Guatemala Driver's License 2026: Q850 Cost + CECOVE Steps

Getting a driver’s license in Guatemala happens at one of 15 Maycom branches — Maycom is the private concessionaire that has emitted every Guatemalan license since the late 1990s under contract with the PNC Departamento de Transito. The first thing most people get wrong: there is no online or consular path. Every renewal, replacement, and first-time license requires you to physically walk into a Maycom branch with your DPI in hand. The second thing: the CECOVE driving course is a separate transaction with a separate provider — Maycom does not run the course, they only verify your digital certificate.

Quick summary: Renewal is one same-day visit and roughly Q150 (Q100 license + Q50 eye exam). First-time is roughly Q850-Q1,140 because you add the ~Q700 CECOVE course. Reposicion (lost/stolen) is Q100 plus the eye exam. The 30-day grace period after expiration is strict — once you cross day 31, late fees stack from Q50 (under 1 year) to Q300 (5+ years overdue).

All 2026 fees verified from maycom.com.gt/requisitos on 2026-04-29. Check our exchange rate page for today’s USD/GTQ.

On this page

• License types A/B/C/M/E — comparator table
• 2026 fee schedule — vigencia ladder + transferencia + late fees
• Renewal — one Maycom visit, no CECOVE
• Lost or stolen license — same-day reposicion
• First-time license — CECOVE → eye exam → Maycom
• Foreign license / US license — what works, what doesn’t
• Maycom branch picker — 15 offices ranked by traffic
• FAQ — actual questions from search

License types A/B/C/M/E

Guatemala uses five letter codes plus a special C-Menor for 16-17 year-olds. The categories are defined in Acuerdo Gubernativo 273-98, Titulo III, Capitulo 1, Art. 23. Most adults walk in for Tipo C (private cars) or Tipo M (motorcycles) on day one. Tipo B and Tipo A are upgrades that gate-keep commercial driving.

Detailed comparison: See our full license types guide for which one you actually need.

Source: maycom.com.gt/tipos-de-licencias verified 2026-04-29.

2026 fee schedule

Maycom uses a single vigencia ladder that applies identically to first-time licenses and renewals. You pay only the years you choose. All payments go to the Banrural counter inside the Maycom branch — never pay anyone outside.

Vigencia ladder (license itself)

Other fees (flat)

Late fees if expired (Acuerdo Gubernativo 59-2012)

These stack on top of the vigencia fee — you pay them when renewing a license that has been expired more than 30 days.

What this means in practice: A 5-year renewal on a license that lapsed 18 months ago = Q390 vigencia + Q100 late fee + Q50 eye exam = Q540 total in one Maycom visit.

Source: maycom.com.gt/preguntas — late-fee FAQ #2.

Renewal

A renewal is a single same-day visit to any Maycom branch. You do not redo CECOVE for a renewal — that requirement is only for first licenses and transferencias. The only document you cannot substitute is your DPI: passport will not work, and a DPI-in-process receipt will not work for renewal (it works for reposicion only).

What you bring:

• Original DPI + photocopy
• Your existing license (current or expired)
• Eye exam from a clinica optica or oftalmologo colegiado activo + the original receipt
• Proof of paid traffic fines (the Maycom Delegado de Transito checks this on-site)
• Banrural payment for the vigencia you choose (Q100-Q390)
• Late-fee payment if expired more than 30 days

Going deeper: Detailed renewal guide (ES).

Real-world tip: If you are within the 30-day grace period and just need to renew on a tight schedule, the Zona 9 branch typically clears walk-ins in under 90 minutes mid-week morning. Bring exact change for the eye-exam clinic across the street — most do not take cards.

Lost or stolen license — reposicion

Reposicion is the procedure for licenses that are lost, stolen, or damaged/illegible. The killer feature: the new card keeps your original expiration date, so a reposicion does not extend your license — you still renew on schedule.

What you bring:

• Original DPI + photocopy (or your DPI-in-process slip if your DPI is being renewed)
• Eye exam + original receipt
• Solvencia de multas (verified by Delegado de Transito at the branch)
• Q100 reposicion fee paid at Banrural inside Maycom

Cost: Q100 + eye exam (~Q50) = ~Q150 total.

Going deeper: Detailed lost-license guide (ES).

Real-world tip: If your wallet was stolen with both DPI and license, do not waste a trip — RENAP will not issue a same-day DPI replacement, and Maycom will not accept your case until you at least have the DPI-in-process slip.

First-time license

First-time licenses follow a strict three-stop sequence: CECOVE driving school → eye-exam clinic → Maycom branch. None of these can be skipped. Maycom does not run the course — they verify your CECOVE digital certificate has been uploaded to the central system before they issue the license.

Sequence:

1. Enroll at a CECOVE-authorized driving school (Centro de Evaluacion y Competencia Vehicular). The course runs ~2-3 weeks of theory + practice. Cost ~Q700.
2. Pass the school’s exam and confirm your digital certificate is in the system.
3. Get an eye exam at any clinica optica or oftalmologo colegiado activo. ~Q50. Keep the original receipt.
4. Walk into any Maycom branch with DPI + CECOVE certificate confirmation + eye exam + receipt + Banrural payment for your chosen vigencia (Q100-Q390).
5. Receive your license the same day.

For minors 16-17: Add a RENAP birth certificate (original) (issued within last 6 months), notarized parental responsibility letter, and the parent/guardian’s DPI. Vigencia is capped at 1 year (Q100) and renewable in 1-year increments only.

Going deeper: First-time Tipo C step-by-step (ES) | First-time motorcycle Tipo M (ES) | Practical exam tips (ES).

Real-world tip: Some CECOVE schools batch the eye-exam clinic visit into the course package — confirm with your school before paying separately.

Foreign license / US license conversion

Two paths depending on your status in Guatemala:

Tourists (under 90 days): Your home-country license is legal to drive on during your stay. An International Driving Permit (IDP) from AAA (US) or CAA (Canada) is recommended — Transito officers occasionally ask for one — but not strictly required by law.

Residents: Once you hold Guatemalan residency you must obtain a Guatemalan license to drive legally. There is no reciprocity agreement with the US, Canada, EU, or Mexico — you cannot exchange your foreign license for a Guatemalan one. You must complete the full first-time process: CECOVE course (no test-only path), eye exam, and Maycom issuance. Many CECOVE schools offer an accelerated track for experienced foreign drivers (still 2-3 weeks but lighter on basics).

Foreign nationals applying for the very first license in Guatemala start at the PNC Departamento de Transito (3a avenida 6-44, zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala, tel. 2315-2600), which reviews the file before referring you to a Maycom branch for issuance. Maycom does not process foreign-resident first licenses directly.

Real-world tip: If you are converting from a US license, the CECOVE theory exam is in Spanish only. Some schools provide English study materials but the official exam is Spanish — budget extra study time if your road-rules vocabulary is rusty.

Maycom branch picker — 15 offices

Maycom operates 15 branches nationwide. All process the same four services (Primera licencia, Renovacion, Reposicion, Transferencia). Capital branches close at 18:00, departmental branches at 17:00. All are closed Sunday.

Decision aid based on user reports:

• Need it done today, capital area: Zona 9 or Carretera a El Salvador, arrive before 9:00 AM Tue-Thu.
• Live north of capital: Metronorte handles parking better than Zona 9.
• Live in Mixco / Calzada Roosevelt corridor: Roosevelt branch is faster than crossing into Zona 9.
• Live in Antigua: Either Carretera El Salvador (faster) or Escuintla (less crowded).
• Need it on a Saturday: All branches open 08:00-13:00 Saturday — go at 8:00 sharp because the line forms quickly.
• Avoid: Any branch on the day before a long weekend (Semana Santa, December 24, December 31).

Source: maycom.com.gt/agencias verified 2026-04-29.

Need to schedule a slot? Maycom offers an appointment system at citas.maycom.com.gt — useful for capital branches at peak times.

Tips & gotchas

• Passport does not work — only the DPI is accepted for any license tramite, even if you are a Guatemalan dual-national arriving from abroad.
• 30-day grace period is strict. Day 31 the late fee starts at Q50 and only goes up. Set a calendar alert.
• CECOVE only for first license and transferencias. Renewals never need it.
• Reposicion preserves your expiration date. It is not a renewal — you still renew on schedule.
• No power of attorney. Every tramite requires you in person.
• Eye exam receipt must be original — photocopies of the receipt have been rejected.
• Pay fines first. The Delegado de Transito checks your fine status before Maycom touches your file. Resolve any pending traffic fines at any Delegado de Transito desk in advance.
• Once licensed, read our driving in Guatemala guide and how to register a vehicle.

Related Tramites

• DPI (National ID) — required before any license tramite
• Vehicle Registration — register your car after getting licensed
• Import a Vehicle from the US — common for diaspora
• License Types Detailed Guide — full A, B, C, M, E comparison
• NIT Tax ID — needed for vehicle taxes
• Vehicle Inspection — annual requirement

Official Sources

• Maycom — Requirements
• Maycom — License Types
• Maycom — Branches
• Maycom — FAQ
• Departamento de Transito (PNC)
• Transito — First License
• Transito — Renewal