Guatemala has clear rules about what you can and cannot import. SAT-Aduana classifies all goods into three categories: freely importable, restricted (requires a permit from a specific ministry), and absolutely prohibited. Knowing which category your shipment falls into BEFORE you ship is the difference between a smooth clearance and a seizure.
Quick summary: Three categories: (1) freely importable — most consumer goods, personal effects, processed food; (2) restricted — firearms (DIGECAM permit), fresh food (MAGA permit), medications (MSPAS permit), drones (DGAC flight authorisation), wildlife products (MARN/CONAP); (3) absolutely prohibited — narcotics, counterfeit goods, weapons of mass destruction, certain endangered species. Legal basis: Decreto 14-2013 (Ley Nacional de Aduanas), CAUCA, RECAUCA. Portal: portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/aduanas/.
Traveler or shipper? Start here
These are two different rulebooks, and reading the wrong one is how people end up at an airport counter arguing about a container rule. Pick your row first:
| What you are actually doing | Which rules apply | Where to read them |
|---|---|---|
| Flying in with luggage — what can I pack, what gets taken off me | Traveler allowances: personal baggage exempt with no value cap, a separate US$500 allowance for gifts and new merchandise, per-adult alcohol and tobacco limits, the DVE declaration filed before flying, and cash declarable over US$10,000 | Guatemala customs guide for travelers |
| Shipping goods, a container, a care package, or moving house | Permit-controlled categories and the three-way classification below | This page |
| A US gun owner asking whether you can bring or own a firearm | The Firearms Law (Decreto 15-2009) decides who may own and carry; customs only defers to it | Guns in Guatemala for Americans |
| Moving your household from the USA | The menaje de casa exoneration — which does not cover firearms or prescription medications | Menaje de casa from USA |
| Just want the duty estimate on something freely importable | DAI plus 12% IVA on CIF value | Import calculator |
The rest of this page is written for the shipper: the person whose goods will be classified by SAT-Aduana at a port, an airport cargo terminal, or a land border, and who needs to know which ministry issues the permit before the shipment leaves.
The Three Categories at a Glance
| Category | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Freely importable | Pay DAI + IVA, file DUCA, done | Clothing, books, processed food, electronics (reasonable quantity), furniture |
| Restricted | Permit required BEFORE shipping | Firearms, fresh food, medications, raw seeds, wildlife products |
| Absolutely prohibited | Cannot be imported under any circumstance | Narcotics, counterfeit goods, child exploitation material, certain endangered species |
The challenge is figuring out which bucket your item falls into. Decreto 14-2013 (Ley Nacional de Aduanas) and CAUCA list the categories at a high level; specific items are governed by ministerial regulations published by SAT, MSPAS, MAGA, MINGOB, MARN, and DGAC.
Restricted: Firearms and Ammunition
Firearms cannot be imported casually. DIGECAM (Direccion General de Control de Armas y Municiones, under MINGOB) controls all firearm imports.
Personal Firearm Import (Permit Required)
| Requirement | Source |
|---|---|
| DIGECAM individual import permit | DIGECAM firearm import permit |
| GT firearm possession registration | DIGECAM firearm possession |
| Original US registration of the firearm in your name | US sheriff / federal license |
Permit timing: 4-12 weeks before shipping. Do not ship without the permit in hand.
NOT covered by menaje: the menaje de casa exoneration covers household goods for domestic use (CAUCA art. 115), and every firearm import needs its own DIGECAM licence whatever else is in the container. Each firearm is its own trámite.
Commercial Firearm / Ammunition Import
Requires a DIGECAM dealer license. See firearm and ammunition dealer license.
Restricted: Fresh Food, Plants, Seeds, Live Animals
MAGA (Ministerio de Agricultura) controls agricultural imports. The goal is preventing pests, diseases, and invasive species.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Fresh fruit / vegetables | MAGA phytosanitary permit required — even small personal quantities can be seized |
| Meat / dairy / eggs | MAGA sanitary permit + USDA export certificate. Most personal imports rejected at airport |
| Raw seeds for planting | MAGA phytosanitary permit. Hobby gardener quantities still need the permit |
| Live plants | MAGA phytosanitary permit + quarantine inspection |
| Live animals (dogs and cats) | No import permit: a vet-signed health certificate (from the US, the APHIS-MAGA export health certificate), a rabies vaccination at least 1 month before travel, and SEPA/OIRSA inspection at entry, US$14 per pet (MAGA-VISAR requirements). See pet import guide |
| Pet food (commercial sealed bags) | Allowed in personal quantities, may be inspected |
| Processed packaged food | Allowed in reasonable quantities for personal use |
Practical reality: the airport food rule is if it ever lived, you need a permit. Even small amounts of apples or cheese in checked luggage have been seized.
Restricted: Medications
MSPAS (Ministerio de Salud Publica y Asistencia Social) controls pharmaceutical imports.
Personal Use
- In your luggage: medicines in quantities that match your circumstances and needs are traveler’s baggage, tax-free (RECAUCA art. 578 c). No source we read sets a fixed quantity limit; SAT’s traveler guide says a permit is needed to bring in medicine
- Shipped for personal use: an MSPAS “importación de usuario final” permit (fee receipt, invoices, form F-SI-d-03, DPI or passport, product photos; for a patient, also a diagnosis letter from the treating doctor in Guatemala and the prescription), plus 5% DAI and 12% IVA (MSPAS F-IP-r-01, in force 3 Nov 2025)
- Controlled substances (opioids, benzodiazepines, ADHD stimulants): bring prescription, original sealed packaging, doctor’s letter on letterhead
- OTC medications: the MSPAS personal-import permit drops the diagnosis letter and prescription for over-the-counter medicine
Commercial Import
- Requires MSPAS pharmaceutical importer license + product registration
- Each medication brand must be registered with MSPAS before sale in GT
- Importing for resale without these licenses = automatic seizure + fines
Drones (UAVs): a flight authorisation, not an import permit
A drone is not on the prohibited list. What DGAC, the civil aviation authority, regulates is flying it, and its forms split by who you are:
| You are | DGAC form | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| A tourist | DVSO-OPS-805, sent to dvso@dgac.gob.gt | Authorises you to take the drone out of customs and fly it; the form’s own text says the aircraft is not subject to registration because its stay in Guatemala is temporary |
| A Guatemalan resident bringing a drone in | DVSO-OPS-801, a request for a technical opinion | DGAC decides case by case whether your aircraft must be registered |
The rules in force are RAC 101 (22 July 2013) and Operational Directive DO-004-2025. The rules this page used to state, for drones under 25 kg registering within 30 days of arrival, do not appear in either, and no 250-gram figure appears in RAC 101 or DO-004-2025; the 250 g figure comes from DGAC as quoted in the press in March 2026, saying local drones of 250 g or more must be registered. Heights, no-fly areas and site rules, with sources: drone rules in Guatemala.
Corrected 24 September 2026: an earlier version said hobby drones under 25 kg must be registered with DGAC within 30 days of arrival, and listed MARN review, thermal-imaging and commercial-sale rules without a source. Those statements were removed.
Restricted: Wildlife Products, Cultural Heritage
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| CITES-listed species (jaguar pelts, certain feathers, ivory, etc.) | Absolutely prohibited under CITES + CONAP regulations |
| Pre-Columbian artifacts | Export from Guatemala absolutely prohibited; import of foreign cultural heritage requires MICUDE permit |
| Coral, shells, exotic woods | CONAP / MARN permits required |
| Bushmeat | Absolutely prohibited |
CONAP issues sport hunting and scientific research permits — see CONAP sport hunting permit.
Restricted: Electronics — The “Reasonable Personal Use” Test
There is no numerical cap in the law, but customs officers apply judgment.
| Pattern | Likely Treatment |
|---|---|
| 1 laptop + 1 phone + 1 tablet | Personal use — no extra duties |
| 5 new iPhones in original boxes | Commercial — full DAI + IVA + commercial import paperwork |
| Used electronics in household-goods shipment | Covered by menaje de casa |
| Drone | Flying it needs DGAC authorisation; see drone rules |
Rule of thumb: if it looks like inventory, it gets classified as inventory.
Restricted: Used Clothing (Pacas)
| Use | Rule |
|---|---|
| Personal use (your own clothes) | No restriction — part of menaje or normal luggage |
| Commercial resale (pacas) | Only specific licensed importers; licenses are limited and contested |
The “paca” trade is a real industry in Guatemala but is gated. Individuals cannot import bales of used clothing for resale.
Absolutely Prohibited (No Permit Available)
These cannot be imported under any circumstance. Detection = seizure + potential criminal charges.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Controlled narcotics without prescription | Cocaine, heroin, MDMA, unprescribed amphetamines, unprescribed opioids |
| Counterfeit goods | Fake luxury brand goods, pirated software/movies, counterfeit currency |
| Child exploitation material | Absolutely prohibited globally |
| Endangered species (CITES Appendix I) | Jaguar pelts, sea turtle shells, certain birds |
| Nuclear / radioactive material | Without IAEA / international clearance |
| Chemical weapons precursors | Listed under international conventions |
| Goods from sanctioned origins | Specific countries / entities under SICA-coordinated sanctions |
What Happens If You Try to Import a Restricted Item Without a Permit?
| Stage | Outcome |
|---|---|
| At airport (passenger) | Goods seized; written notice; possible fine. No criminal record for first-time small-quantity personal items |
| At port / land border (shipment) | Goods held at customs; you receive a notice; you can apply for the permit retroactively (sometimes works) or abandon the goods |
| Commercial quantities | Seizure + commercial fines + possible criminal referral |
| Absolutely prohibited goods | Seizure + criminal charges + Ministerio Publico (MP) referral |
The “I didn’t know” defense rarely works for commercial-quantity violations. It sometimes works for individuals with small personal items, but expect to lose the item.
How to Verify Before You Ship
- Check SAT-Aduana’s public list at portal.sat.gob.gt/portal/aduanas/ — categories of restricted goods are published
- Ask your agente aduanal before shipping — see customs broker cost
- Contact the relevant ministry (DIGECAM, MAGA, MSPAS, DGAC) if your item is borderline
- When in doubt, declare it on the customs form. Declaring + permit gap = pay duty / wait. Not declaring + permit gap = seizure + fine
For tax estimates on freely importable goods, see import calculator or calculadora de aranceles.
Which ministry issues your permit
There is no single customs permit. SAT-Aduana verifies a permit that a different ministry issued, which is why I asked SAT and they said it was fine is not an answer. This is the whole map on one screen:
| Your goods | Issuing authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms, ammunition | DIGECAM (Ministerio de Gobernacion) | Individual import permit, one per firearm for personal use. Application steps |
| Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, seeds, live plants | MAGA (Agriculture) | Phytosanitary or sanitary permit; meat and dairy also need a USDA export certificate. Small personal quantities are still seizable |
| Medications | MSPAS (Health) | Commercial quantities: import licence plus a registered pharmaceutical importer. Shipped for personal use: an MSPAS “usuario final” import permit, with the prescription and a letter from your treating doctor in Guatemala for prescription drugs — see bringing prescription medication |
| Live animals / pets | MAGA | Dogs and cats: health certificate, rabies vaccination at least 1 month before travel, SEPA/OIRSA inspection at entry (US$14 per pet); no import permit |
| Drones (UAVs) | DGAC | Flight authorisation: tourists file DVSO-OPS-805; residents file DVSO-OPS-801 for a case-by-case opinion on registration. See drone rules |
| Wildlife products, protected-area use | CONAP / MARN | CITES Appendix I species are absolutely prohibited, not permit-able |
| Cultural heritage items | MICUDE | Export of pre-Columbian artifacts from Guatemala is absolutely prohibited |
| Used clothing for resale (pacas) | Licensed importers only | Limited licences; personal clothing is unaffected |
Timing: plan on a 2-12 week window before shipping, depending on the permit. This is the single most consequential line on the page — a permit obtained after the goods land costs you storage while it runs, and sometimes the goods.
The three questions every “it depends” actually turns on
Most of the ambiguity on this page collapses once you answer these three. They are the same three an aduana officer applies:
- Quantity — is this a plausible personal amount? One laptop, one phone, one tablet reads as personal. Five new iPhones in original boxes reads as commercial no matter whose name is on the shipment, and gets DAI plus 12% IVA on full CIF value plus commercial paperwork.
- Commercial or personal use? The same used clothing is unrestricted as your own wardrobe and heavily restricted as pacas for resale.
- Is it inside a menaje de casa shipment or shipped separately? Firearms and prescription medications are never covered by menaje, whatever else is in the container.
If your answer to any of the three is “borderline”, the cheap move is the same every time: declare it. Declaring with a permit gap costs duty and waiting. Not declaring with a permit gap costs the goods and a fine.
Worked examples
Five shipments, run through the same three questions:
1. Moving home from Texas, and there is a hunting rifle in the container. The rifle is not covered by menaje. It needs its own DIGECAM individual import permit obtained before shipping, the firearm registered in your name in the USA, and the corresponding Guatemalan possession or carry licence — which under Art. 70 means residency, not a US permit. Realistic runway: 4-12 weeks. If the container ships first, the rifle is an illegal import, not a paperwork delay.
2. Family in the USA mailing a care package with three months of blood-pressure medication. A shipped medicine is not baggage. The recipient needs an MSPAS “importación de usuario final” permit — for a prescription drug that includes the prescription and a diagnosis letter from the treating doctor in Guatemala — and the box pays 5% DAI plus 12% IVA. No source we read sets a fixed quantity rule for it. Controlled substances (opioids, ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines) need the prescription, original packaging and a doctor’s letter on letterhead. Ship medications separately from the main household goods so one problem does not hold the whole menaje.
3. Five new iPhones for family members. Fails question 1. Multiple identical units in original boxes are classified as commercial regardless of who is importing them: DAI plus 12% IVA on the full CIF value, plus possible commercial-import paperwork. Spreading them across travelers’ baggage is a traveler-allowance question, not this page — see the travelers guide.
4. A hobby drone with a camera, for personal photography. Not prohibited. The paperwork is DGAC’s flight authorisation: a tourist files DVSO-OPS-805; a resident files DVSO-OPS-801 so DGAC can say whether the aircraft must be registered. Flying in a protected area is a separate question for CONAP. See drone rules.
5. A packet of heirloom vegetable seeds for the garden. Restricted. Raw seeds for planting need a MAGA phytosanitary permit, and hobby-gardener quantities are not exempt. Undeclared, expect seizure at the airport.
Tips
- Get the permit BEFORE shipping. Retroactive permits sometimes work but are expensive in storage and stress
- Photograph and inventory everything before shipping. Helps in disputes
- Ship medications separately from main household goods — keeps your menaje shipment clean
- One firearm per DIGECAM permit application — easier to approve than batch applications
- Declare borderline items — the cost of declaring is small; the cost of seizure is total loss
- Returnees: firearms and prescription meds are NOT covered by menaje. Plan separately. See returning vehicle import for related restrictions
- Drones: get the DGAC flight authorisation that matches your status (tourist DVSO-OPS-805, resident DVSO-OPS-801) before flying
Common questions
What can I not bring into Guatemala?
Nothing at all from the absolutely-prohibited list: narcotics without prescription, counterfeit goods and pirated media, child exploitation material, CITES Appendix I species such as jaguar pelts and sea turtle shells, nuclear or radioactive material, chemical weapons precursors, and goods from sanctioned origins. A second and much larger group is restricted rather than banned — firearms, fresh food and plants, medications in commercial quantity, drones, wildlife products — legal only with a permit from the responsible ministry obtained before shipping. If you are flying in with a suitcase rather than shipping a container, the traveler allowances are a separate rulebook: see the customs guide for travelers.
Are guns legal in Guatemala?
Yes, for the people the Firearms Law lets hold them — but importing one is a separate question from owning one, and this page covers the import side. Under Art. 62 of Decreto 15-2009, possession at home is a right of citizens; Art. 70 allows carry by Guatemalan citizens and by foreigners with legally authorised temporary or permanent residence, with DIGECAM authorisation. A US concealed-carry permit has no standing — the gate is residency, evidenced by a Migracion resolution. Bringing a firearm in without a licence or without declaring it is illegal importation under Art. 99: 5 to 8 years non-commutable plus confiscation, rising to 8-12 years for more than two weapons or war-class weapons. Full walkthrough: guns in Guatemala for Americans.
Can a tourist bring a hunting or sporting firearm?
Only through the temporary-entry route, never on the strength of the customs code alone. RECAUCA Art. 578(k) does list hunting and sporting arms plus 500 rounds in the traveler baggage exemption — but its second sentence hands the question straight back to each country’s own firearms regulation. In Guatemala that is Decreto 15-2009, whose Art. 36 routes temporary entry by foreigners through the Guatemalan consulate to DIGECAM, which issues a special temporary carry or transfer licence and notifies MINEX so the shipping documents can be authorised. DIGECAM publishes procedure sheets for both the over-60-day and under-60-day cases. Apply with real anticipation through the consular channel.
How far ahead do I need the permit?
Before the goods ship, not after they arrive. A retroactive application on goods already sitting at customs sometimes works, but you pay storage while it runs and you may end up abandoning the goods.