The DPI (Documento Personal de Identificacion) is Guatemala’s official national ID card, issued by RENAP (Registro Nacional de las Personas). You need a valid DPI for virtually every official procedure — from getting your NIT tax ID to opening a bank account.
Quick summary: The DPI costs Q100 (~$13 USD), is processed at any RENAP office nationwide, and takes about 30 business days. Since January 2025, the new DPI includes a color photograph and improved holograms. People over 60 pay nothing.
Prices verified April 2026. Check our exchange rate page for today’s USD/GTQ rate.
Cost
| Procedure | Cost |
|---|---|
| DPI (any type, in-person) | Q100 |
| DPI replacement (online) | Q119 |
| Birth certificate (first DPI) | ~Q15 |
| People over 60 | Free |
Payment at Banrural, G&T Continental, or Bantrab bank windows.
Calculator
DPI Issue / Replacement Fee Calculator
Pick reason, where you process, and payment method. Returns total Q (and USD where applicable) per RENAP Acuerdo Directorio 15-2020.
Source: RENAP Tarifario, Acuerdo Directorio 15-2020. Card surcharge: Art. 7 (+25%). Adults 60+ exempt. Birth certificate Q15 separate for first DPI. USD at Q7.7/$1.
Requirements by Type
First DPI (Age 18)
- Recent birth certificate (issued within the last 6 months by RENAP)
- Payment receipt: Q100
- Phone number, home address, and email
Renewal (Expiration)
- Payment receipt: Q100
- Previous DPI (if available)
Replacement (Loss, Theft, Damage)
- Payment receipt: Q100 (in-person) or Q119 (online)
- Police report (in case of theft)
Step-by-Step Process
RENAP’s landing page (renap.gob.gt). Office hours and extended-attention announcements are posted at the top of the home page — check before traveling to a sede.
- Get a birth certificate from RENAP (first DPI only)
- Make the payment of Q100 at an authorized bank
- Visit any RENAP office nationwide
- Submit your documents and payment receipt
- Biometric data collection (photo, fingerprints, signature)
- Receive a tracking receipt with your estimated pickup date
- Pick up your DPI at the same office on the indicated date
Online Replacement
- Go to eportal.renap.gob.gt or download the RENAP SE app
- Request replacement online
- Pay Q119 by credit/debit card
- Pick up at the RENAP office you selected
Processing Time
- 30 business days (varies by distance and demand)
- In Guatemala City: usually 2-3 weeks
Check your application status at: renap.gob.gt/estado-tramite-dpi
Main RENAP Offices
| Office | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Central Office | Calzada Roosevelt 13-46, zone 7 | Mon-Fri 7:00-16:00, Sat 8:00-12:00 |
| Rus Mall | CC Rus Mall, 2nd level, zone 7 | Mon-Fri 8:00-16:00, Sat 8:00-12:00 |
| Zone 9 | 11 Calle 5-59, Plaza FPK | Mon-Fri 8:00-16:00, Sat 8:00-12:00 |
| Metro Norte | Km 5.5, CC Metro Norte, local 306, zone 17 | Mon-Fri 8:00-16:00, Sat 8:00-12:00 |
Offices available in all 22 departments.
RENAP Phone: 1520
From the US (Diaspora Info)
Complete walkthrough: see our dedicated Renew DPI from USA 2026 guide with documents, costs, processing times, the 22 consulate locations, and mobile consulate schedules.
Guatemalans living in the United States have several options:
- Mobile RENAP units periodically visit Guatemalan consulates in US cities (Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, and more) — check minex.gob.gt/consulados for upcoming dates
- No power of attorney — you must appear in person for biometric data (photo, fingerprints)
- If you plan to travel to Guatemala, you can process it at any RENAP office during your visit
- Processing at US consulates takes longer — typically 2-3 months vs. 30 days in-country
- Bring your old DPI (even if expired) to speed up the process
- Your DPI number (CUI) now also serves as your NIT tax ID since March 2025
Details
If your DPI is stolen:
- File a police report (denuncia) at the nearest PNC station or Ministerio Publico. This is free and protects you from identity fraud.
- Request a replacement at any RENAP office (Q100) or online (Q119). You do not need the police report for RENAP, but it is strongly recommended.
- Check your credit report at a bureau like TransUnion Guatemala to ensure no one has used your DPI number fraudulently.
If your DPI is damaged:
- A DPI that is cracked, faded, scratched on the chip, or has illegible text must be replaced — it cannot be “repaired.”
- The replacement process is the same as for a lost DPI: Q100 in person or Q119 online.
- If the chip is damaged but the card is visually intact, some institutions may still reject it because the chip cannot be read. Replace it proactively.
- RENAP classifies damaged DPIs as replacements, not renewals — the procedure code is different internally but the process for you is identical.
Details
The DPI is issued at age 18, but planning ahead avoids delays:
- Before turning 18: Ensure your birth certificate is correct and up to date. If there are errors (wrong name spelling, incorrect date), start the rectification process well in advance — it can take months.
- On or after your 18th birthday: Visit any RENAP office with a birth certificate issued within the last 6 months and the Q100 payment receipt.
- Some RENAP offices allow you to initiate the process up to 30 days before turning 18, but the DPI will not be issued until after your birthday.
- University enrollment, bank accounts, and job applications all require a DPI. If you are turning 18 near these deadlines, start early.
- First-time DPI processing tends to take the full 30 business days because RENAP must create your biometric profile from scratch.
Details
You cannot simply request a “name change” on your DPI. The process is:
- Correct the source record first. Your DPI data comes from your birth certificate. If the name is wrong due to a registration error, you need a rectificacion de partida (birth record correction) through a notary or judge, with mandatory PGN review. This takes 1-6 months.
- After the birth record is corrected, apply for a new DPI at any RENAP office (Q100). RENAP will issue the DPI with the corrected name.
- Update all dependent documents: NIT at SAT (now automatic since CUI=NIT), passport, driver’s license, bank accounts, and any professional credentials.
- Legal name changes for other reasons (marriage, personal preference) follow a similar path but may require a judicial process. Consult a lawyer.
Common scenario: Women who took their husband’s surname (“de [husband’s last name]”) and later divorced. After the divorce is inscribed at RENAP and the DPI is updated to “divorciada,” the name reverts to the original birth name automatically.
Details
RENAP may reject or delay your DPI application for several reasons:
- Expired birth certificate. The birth certificate must be issued within the last 6 months. Even if the certificate is from RENAP, it has a shelf life for procedural use.
- Mismatched data. If the information on your birth certificate does not match what you provide at RENAP (name spelling, birth date), the application will be flagged. Correct the birth certificate first.
- Outstanding duplicate records. If RENAP’s system shows a possible duplicate registration under your name, the application is frozen until the duplicate is investigated and resolved. This can add weeks.
- Biometric capture failure. In rare cases, fingerprints cannot be captured (injuries, skin conditions, elderly skin wear). RENAP has alternative protocols but this may require a supervisor’s authorization.
- Previous DPI not cancelled. If you reported a DPI as stolen but then found it and are trying to use both, the system will flag the conflict.
Key Facts
- Validity: 10 years for adults; indefinite for people over 70
- You can process at any RENAP office — not just your home municipality
- Photo is taken at the RENAP office (don’t bring photos)
- Since March 2025, the DPI number (CUI) also works as your NIT
- You need a DPI to apply for your driver’s license, passport, and vehicle registration
Tips
- RENAP periodically holds “DPI Nights” with extended hours and “RENAP Saturdays” (check the calendar at renap.gob.gt)
- Check your application status online before going to pick up
- Saturday hours are reduced (8:00-12:00)
- If your DPI is damaged or illegible, you need a replacement (not a renewal)
Common Errors and Solutions
“Birth certificate is expired” at the RENAP window
RENAP requires the birth certificate to be issued within the last 6 months for any DPI procedure — first-time issue, renewal, or replacement. Even if the certificate is from RENAP itself, it has a procedural shelf life. Solution: order a fresh certificate the same week as your DPI appointment (Q15 in person or online at eportal.renap.gob.gt). Do not request it months in advance.
“Data does not match” between birth certificate and DPI application
If the name, birth date, or parents’ names on your birth certificate do not exactly match what you enter on the DPI form, RENAP will pause the application. This is most common when there are minor errors in the original inscription (misspellings, missing accents, transposed letters). Solution: do NOT try to “match” the DPI to the error — fix the source record first via a rectificacion de partida, then come back for the DPI. Otherwise you propagate the error to every subsequent document.
No appointment available at Centro Civico, Cayala, or other major offices
DPI appointments at the largest offices in Guatemala City fill weeks ahead. Solutions: (1) try smaller offices (zone 18, San Miguel Petapa, Mixco satellites, Rus Mall) where availability is often the next week; (2) check the RENAP scheduling system in early-morning hours (1-3 am) when cancelled slots are released; (3) RENAP periodically announces “DPI Nights” and “RENAP Saturdays” with extended hours — follow renap.gob.gt for announcements; (4) you do NOT have to process at your home municipality — any RENAP office nationwide can issue your DPI.
Fingerprint capture fails during biometric step
In rare cases, RENAP cannot capture clear fingerprints — common with elderly applicants (worn ridges), people with manual-labor wear on their fingertips, or temporary injuries. Solution: ask the office supervisor about the alternative biometric protocol — RENAP can proceed with partial captures plus supervisor authorization. Do not give up and leave; coming back later usually means starting the queue over.
Online replacement (Q119) gets stuck at “tramite en proceso”
The eportal replacement flow occasionally gets stuck after payment if the photo or signature on file is more than 10 years old, or if there is a flag on your record from a previous lost/stolen report. Solution: visit the office you selected for pickup and ask them to release the file manually — bring the payment confirmation. You may need to redo biometrics in person, but RENAP will not charge the Q119 again.
“DPI duplicado” or duplicate-record flag
If RENAP detects a possible duplicate registration under your name (sometimes from old paper records that were later digitized twice), the application is frozen pending investigation. This can add weeks. Solution: ask for a printed “informe de inconsistencia” with the case number, and follow up at the central office in Calzada Roosevelt — the issue cannot usually be resolved at smaller offices.
Related RENAP Procedures
- Birth Certificate — required for first-time DPI
- Birth Record Correction — fix errors before applying for DPI
- Late Birth Registration — if never registered, must register before getting DPI
- Age Certification (Fe de Edad) — judicial process when no birth record exists
- Naturalized Citizen Registration — RENAP registration step before DPI for naturalized citizens
Common Questions
How much does the DPI cost in Guatemala?
The DPI costs Q100 for in-person processing and Q119 for online replacement. People over 60 are exempt from payment.
How long does it take to get a DPI?
Approximately 30 business days. In Guatemala City, it usually takes 2-3 weeks. Check your status at renap.gob.gt/estado-tramite-dpi.
Can I get my DPI renewed from the United States?
Yes. Guatemala has mobile RENAP units that visit consulates in the US periodically. Contact your nearest Guatemalan consulate for the schedule.
What is the new DPI like?
Since January 2025, RENAP issues DPIs with a color photograph and improved holographic security features.
Can a minor under 18 get a DPI?
No. The DPI is issued only to citizens who are 18 years or older. Minors are identified through their birth certificate. However, minors turning 18 can begin the process up to 30 days before their birthday at some RENAP offices.
What happens if I change my name after getting a DPI?
You must first complete the name change through a rectificacion de partida at RENAP, then apply for a new DPI with the corrected information. The old DPI becomes invalid once the new one is issued.