MAGA Zoosanitary Constancy Guatemala 2026: For Livestock Movement Between Departments ($6.25)

The Zoosanitary Constancy is the official document issued by the Vice-Ministry of Agricultural Health and Regulations (VISAR) of MAGA, authorizing the movement, importation and transit of live animals, livestock products (meat, milk, eggs, honey), by-products (hides, meals) and hydrobiological resources within Guatemala and from abroad. It is mandatory for importers, exporters, ranchers and livestock traders.

Summary: $6.25 USD per constancy (plus Veterinary Doctor stamp based on FOB value). In-person procedure at VISAR’s Customer Service Office (OSU). ~25 hours from submission. Validity is per shipment or movement — it’s not an annual permit. You need an active NIT and, for legal entities, a commercial license.

Applies to: importers, exporters, ranchers, livestock traders, processing plants, distributors of animal-origin products and logistics companies moving livestock products between departments.

What is this procedure?

The zoosanitary constancy certifies that the animal, product or livestock by-product complies with official sanitary requirements to circulate within Guatemala, enter the country, or be exported abroad. It’s issued by VISAR (MAGA), backed by Government Agreement 969-99 and Ministerial Agreement 1090-2001 (rules for importation and international transit).

There are several practical use cases:

The constancy is not an annual permit — it’s issued per shipment or per movement. Each cargo movement requires a new constancy.

Who needs it?

You are required to have a zoosanitary constancy if:

• 🐄 You’re a rancher and move bovine, swine, sheep, goat or poultry livestock between departments — the PNC requests the constancy at highway checkpoints together with the transport guide and DPI.
• 📦 You import livestock products — meat, milk, eggs, honey, dairy, sausages, hides, animal feed, veterinary products.
• ✈️ You export animal-origin products from Guatemala to the US, EU, Mexico or Central America — you need the constancy as backing for the Zoosanitary Export Certificate.
• 🚛 You transit a livestock cargo through Guatemala bound for another Central American country.
• 🏭 You operate a processing plant or distributor of livestock products and move product between your plant and your regional distribution center.

You do NOT need a zoosanitary constancy if:

• You sell processed and packaged product within the same department under MSPAS sanitary registration (in that case the MSPAS food sanitary license applies).
• You move quantities for domestic family consumption (no commercial purpose).

Complete requirements

This is the current list VISAR requests. Confirm the latest version at apps.maga.gob.gt before assembling the file.

Applicant documents:

• Official MAGA Zoosanitary Constancy form (downloadable from the portal)
• Applicant’s DPI (original and copy)
• Active NIT and SAT RTU with related economic activity (importation, exportation, livestock trade)
• Commercial license if you are a legal entity

Shipment documents (all in copy):

• Two photocopies of the Sanitary Export Certificate issued by the Official Sanitary Authority of the country of origin
• Certificate of Origin of the product — for Central American countries the Central American Single Declaration (DUCA) applies instead
• Commercial invoice — must match in quantity, description and weight with the rest of the file
• Bill of Lading (air, sea or ground) — Bill of Lading, Air Waybill or Carta de Porte
• Photocopy of local Sanitary Certificate — must bear the Veterinary Doctor (MVZ) stamp corresponding to the FOB value declared on the invoice (per Decree 22-2005)

Payment:

• BANRURAL payment slip of $6.25 USD to MAGA (VISAR account)

Tip: Inconsistencies among the invoice, bill of lading and sanitary certificate are the #1 reason for rejection. Verify weight, number of packages, product description and exporter/importer data before submitting.

Step-by-step process

1. Download and fill out the form. Go to www.maga.gob.gt or to the MAGA Procedure Simplification portal and download the Zoosanitary Constancy form. Fill it on a typewriter or computer — handwritten forms tend to bounce for legibility.

2. Pay the fee. Make a deposit of $6.25 USD at any BANRURAL branch to the MAGA / VISAR account. Keep the original slip and make a copy for the file.

3. Affix the Veterinary Doctor (MVZ) stamp. The stamp is purchased at the College of Veterinary Doctors and Zootechnicians office (zone 9, Guatemala City) and is calculated based on the FOB value declared on your commercial invoice (Decree 22-2005). Without this stamp, the file will not advance.

4. Assemble the file. Order the documents as follows: form, DPI, NIT/RTU, commercial license (if applicable), two copies of the sanitary export certificate, certificate of origin / DUCA, commercial invoice, bill of lading, local sanitary certificate with MVZ stamp, payment slip.

5. Submit the file at VISAR’s OSU. The Customer Service Office is at MAGA / VISAR headquarters (Monja Blanca Building, zone 13, Guatemala City). The OSU verifies the file is complete and gives you a receipt slip.

6. Address observations, if any. If VISAR finds an inconsistency (e.g. invoice weight not matching bill of lading), you’ll be notified by phone or email. You have a reasonable timeframe to correct and resubmit.

7. Pick up the constancy. Once approved, return to OSU’s window with the receipt slip and your DPI to pick up the signed and stamped constancy. They are usually ready in approximately 25 business hours (1 to 2 days).

Cost and time

Unofficial costs you’ll have:

• Veterinary Doctor fees (signing the sanitary certificate): Q200-Q800 depending on shipment volume
• Customs Agent fees (if you import/export): Q500-Q3,000 depending on customs and product
• Microbiological / parasitological analyses if importing country requires them: Q500-Q3,500 depending on tests

Budget tip: For a small livestock product export (one shipment), the real total cost runs Q800 to Q3,000 (constancy + MVZ stamp + MVZ fees + customs agent). For internal movement between departments, total cost drops to Q200-Q400.

Common errors / what to do if you’re rejected

The five most frequent reasons for rejection at VISAR:

1. Inconsistent weight or quantity between commercial invoice, bill of lading and sanitary certificate. The most common rejection — verify three times.
2. Sanitary certificate without MVZ stamp. The stamp is mandatory per Decree 22-2005 and must correspond to the FOB value.
3. Certificate of Origin missing when shipment comes from outside Central America. For Central America the DUCA applies, NOT a traditional Certificate of Origin.
4. Exporter/importer data does not match between documents. Legal name, address and tax ID must be identical on invoice, bill of lading and certificate.
5. Incomplete or illegible form. Fill it on computer — handwritten ones tend to bounce.

If you’re rejected:

• VISAR notifies specific observations by phone/email or at the OSU itself
• You correct the document or inconsistency (no need for a new form if the file is still within the timeframe)
• You resubmit — you usually do NOT pay the fee again if it’s a correction within the same file
• If the timeframe expires or the file is new, you do pay $6.25 again

Recommendation: Before submitting, do a cross-check of weight, package count, description and exporter/importer data among the three key documents (invoice, bill of lading, sanitary certificate). It saves you an afternoon trip back to the OSU.

Legal framework

• Government Agreement 969-99 — Food Safety Regulation (Article 66): authorizes MAGA to issue sanitary constancies for livestock products and by-products.
• Government Agreement 177-2016: reforms to Government Agreement 745-99 (Plant and Animal Health Law Regulation) — updates VISAR procedures.
• Ministerial Agreement 1090-2001: mandatory general rules applicable to the importation and international transit of animals, hydrobiological resources, their products and by-products.
• Decree 22-2005: Law of the College of Veterinary Doctors and Zootechnicians — establishes the mandatory MVZ stamp based on FOB value.

Moving livestock product without a zoosanitary constancy is a violation of the Plant and Animal Health Law and may result in:

• Cargo seizure at PNC checkpoints, customs or port
• Administrative fines by VISAR
• Loss of product if it’s perishable and gets detained

Related procedures

• 🌾 MAGA Hub — Agricultural Procedures — all procedures of the Ministry of Agriculture
• 🌱 MAGA Phytosanitary Export Certificate — for plant products (coffee, banana, vegetables)
• 🌿 MAGA Phytosanitary Import Permit — for plants and seeds entering the country
• 💉 MAGA Veterinary Medicine Sanitary Registration — for manufacturers
• 🏭 MSPAS Food Sanitary License — if your plant processes products for direct sale
• 🧾 SAT RTU Registration — prior requirement
• 🏢 Business Registration (Mercantile Registry) — for legal entities

Official links

• MAGA — Procedure Simplification Portal
• MAGA — VISAR (Vice-Ministry of Agricultural Health)
• MAGA — Main page
• MAGA phone: 1557 (toll-free) / 2413-7000
• VISAR / OSU address: Monja Blanca Building, MAGA, zone 13, Guatemala City