Correction (24 September 2026): the CECOVE is a Q700 evaluation lasting 1.5 to 2 hours, passed with 72 points, with a free second attempt (Departamento de Tránsito); the licence costs Q100 to Q320 at Maycom for one to four years, so a four-year first licence is Q1,020 plus the eye exam. This page previously described a 2-3 week CECOVE course, a ~Q850 total, a Q50 eye exam, a 20/40 vision standard and an automatic-transmission restriction, and cited Acuerdos Gubernativos 259-2002 and 535-2013 for the CECOVE; we could not source those, and AG 259-2002 is a general reform of the Reglamento de Tránsito. It also said there is no route for foreign licence holders — art. 24 of the Reglamento provides one. See our corrections policy.

The Type C is Guatemala’s standard driver’s license — it covers cars, panels, microbuses and pick-ups up to 3.5 metric tonnes, driven without being paid (Reglamento de Tránsito art. 23). It is the first license most people get, and the base for changing later to Type B (paid driving) or Type A (heavy cargo and public transport).

Getting your first license has two stages: passing the CECOVE evaluation at a centre authorised by the Departamento de Tránsito, and then processing the license at a Maycom office. The CECOVE issues the digital driving certificate that Maycom asks for; Maycom checks your documents, has the Tránsito delegate check your fines, and issues the card.

Quick summary: A first Type C costs the Q700 CECOVE evaluation plus Maycom’s fee — Q100 (1 year), Q185 (2), Q260 (3) or Q320 (4) — plus an eye exam whose price is not published. You must be 18 (or 16 with written parental authorisation), pass the CECOVE evaluation (1.5-2 hours, 72 points, free second attempt) and go to a Maycom office with your DPI.

Fees checked on maycom.com.gt and the CECOVE on transito.gob.gt on 24 September 2026. Check our exchange rate page for today’s USD/GTQ rate.

What the Type C License Allows

  • Drive cars, panels, pick-ups and microbuses, with or without trailer, up to 3.5 metric tonnes gross
  • Drive without being paid to drive

The Type C does not allow:

  • Being paid to drive — that requires Type B
  • Driving cargo vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, school or public transport — that requires Type A
  • Riding motorcycles — that requires Type M

Costs Breakdown

ItemCost
CECOVE evaluation (theory and practical)Q700 (Departamento de Tránsito)
Eye exam (optician or ophthalmologist)Price not published
License — 1 yearQ100
License — 2 yearsQ185
License — 3 yearsQ260
License — 4 yearsQ320
Total (1-year license)Q800 + eye exam
Total (4-year license)Q1,020 + eye exam

Note: Maycom’s first-licence table stops at 4 years. The 5-year option (Q390) appears on its renewal table.

Documents Required

Per Maycom’s first-licence requirements (checked 24 September 2026):

  • DPI — valid, original and copy; a copy of your DPI application is accepted. How to get a DPI
  • Digital driving certificate — issued by an authorised CECOVE, with its original invoice
  • Eye exam — from an optician or practising ophthalmologist, meeting the Departamento de Tránsito’s requirements
  • Fines clearance — checked by the Tránsito delegate at Maycom
  • Payment receipt — paid at a Banrural agency

Step-by-Step Process

Stage 1: CECOVE evaluation (1.5-2 hours)

  1. Choose an authorised CECOVE. The Departamento de Tránsito publishes the list of centres (transito.gob.gt/sedes-cecoves).
  2. Take the evaluation. It rates your knowledge of Guatemala’s traffic law and your driving skills on streets and roads. Bring your original, valid DPI in good condition. The CECOVE provides a vehicle, or you can bring your own; automatic or manual both work.
  3. Pass with 72 points. If you fail, you get a second attempt without paying again.
  4. Receive your certificate. Keep the CECOVE’s invoice — Maycom asks for it with the certificate.

If you want lessons first, driving schools are separate from the evaluation; their prices and schedules are set by each school.

Stage 2: Eye exam

  1. Visit an optician or ophthalmologist whose exam meets the Departamento de Tránsito’s requirements. The price is set by the provider.

Stage 3: Maycom

  1. Pay at Banrural the license fee for your chosen duration. Keep the receipt.
  2. Visit a Maycom office. Maycom no longer gives appointments — people are served in order of arrival. Bring your DPI (original and copy), CECOVE certificate and invoice, eye exam and Banrural receipt.
  3. Fines check and capture. The Tránsito delegate at Maycom checks your fines; Maycom captures your data and issues the card.

Choosing a Driving School

A driving school is optional preparation; the CECOVE evaluation is what Maycom needs. If you take lessons:

  • Practice vehicles in good condition
  • Flexible schedules — ask about evening and weekend classes
  • Transparent pricing — the school’s price is separate from the Q700 CECOVE evaluation

Avoid anyone offering a certificate without the evaluation — the certificate is issued by an authorised CECOVE after you pass.

Tips & Common Mistakes

  1. Do not skip the CECOVE evaluation. It is required for a first licence. If you already hold a licence from another country and are resident, the route is the art. 24 transfer instead — see foreign license conversion.

  2. Get the eye exam from a qualified provider — an optician or practising ophthalmologist meeting the Departamento de Tránsito’s requirements.

  3. Check Maycom hours before going. Metropolitan offices open Monday-Friday 8:00-18:00; departmental offices and Reformadores 8:00-17:00; all offices Saturday 8:00-13:00. There are 16 offices (list).

  4. Bring exact documents. Double-check your DPI, the CECOVE certificate and its invoice, the eye exam and the Banrural receipt before making the trip.

  5. If you wear glasses, wear them to the eye exam.

Details

The Departamento de Tránsito describes the CECOVE evaluation as rating your knowledge of traffic law and your skills and dexterity on streets and roads. It lasts 1:30 to 2:00 hours and is passed with 72 points.

  • Know the rules: Study the Reglamento de Tránsito’s basics — signs, right of way, speed limits.
  • Vehicle familiarity: You can use the CECOVE’s vehicle or bring your own, automatic or manual. Practise on the car you will be tested in.
  • Parking and manoeuvres: Practise until your movements are smooth and controlled.
  • Intersections and signalling: Always signal, check mirrors and look both ways.
  • If you fail: you get a second attempt without paying again.
Details
  • Visitors: You may drive the vehicles your valid foreign licence covers for as long as your immigration authorisation is in force (Reglamento art. 24).
  • Residents: Art. 24 makes it obligatory to transfer your foreign licence to a Guatemalan one of the same or a lower type; the Departamento de Tránsito decides whether you sit a theory or practical test. Tránsito processes this as homologación. While your residency is in process, Tránsito also issues a driving permit for foreigners (Q50 per month).
  • Expired foreign license: Tránsito’s homologación asks for a valid licence; for the foreigner permit, an expired licence means adding a CECOVE certificate.
  • International Driving Permit (IDP): An IDP is a translation that accompanies a licence, not a licence itself.
  • No DPI yet: Maycom asks for a DPI (or a copy of your DPI application). Foreign residents get their DPI from RENAP after residency approval.