Quick summary: Free residential lease template in Word (the contract text is in Spanish, the language of the Civil Code it follows). It covers parties, property, term, rent, deposit, utilities, repairs, early termination and late payment. A private signed lease is valid form for most rentals; the Civil Code only forces a public deed and Property Registry filing when the lease runs more than three years or rent is prepaid for more than one year (Arts. 1125 and 1576). Tenants can end a housing lease with at least 30 days’ written notice (Art. 1939).
Download the Lease Agreement Template (Word)
The file is the same template used on the Spanish version of this page. The contract text is in Spanish; the sections below explain each clause in English.
Residential Lease Agreement (Contrato de Arrendamiento) — Guatemala 2026
⬇ Download Word template (.docx, Spanish)Editable · Works with Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice · Free
What the Template Covers, Clause by Clause
The template states that it follows the Civil Code (Decreto-Ley 106, Articles 1880 onward) and the Ley de Inquilinato (Decreto 1468).
| Template section (Spanish heading) | What you fill in | Civil Code rule behind it |
|---|---|---|
| I. Partes | Landlord name and DPI; tenant name and DPI or passport | Who may lease out property (Arts. 1881-1883) |
| II. Inmueble | Exact address, municipality and department; inventory annex | A lease covers non-fungible property (Art. 1880) |
| III. Plazo y renta | Term, start date, monthly rent, payment due day, payment method, deposit amount | Term is set by the parties (Art. 1886); rent must be certain and determined (Art. 1880) |
| Servicios | Who pays water, electricity, internet and trash collection | Template blank (no captured Civil Code article on utilities) |
| Uso | Housing use only; no subletting without written authorization | Subletting is allowed unless expressly prohibited (Art. 1890) |
| Reparaciones | Minor repairs from ordinary use to the tenant; structural and systems repairs to the landlord | Landlord makes all necessary repairs to keep the property in the same condition (Art. 1901, 4th); tenant bears reparaciones locativas unless the damage comes from poor quality or construction defects (Arts. 1909-1910) |
| Depósito | Days after move-out to return the deposit; deductions for damage beyond normal use | Deposit amount and return period: blanks. Return condition: as received, except wear from prudent use, per the inventory if one was made (Art. 1907, 3rd) |
| Terminación anticipada | Written notice period, in days, for either party | Tenant’s statutory notice: Art. 1939 |
| Mora | Late-payment surcharge; late payment as a ground for termination | Landlord’s termination for two overdue months: Art. 1940 |
| Signatures | Place, date, both signatures, two identical copies | Writing required above Q300 (Art. 1575) |
Who Must Sign, and When a Notary Is Required
The parties. The Civil Code lets the owner with capacity to contract lease out property, and also anyone who by law or agreement manages it (Art. 1881). Two consent rules matter when your landlord is not the only owner:
- Art. 1883: “El copropietario de cosa indivisa no puede darla en arrendamiento sin el consentimiento de sus condueños.” A co-owner of undivided property needs the other co-owners’ consent to lease it.
- Art. 1882, as printed in the captured edition: “El marido necesita del consentimiento de su cónyuge para dar en arrendamiento los bienes comunes del patrimonio conyugal por un plazo mayor de 3 años o con anticipo de la renta por más de un año.” Spousal consent applies to marital property leased for more than 3 years or with more than a year of rent paid up front.
Ask for the property’s registry certificate to confirm who the owners are; see how to get a property certification from the Registro.
Form. Art. 1574 lets anyone contract by public deed, by private document or record before the local mayor, by correspondence, or verbally. Art. 1575 then requires writing above a low threshold: “El contrato cuyo valor exceda de trescientos quetzales, debe constar por escrito.”
Registration and public deed. The Property Registry inscribes, under Art. 1125 (6th item), “el arrendamiento o subarrendamiento, cuando lo pida uno de los contratantes; y obligatoriamente, cuando sea por más de tres años o que se haya anticipado la renta por más de un año”. Art. 1576 adds: “Los contratos que tengan que inscribirse o anotarse en los registros, cualquiera que sea su valor, deberán constar en escritura pública.”
| Your lease | Form the captured Civil Code articles require |
|---|---|
| Worth Q300 or less | Any form in Art. 1574, including verbal |
| Over Q300, term of 3 years or less, rent prepaid 1 year or less | In writing (Art. 1575); a signed private document qualifies |
| Term over 3 years, or rent prepaid for over 1 year | Registration is mandatory (Art. 1125), so a public deed is required (Art. 1576) |
| Either party asks to register it | Registrable on request (Art. 1125), which brings in the public-deed rule (Art. 1576) |
The template itself recommends legalizing both signatures before a notary even for a short private lease. For what notaries charge, see notary fees in Guatemala. If you sign from abroad or someone signs for you, a carta poder or power of attorney is the related document.
Term, Renewal and Ending the Lease
- Term. Art. 1886: “El plazo del arrendamiento será fijado por las partes.” The same article gives the tenant a right of first refusal (derecho de tanteo) to renew for a new term if the tenant has voluntarily met all obligations.
- Unclear duration clauses. Art. 1889: unclear or doubtful clauses on duration are read in favor of a tenant who has not been late with rent.
- Staying past the end date. Art. 1887: if the tenant stays, the landlord does not reclaim the property and accepts the next period’s rent without reservation, the lease continues on the same terms for an indefinite period, and a third party’s guarantee ends unless the guarantor expressly agrees.
- Tenant ends the lease. Art. 1939: “El arrendatario podrá poner fin al arrendamiento dando aviso por escrito al arrendador, por lo menos con treinta días de anticipación si se tratare de vivienda y con sesenta días de anticipación si se tratare de locales de negocios u oficinas, salvo lo dispuesto en el Artículo 1888.” Give the notice in writing and keep a signed copy.
- Landlord ends the lease. Art. 1940 allows it in the general cases of Art. 1930 (breach of obligations, subletting against an express prohibition, use contrary to morals, public order or public health, among others) and in special cases including “Cuando el arrendatario no esté solvente con el pago de la renta y adeuda por lo menos dos meses vencidos” and when the owner needs the home to live in with family and proves it.
- Subletting. Art. 1890: “El arrendatario podrá subarrendar en todo o en parte la cosa arrendada si no le ha sido prohibido expresamente, pero no puede ceder el contrato sin expreso consentimiento del arrendador.” The template’s use clause is that express prohibition, unless the landlord authorizes in writing.
Art. 1941 says these Civil Code rules apply without prejudice to the special tenancy law (ley especial de inquilinato) or any emergency law on rent setting and other conditions the articles do not determine.
What the Template Does Not Do
- It does not register the lease. A lease over three years, or one with more than a year of rent prepaid, needs a public deed and Property Registry filing (Arts. 1125 and 1576); the Word file is not that deed.
- It does not set the deposit amount, the deposit return period, the late fee or the notice period. Those are blanks for the parties.
- It does not include the inventory. It refers to an inventory annex (rooms, furniture and condition, with photos signed by both parties) that you prepare separately.
- It is a housing lease. Its use clause limits the property to housing; Art. 1939 gives business premises and offices a 60-day tenant notice instead of 30.
Related Pages
- How to rent an apartment in Guatemala: where to search, deposits, negotiation and scams
- Average rent in Guatemala: rent levels by area
- Notary fees in Guatemala: legalizing signatures and public deeds
- Property certification from the Registro: confirm the owner before you sign
- All trámites
Sources
- Civil Code of Guatemala (Decreto-Ley 106), Arts. 1125, 1574-1576, 1880-1890, 1930, 1939-1941: OAS legal library PDF, captured September 21, 2026.
- Template text: the Word file linked above, read October 9, 2026.
This page explains the template and quotes the Civil Code text. It is general information, not legal advice for your specific lease.