civil Code Articles 185-186 say that once registered, the separation leaves the man and the woman “libres de estado” — no longer bound by the union. This does not affect their obligations to their children. The children “conservarán íntegros sus derechos a ser alimentados, no obstante cualquier estipulación de los padres” — they keep their full right to support, whatever the parents agreed.

For the comparable process after a marriage ends, see registering a divorce at RENAP.

Can a registered cese be undone?

The official sources reviewed set out no specific rule for reversing a cese. Decreto 90-2005, Article 82, is a general rule for all registry entries: an entry is canceled by a “resolución judicial firme” (a final court order), or when the request comes with “documentos que lo justifiquen clara y manifiestamente” (documents that clearly and manifestly justify it). That article does not say a terminated union is automatically restored if the partners reconcile.

What we could not verify

The official sources reviewed did not establish the following:

  • notary, lawyer or court fees
  • a total processing time
  • a dedicated RENAP counter for this procedure, or whether it needs an appointment
  • a way to file the cese online
  • a consular or power-of-attorney (mandato) procedure for Guatemalans abroad

Confirm these with RENAP or your notary before you start.

Sources