- 📋 Category determination (Listado Taxativo Agreement 199-2016)
- 👨🔬 MARN-accredited environmental consultant hired (active registry)
- 🗺️ Georeferenced plan in GTM with project polygon
- 🏢 Patente, NIT and legal representation of owner company
- 💵 Fee receipt at BANRURAL (Q3K-50K depending on category)
- 📄 Approved TdR (Category A only)
The Environmental Impact Study (EIA) is the technical document that identifies, predicts and evaluates the environmental effects of a project before construction. It is the mandatory technical instrument to obtain any MARN Environmental License — without an approved EIA there is no license, and without a license you cannot start construction or operation. The MARN system recognizes five instruments depending on project category: DABI, EAI, EAI with Plan, Complete EIA, and Diagnostic (regularization).
Quick summary: Five instruments depending on category from the Listado Taxativo (Ministerial Agreement 199-2016): DABI for CR/C (Q3K-8K), EAI for B2/B1 (Q8K-30K), Complete EIA for Category A (Q30K-Q200K+ fees) plus complementary studies. Only MARN-accredited consultants can sign. Preparation timeline 30-120 days depending on category; MARN review 60-180 days. For Category A, mandatory public consultation is required. Applies to construction, industrial, infrastructure, energy, mining, agribusiness, and real-estate development projects.
Information verified May 2026 — Agreements 137-2016, 199-2016 and 19-2014 in force.
What is an Environmental Impact Study?
An EIA is the set of technical, scientific and legal studies that allow you to identify, predict, evaluate and mitigate the environmental impacts (positive and negative) that a project may generate in its surroundings. It is prepared before construction begins and is the technical basis on which MARN decides whether to authorize the project, modify it with conditions, or deny it.
The general framework of Decree 68-86 (Art. 8) states: “For any project, work, industry or any other activity that by its characteristics may cause deterioration to renewable or non-renewable natural resources, the environment, or introduce harmful or notorious modifications to the landscape and to cultural resources of national heritage, an environmental impact assessment study performed by technicians in the matter and approved by the Environmental Commission shall be necessary prior to its development.”
Mandatory technical EIA structure (Agreement 19-2014)
Every Category A EIA must include, at minimum:
- Executive summary (5-10 pages) accessible to the public.
- Project description with georeferenced plans.
- Applicable legal and institutional framework.
- Environmental baseline:
- Abiotic component (climate, geology, soils, hydrology, air, noise).
- Biotic component (flora, terrestrial fauna, aquatic fauna).
- Socioeconomic and cultural component (population, health, local economy, archaeology).
- Impact identification by stage (construction, operation, closure).
- Quantitative valuation of impacts (Leopold matrix, RIAM, or similar method).
- Environmental Management Plan with prevention, mitigation, compensation measures.
- Contingency Plan for emergencies.
- Environmental Monitoring Plan with indicators.
- Closure and Abandonment Plan for the project.
- Environmental and industrial Risk Analysis.
- Annexes: matrices, modeling, plans, photographs, consulting team CVs.
The five Environmental Evaluation instruments
Government Agreement 137-2016 (Environmental Evaluation Regulation) defines five instruments depending on project category:
| Category | Impact | Instrument | Typical pages | Consultant cost | Prep. time | MARN review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR | Minimum | DABI (form) | 5-15 | Q3,000-5,000 | 7 days | 15-30 days |
| C | Low | Extended DABI | 15-40 | Q5,000-8,000 | 15 days | 30-60 days |
| B2 | Moderate-low | EAI | 50-150 | Q8,000-15,000 | 30-45 days | 60-90 days |
| B1 | Moderate-high | EAI with Management Plan | 100-300 | Q15,000-30,000 | 45-60 days | 90-120 days |
| A | High | Complete EIA | 200-1,000 | Q30,000-Q200,000+ | 60-120 days | 90-180 days |
| No license | Variable | Environmental Diagnostic | 80-300 | Q5,000-25,000 | 60-90 days | 90-180 days |
DABI — Low Impact Environmental Diagnostic
For Category CR (minimum) and C (low): small shops, offices, small workshops, small restaurants. It is a form that the owner can complete directly or with consultant support. Basic impact identification, no detailed baseline. MARN timeline: 15-30 days.
EAI — Initial Environmental Evaluation
For Category B2 (moderate-low): medium-sized businesses, mechanic workshops, industrial bakeries, small condominiums. Simplified 50-150 page study with impact identification and mitigation measures. Requires accredited consultant.
EAI with Management Plan
For Category B1 (moderate-high): medium industry, large condominiums, gas stations, small hotels, subdivisions. Adds to the EAI an operational Environmental Management Plan with timeline, indicators and responsible parties.
Complete EIA (Category A)
For Category A (high impact): mining, hydroelectric, refineries, cement plants, highways, airports, industrial complexes, subdivisions >50 ha. Multidisciplinary 200-1,000 page study with full baselines, modeling, mandatory public consultation and responses to observations.
Environmental Diagnostic (regularization)
For projects already operating without a license that need to regularize. Distinct from the above because it starts from an existing situation. See detail at MARN Environmental Diagnostic.
Requirements to submit an EIA
From the owner:
- Formal request on MARN format.
- Articles of incorporation and current legal representation certificate.
- Active patente and NIT.
- Property title or land use agreement.
- Legal personhood document if public entity.
From the project:
- Complete technical description with timeline.
- Georeferenced location plan in GTM (Guatemala Transverse Mercator).
- Polygon of direct and indirect influence area.
- Detailed budget (justifies categorization by investment).
- Process flow descriptive memorandum (industry/agribusiness).
- Material and energy flow diagram.
- Chemical input list (if applicable) with MSDS safety sheets.
From the study:
- EIA/EAI/DABI as per category, signed by MARN-accredited consultant.
- CV of coordinator consultant and multidisciplinary team.
- Consultant’’s current accreditation certificate (SIGEIA printout).
- Cartographic, photographic and sampling annexes.
- Impact evaluation matrices.
- Modeling (air dispersion, hydrology, noise) if applicable.
From payments:
- BANRURAL receipt of corresponding fee.
- Performance bond receipt (Category A and B1).
If Category A:
- Terms of Reference (TdR) previously approved by DIGARN.
- Public consultation receipts (publications, hearing, observations).
- Prior CONAP opinion if in SIGAP.
- INAB opinion if there is tree felling.
Step by step: how to prepare and submit an EIA
1. Determine the project category
Consult the Listado Taxativo (Ministerial Agreement 199-2016) available at marn.gob.gt → Marco Legal. Look up your economic activity and verify the assigned category (CR, C, B2, B1 or A). If not listed, the category is determined by investment amount and project characteristics.
2. Request Terms of Reference (Category A only)
For Category A, submit a preliminary request in SIGEIA with project description. DIGARN responds within 30-45 days with the specific TdR that the EIA must cover. Without approved TdR, no EIA is accepted.
3. Hire a MARN-accredited consultant
Verify current accreditation at sigeia.marn.gob.gt → Consultants Registry. For Category A, a multidisciplinary team is required (environmental engineer, biologist, hydrologist, sociologist, archaeologist). For B, an individual consultant with experience is accepted. Request three quotes to compare fees and scope.
4. Study preparation
The consultant gathers baselines (field plus office work) over 30-120 days depending on category. For Category A, visits in dry and rainy seasons are required for representative data. Product: 50-1,000 page technical document depending on category.
5. Pay the fee and post bond if applicable
Deposit the fee in MARN’’s BANRURAL account (Q500-Q50,000 depending on category). For Category A and B1, post environmental performance bond with insurer authorized by the Superintendency of Banks.
6. Public consultation (Category A only)
Publish the EIA notice in two major national newspapers, call public hearing with 30 days advance notice, and receive observations for 40 days. Formally respond to each observation.
7. Submit the file in SIGEIA
Upload to sigeia.marn.gob.gt the EIA in PDF with annexes, payment receipts and, if applicable, public consultation receipts. For Category A, in-person delivery of a signed copy at 7a Av 8-23 Zona 9 Edificio Etisa, Environmental Window is also required.
8. DIGARN technical review
DIGARN reviews the file in 30-180 days depending on category. Typically issues prevenciones that the consultant must answer in 30 days. Additional information, expanded sampling, or complementary studies may be required.
9. Final resolution and license issuance
DIGARN issues a technical opinion. The Minister signs the resolution of approval (or denial) within 30-60 days. The license is issued with 1-5 years validity depending on category, renewable through EIA update.
Cost and timeline by category
| Category | Consultant fees | Complementary studies | MARN fee | Total timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR / C (DABI) | Q3,000-Q8,000 | Not required | Q500-Q1,000 | 30-60 days |
| B2 (EAI) | Q8,000-Q15,000 | Optional (Q5K-Q15K) | Q1,500 | 90-120 days |
| B1 (EAI+Plan) | Q15,000-Q30,000 | Recommended (Q10K-Q40K) | Q4,000 | 120-180 days |
| A (Complete EIA) | Q30,000-Q200,000+ | Mandatory (Q50K-Q500K) | Q15,000-Q50,000 | 180-360 days |
| Diagnostic | Q5,000-Q25,000 | As per diagnostic | Q3,000-Q10,000 + fine | 90-180 days |
To this, add performance bond (5-10% of mitigation cost) for Category A and B1, and mandatory annual surveillance (Q5K-Q100K/year).
Common EIA mistakes that cause rejection or nullity
- Wrong categorization — classifying the project in a lower category than the real one (B1 when it should be A) generates rejection and obligation to restart with the correct instrument and a new fee.
- Consultant without active accreditation — verify registry at sigeia.marn.gob.gt before signing the contract. Accreditations expire annually and must be renewed.
- Baseline with insufficient sampling — for Category A, a single visit or sampling in a single season is rejected. Visits in dry and rainy seasons are required, minimum three sampling points per component.
- Plan without GTM georeferencing — UTM, WGS84 directly, or degrees-minutes-seconds coordinates trigger immediate prevention.
- Generic Management Plan — copy-paste from other EIAs without adaptation to the specific site is detected and rejected.
- No response to public consultation observations — silence or evasive responses are grounds for denial and open the door to amparos.
Penalties for submitting a false EIA or not obtaining one
| Infraction | Sanction | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Submit EIA with false data | Criminal complaint for environmental crime + license cancellation + owner disqualification | Penal Code Art. 347-347 quinquies |
| Operate without an approved EIA | Fine 5-100 minimum wages + temporary or definitive closure | Decree 68-86 Art. 14 |
| Consultant signing EIA without accreditation | Accreditation cancellation + complaint to professional college | Agreement 137-2016 Art. 110 |
| Start work before EIA approval | Fine + demolition or restoration order | Decree 68-86 Art. 14 |
| Non-compliance with approved Management Plan | Fine Q10K-Q500K + bond execution + license cancellation | Agreement 137-2016 Art. 84 |
| Discharges not declared in EIA | Additional sanction wastewater | Agreement 236-2006 |
| Waste not declared | Additional sanction waste plan | Agreement 164-2021 |
Related procedures
- MARN Hub: Ministry of Environment Procedures — full directory.
- Environmental License Category A — destination of Category A EIA.
- General Environmental License — overview of the five categories.
- Environmental Diagnostic — to regularize projects operating without a license.
- Wastewater Discharge Permit — Agreement 236-2006.
- Waste Management Plan — Agreement 164-2021.
- MEM Procedures — energy requires EIA parallel to MEM license.
- MAGA Procedures — agribusiness with land-use change.
- CONAP Procedures — prior authorizations in SIGAP.
- Register a business in Mercantile Registry.
- Get a NIT.
Official MARN links
- SIGEIA (Environmental Management System): https://sigeia.marn.gob.gt/
- Accredited Environmental Consultants Registry: sigeia.marn.gob.gt → Consultores
- Listado Taxativo (Agreement 199-2016): marn.gob.gt → Marco Legal
- Environmental Evaluation Regulation (Agreement 137-2016): marn.gob.gt → Marco Legal
- EIA Procedures Manual (Agreement 19-2014): marn.gob.gt → Manuales
- Environmental Protection Law (Decree 68-86): marn.gob.gt → Marco Legal
- Environmental Window (in person): 7a Avenida 8-23 Zona 9, Edificio Etisa, Guatemala City
- MARN PBX: 2423-0500
- WhatsApp service: 5213-2971
- Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00-16:30 (file intake until 15:00)