The MEM transport licence per mobile unit (licencia de transporte de petróleo y productos petroleros por unidad móvil) is the authorization to operate a tanker or other transport unit for fuels in Guatemala. It comes from the Hydrocarbons Commercialization Law (Decree 109-97) and its regulation (Government Agreement 522-99), and MEM processes it online. This guide covers who needs it, the documents MEM asks for, the minimum insurance, validity and the fines.

Quick summary: MEM’s procedure sheet (V10, 1 November 2025) lists the licence as free (Q0.00), with an estimated five business days, filed online at servicios.mem.gob.gt. Validity: 3 years, renewable (Decree 109-97, Art. 30 c). A current insurance policy per unit is required, with minimum amounts set by Ministerial Agreement 358-2025.

What the licence covers

Any individual or company can provide transport services for petroleum and petroleum products, using mobile units or stationary systems from the supply installations to their destination, in compliance with the law and its regulation (Decree 109-97, Art. 20). The licence per mobile unit covers transport units for:

  • Liquid fuels: regular and premium gasoline, diesel, bunker C, petroleum, oily mixtures, asphalt, OMD40 and ONP60.
  • Gaseous fuels: liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas.
  • LPG in portable cylinders.

Transport through stationary systems (pipelines) also needs the environmental authority’s resolution approving the environmental impact study, plus technical documentation on the installations (Art. 21).

Requirements

Upload each document separately as an electronic original or PDF copy; all must be current.

Individuals

  • DPI, or passport if foreign
  • Company patent (Patente de Comercio de Empresa)
  • RTU (Registro Tributario Unificado) certificate

Companies

  • DPI, or passport if foreign, of the legal representative
  • Incorporation deed, with final registration at the Mercantile Registry
  • Appointment of the legal representative, current and registered at the Mercantile Registry
  • RTU certificate
  • Company patent and corporation patent (Patente de Comercio de Empresa and de Sociedad)

For both

  • Form T-01, application for the petroleum and petroleum products transport licence
  • Form T-11, T-12, T-13 or T-14, transport identification form
  • Circulation card of the transport unit
  • Title or lease of the transport unit
  • Calibration certificate from an entity authorized by the DGH (not required for bulk LPG, LPG in cylinders and natural gas units)
  • Functionality certificate from an entity authorized by the DGH (not required for bulk LPG and natural gas units)
  • Insurance policy

Minimum insurance (AM 358-2025)

The policy must be a current transport insurance per mobile unit, or a GRETEC letter, covering mainly own damage, third-party damage, basic and excess civil liability, carrier’s liability, medical costs of vehicle occupants, the driver’s permanent disability or accidental death, the driver’s natural death, the cargo, and environmental contamination from spilled or burning fuel. From November 2025 all policies for these licences must meet the minimums of Ministerial Agreement 358-2025 of 28 October 2025, which is updated every October.

CoverPetroleum productsLPG in portable cylinders
Environmental contaminationQ661,000Q265,000
Third-party damageQ397,000Q199,000
Civil liabilityQ199,000Q133,000
CargoQ14,000 per thousand gallons of capacity—

Step by Step

  1. Prepare the documents listed above and fill in, print, sign and scan the T-01 and T-11 to T-14 forms.
  2. Create a user at servicios.mem.gob.gt, accepting the system and electronic notifications, or log in if you already have one.
  3. Select the procedure and upload the documents.
  4. Check your inbox and email for the result. MEM estimates five business days.

Cost and Time

ItemAmountSource
Licence feeQ0.00 (no charge)MEM procedure sheet V10
Estimated timeFive business daysMEM procedure sheet V10
Validity (mobile units)3 years from issue, renewable for equal periods on requestDecree 109-97, Art. 30 c
Minimum insuranceSee table aboveAM 358-2025

Transporter’s responsibility

The transporter is responsible for ensuring the products it carries are not adulterated, altered or improperly extracted from the consigned quantity; it must also comply with industrial and environmental safety rules and protect people and property, as the regulation provides (Decree 109-97, Art. 22).

Penalties

ViolationSanctionLegal Basis
Spills and emissions in transport operations (traffic accidents excepted)1 fine unit for 5 to 250 litres, then 1 unit per additional 250 litres; the fine unit is Q1,000 (Art. 40)Decreto 109-97 Art. 41(u)
Altering the capacity of a tanker’s tank (double bottom or similar device)25 fine unitsDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(s)
Adulterating petroleum products in transport25 fine unitsDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(ñ)
Not providing information or documents the DGH requests5 fine unitsDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(t)
Other breaches of the law or its regulation5 fine unitsDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(v)
Second offenceDouble the fine, plus a three-month licence suspensionDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(w)
Third offenceFive times the fine, plus cancellation of the licenceDecreto 109-97 Art. 41(x)