The petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas transport license is the mandatory commercial authorization issued by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) to companies that move fuels and natural gas in Guatemala. Without this license, no tanker, pipeline or vessel can legally operate with hydrocarbons in Guatemala — the legal basis is the Hydrocarbon Marketing Law (Decree 109-97).

Quick summary: For the mobile-unit licence, MEM publishes Q0.00, an estimate of 5 business days, and digital filing at servicios.mem.gob.gt. The 3-year legal validity already cited on this page applies to mobile units.

Who Needs This License

This license is mandatory for:

  • Third-party transporters — companies whose primary business is providing fuel transport services to refineries, wholesalers, service stations or industry.
  • Own fleets of fuel marketers — wholesale distributors, importers and station operators that move product between depots, terminals and points of sale.
  • Pipeline and polyduct operators — pipeline transport of crude, refined products or natural gas.
  • Vessels and rail — maritime/lake or rail modalities carrying hydrocarbons.

Audience: This is a B2B procedure aimed at hydrocarbon-sector companies, not retail consumers. If you are buying fuel for your vehicle or LPG cylinders for your home, you do not need this license.

Requirements

The inspected MEM checklist covers mobile units; it is not a checklist for pipelines or vessels.

RequirementDetail
Formal applicationAddressed to the Director General of Hydrocarbons, signed by the legal representative
Commercial registrationCompany registered in the Mercantile Registry with corporate purpose covering hydrocarbon transport
Active NITTax ID in good standing with no SAT arrears
Tax solvency certificateThe mobile-unit checklist requests RTU; it does not list a 30-day tax-solvency certificate.
Technical certificationCalibration and functionality certificates from DGH-authorized entities, with the LPG and natural-gas exceptions stated in the checklist.
Vehicle inventoryList of tankers/vehicles with plates, year, gallon capacity and calibration certificates
Insurance policiesMandatory civil liability coverage at minimum amounts defined by DGH per product and capacity
Safety and emergency planProtocols for handling, spills, fire, first aid and authorized routes
MARN environmental licenseThe inspected checklist does not list a B1 or A licence; confirm activity-specific obligations with MARN.
Driver licensesThe inspected checklist does not list a C-Primera licence or mandatory hazardous-materials course.
Notarized title or leaseFor transport units and intermediate storage premises

Steps

  1. Pre-meeting with DGH. Before filing the package, request a technical meeting with the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons to validate the project scope and the specific list of requirements for your case (tanker vs pipeline, bulk vs packaged).
  2. Legal incorporation and base registrations. Confirm the company is registered in the Mercantile Registry with hydrocarbon-transport purpose, has an active NIT and tax solvency. If the company is new, complete company incorporation first.
  3. Check environmental scope. The mobile-unit checklist does not list an EIA or B1/A licence; confirm applicable obligations with MARN.
  4. Technical inspection of units. Calibrate tankers with an accredited entity (DIPROEC or equivalent). Each unit needs an ID plate, grounding system, safety valves and UN signage for hazardous materials.
  5. Insurance policy. Use the risks and amounts in the current MEM instructions. Version V10 cites Ministerial Agreement 358-2025 and says amounts are updated each October; confirm the applicable update before contracting.
  6. Check the forms. The checklist requires T-01 and T-11, T-12, T-13 or T-14 according to transport type.
  7. File submission. Create or use your account at servicios.mem.gob.gt and upload separate PDF documents.
  8. Result. Check your electronic inbox and email for the outcome; the checklist lists Q0.00.

Cost & Time

  • Cost: Q0.00 for the MEM mobile-unit procedure. The inspected checklist does not quantify private insurance or certification expenses.
  • Time: five business days, the estimate in the MEM checklist checked on 2 November 2026.
  • Validity: 3 years for transport with mobile units, renewable for equal periods (Decreto 109-97 Art. 30(c)). File the renewal at least 30 days before expiry (Art. 31).

How to Apply

The MEM mobile-unit checklist directs digital filing at servicios.mem.gob.gt. The instructions alone do not establish operational portal availability.

Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) — MEM Diagonal 17, 29-78, Zone 11 Las Charcas, Guatemala City (MEM central offices) Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00-16:30 Phone: (502) 2419-1717 Service portal: tramites.gob.gt/servicio/1444/

Tip: Confirm any additional requirements for your transport mode with DGH.

When It Is Mandatory (Common Scenarios)

  • New tanker added to the fleet. Any new tanker entering the fleet must be added to the license (file modification).
  • Change in corporate name. If the company changes name or ownership, the license must be updated — it is not automatically transferable.
  • Adding new products. If your license is for diesel and you want to transport gasoline or bulk LPG, prior amplification is required.
  • New route or terminal. Changes in inter-department transport routes or new offloading terminals must be notified to DGH.

Penalties for Operating Without a License

The Hydrocarbon Marketing Law (Decree 109-97) and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons impose severe penalties:

  • Administrative fines: Article 41 of Decree 109-97 distinguishes sanctions by violation; it does not establish this single per-event range. Confirm the current fine unit with the DGH.
  • Seizure of product and transport unit by the National Civil Police in joint operations with MEM
  • Permanent suspension of operations for repeat offenders
  • Criminal liability if irregular transport causes spills, fires or environmental damage

Renewal

The license renews for equal 3-year periods (Decreto 109-97 Art. 30(c)). Article 31 sets the minimum: the renewal request goes to the Dirección at least 30 days before expiry. If the license expires without renewal, units are immediately disabled until a new resolution is issued. See Hydrocarbon Transport License Renewal for full detail.