- 📋 Form F-AS-f-01 and Payment Slip V-CC-G-001 downloaded from medicamentos.mspas.gob.gt
- 🏪 Location with separated areas (cutting, manicure, hair removal, sterilization, restroom)
- ♨️ Autoclave or sterilizer if you do hair removal, manicure, or pedicure (Norm 48-2020)
- 🏢 Active NIT, current RTU, ID of owner or legal representative
- 🧑🦰 Health cards (tarjetas de salud) for all staff — separate process
The Beauty Salon Sanitary License (Licencia Sanitaria para Salón de Belleza) is the document issued by the Department of Regulation and Control of Pharmaceutical and Related Products (DRCPFA) of MSPAS, through the Pharmaceutical Establishments Section, authorizing the opening of beauty salons, hair salons, barbershops, beauty studios, and spas in Guatemala. It is free and governed by Technical Norm 48-2020.
Summary: Free (Q0) — no official fee. In-person process at MSPAS central office, zone 11. 60 business days from file submission. Annual renewal. Requires location compliant with Technical Norm 48-2020, SAT NIT/RTU, and staff health cards.
Applies to: beauty salons, hair salons, barbershops, beauty studios, spas, nail bars, wax depilation centers, microblading, and facial care.
What is this license?
Surprisingly at first glance, beauty salons are regulated by the DRCPFA (Department of Regulation and Control of Pharmaceutical and Related Products). The reason is that these establishments handle cosmetic products — dyes, bleach, wax, polishes, facial and hair treatment products — that legislation classifies as “related pharmaceutical products.”
The sanitary license certifies that your salon meets:
- The location’s physical conditions (separated areas, ventilation, potable water, lighting)
- Sterilization equipment appropriate for the services you offer
- Safe handling of cosmetic products (storage, use, disposal)
- Basic hygiene and biosafety procedures
The license is valid for 1 year and renews annually.
Difference from other procedures: the DRCPFA license covers cosmetic operation. If your spa offers medical services (mesotherapy, neurotoxins, medical devices), you also need the Healthcare Establishment License — DRACES. These are independent procedures.
Who needs it?
You’re required to hold the DRCPFA sanitary license if you’ll operate:
- 💇 Beauty salon — cutting, styling, color, hair treatments
- ✂️ Hair salon — hair services for men and women
- 💈 Barbershop — cutting, shaving, beard care (especially if using cosmetic products)
- 💅 Nail bar — manicure, pedicure, acrylics, gel
- 🧖 Facial care studio — cleansing, exfoliation, hydration
- 🪒 Hair removal center — wax, cosmetic laser (not medical)
- 💆 Relaxation spa — massage with cosmetic products
- ✏️ Microblading / micropigmentation — eyebrows, lips, permanent eyeliner
- 🧴 Retail cosmetic distributor with on-site service
Does NOT apply to:
- Professionals working only mobile or from home without a commercial location
- Aesthetic medical services (mesotherapy, botox, fillers) — those go through DRACES
- Tattoo artists (different regulation, currently being updated)
Common ambiguous case: a spa offering both cosmetic treatments and therapeutic massage. If only cosmetic-relaxation, DRCPFA. If it has professional physiotherapy or medical devices, DRACES.
Full requirements
DRCPFA requires a specific list of documents accompanying the beauty salon sanitary license application. The current list is at medicamentos.mspas.gob.gt and you must verify it before assembling the file.
Forms and applications (downloadable at medicamentos.mspas.gob.gt):
- Form F-AS-f-01 — Application for Sanitary License of Pharmaceutical and Related Establishments (current version)
- Payment Slip V-CC-G-001 — current version
- Cover letter to the DRCPFA Director
Owner documents:
- DPI of the owner (foreign owners use passport + residence card; original and copy)
- If a corporation: articles of incorporation, legal representative appointment, Mercantile Registry patente de comercio
- NIT and SAT RTU certificate listing beauty services as economic activity
Establishment documents:
- Location sketch with clearly identified areas (reception, cutting, manicure, hair removal, sterilization, product storage, restroom)
- Location map
- Recent utility bill (water, electricity — max 3 months)
- Lease contract if rented
- List of services to be offered
- List of cosmetic products to be used and sold (with brand and sanitary registration)
- Location hygiene procedures (daily cleaning, towel handling, utensil disinfection)
- Waste management plan (hair, wax, gauze, paper)
- Sterilization equipment specifications (autoclave, disinfectant, UV)
Staff documents:
- Staff roster with ID, role, and health card
- Current health card (tarjeta de salud) for each employee
Technical Norm 48-2020 compliance documents:
- Pest control plan signed by an authorized company
- Cosmetic handling good-practices certificate
Tip: Many rejections come from missing autoclave or sterilizer. If you’ll do manicure or hair removal, invest in a certified autoclave from day one — Q3,500-Q12,000 (~US$450-US$1,550) depending on capacity. Saves rejection.
Step-by-step process
Download forms and Norm 48-2020. Visit www.medicamentos.mspas.gob.gt. Download Form F-AS-f-01, Payment Slip V-CC-G-001 (current version), and Technical Norm 48-2020.
Complete Form F-AS-f-01. Fill in all requested information legibly.
Prepare the file complying with Norm 48-2020. Gather documentation per the requirements. If you’re unsure how to arrange separated areas in a small space, visit another already-licensed salon and observe how they organize the space.
Complete Payment Slip V-CC-G-001. Even though the fee is Q0, this control document must be entered into the system.
Submit the Payment Slip at Window 63-A2. This generates the 63-A2 receipt that goes with the file.
Submit the complete file at the Document Reception and Delivery Section. MSPAS central office, zone 11.
Reception forwards to DRCPFA. The file moves internally to the Pharmaceutical Establishments Section.
DRCPFA assistant receives and reviews. Verifies submission completeness.
System classification and entry. Assistant classifies, registers in the database, and assigns to an evaluator.
Professional evaluation. Professional Evaluators review the file. For salons, a site inspection is generally scheduled to verify areas, sterilization equipment, and hygiene conditions.
Sanitary License generation. If file and inspection comply, the Establishment Sanitary License and Technical Director Appointment Certificate (when applicable) are generated.
Signature and delivery. Documents are signed by DRCPFA leadership and delivered to the applicant.
Cost and time
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official fee | Q0 — free |
| Validity | 1 year from issue date |
| Renewal | Annual — similar shorter process |
| Time from submission | 60 business days |
| Result | Sanitary License + Appointment Certificate (if applicable) |
Real out-of-pocket costs:
- Location upgrade (ventilation, areas, potable water): Q5,000-Q30,000 depending on starting condition
- Autoclave or sterilizer (if you do manicure/hair removal): Q3,500-Q12,000 (one-time)
- Pest control plan (authorized company): Q500-Q1,800/year
- Staff health cards: Q15 per employee (annually)
- Furniture, mirrors, hair-washing stations, hydraulic chairs: variable
- Initial cosmetic products with sanitary registration: variable
Economic reality: Realistic total cost to open a small beauty salon in Guatemala (furniture, equipment, upgrades, first product purchase): Q30,000-Q90,000 (~US$3,900-US$11,650) — the license is free but everything else is the real investment.
Common mistakes & what to do if denied
Top five rejection causes:
- Missing separated sterilization area or no certified autoclave. Causes most inspection rejections — Norm 48-2020 requires separated areas and certified equipment.
- Cosmetic products without sanitary registration. If you sell creams or products without MSPAS registration, you’re flagged. Use only currently-registered products.
- Payment Slip V-CC-G-001 incorrectly filled or not submitted at Window 63-A2. Without the 63-A2 receipt, the file doesn’t advance.
- Service list including medical services without DRACES license. If your list mentions mesotherapy or neurotoxins without DRACES, it’s immediately rejected.
- Expired or missing staff health cards. The inspector reviews each card.
If denied:
- You receive a formal note with specific findings
- You have time to correct and resubmit
- No new payment (it’s free), but you must reprocess Window 63-A2 entry and your file returns to the queue
Recommendation: Before requesting inspection, do an internal audit comparing your location point-by-point against Technical Norm 48-2020. Better to invest 2-3 days in preparation than to lose weeks to rejection.
Legal basis
- Technical Norm 48-2020 — Distributors and Related Establishments: current norm regulating beauty salons and other DRCPFA-related establishments.
- Health Code — Decreto 90-97: general framework empowering MSPAS to regulate cosmetic products and the establishments handling them.
- Government Agreement 712-99 — DRCPFA regulation.
Operating a beauty salon without a sanitary license is a Health Code violation carrying:
- Administrative fines
- Temporary or permanent closure of the establishment
- Seizure of unregistered cosmetic products
Related processes
- 🏥 MSPAS Hub — Health Procedures — all Ministry of Health procedures
- 💊 Pharmacy Sanitary License — another DRCPFA establishment
- 🌿 Natural Products Sanitary License — for natural-product stores
- 🏥 Health Establishment Sanitary License — if your spa offers medical services
- 🧑🦰 MSPAS Health Card — required for your staff
- 🧾 SAT RTU Registration — prerequisite
- 🏢 Register a Company at the Mercantile Registry — for corporations
Official links
- DRCPFA — Department of Regulation and Control of Pharmaceutical and Related Products
- MSPAS — Main page
- MSPAS phone: +502 2304-0000
- Headquarters: MSPAS, zone 11, Guatemala City