A devolución de crédito fiscal (IVA tax credit refund) returns to a taxpayer the IVA paid on purchases when its sales do not generate enough IVA to offset it, as happens with exports and sales to tax-exempt entities. This page summarizes articles 23 to 25 of Guatemala’s IVA law (Decreto 27-92), from the compilation with reforms through Decreto 10-2012 published by the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (read 24 September 2026).
Quick summary: Taxpayers who export, provide services or sell to tax-exempt persons qualify (art. 23). There are three routes: the general procedure with SAT, for quarterly or semiannual periods, with a decision within 30 or 60 business days (art. 23 A); an optional regime for exporters, with an opinion from a public accountant and auditor registered with SAT and a decision within 10 business days (art. 24); and a special regime with the Banco de Guatemala, monthly, for 75% of the credit (up to Q500,000) or 60% (over Q500,000) (art. 25). Refunds remain subject to later verification within the statute of limitations.
Correction (24 September 2026): this page said the process takes 30 to 90 days, that SAT audits every request, gave preparation costs of Q5,000-Q25,000+, a 10-day appeal window and a 2-month accumulation rule, all without a source. It now gives the deadlines and requirements in the text of the IVA law.
Who qualifies
Article 23 grants the right to a refund of tax credit to taxpayers who:
- are engaged in exporting;
- provide services or sell goods to persons exempt from the tax.
The refundable credit is the one generated by buying inputs or by expenses directly linked to those activities. The same article lets taxpayers who export less than 50% of their annual sales, and cannot offset the credit against the debit from local sales, apply as well.
When a refund does not proceed (art. 23): if the authorization of the invoices backing the credit was obtained with false documents, or if the exporter cannot show it actually paid the invoices (by check, bank statement or another banking channel, or, if paid in cash, with support such as bank withdrawals or loans).
The three regimes
| General procedure | Optional regime | Special regime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Article | 23 A | 24 | 25 |
| Who | Exporters and sellers to exempt persons | Exporters entitled to a refund | Exporters registered in this regime |
| Filed with | SAT | SAT, which notifies the Banco de Guatemala | Banco de Guatemala |
| Period | Quarterly or semiannual | Monthly (request within 10 business days after the return deadline) | Monthly (request within 30 business days after the return deadline) |
| Key requirement | Original invoices and purchase and sales ledger | Opinion from an independent public accountant and auditor registered with SAT | Sworn refund request and list of export invoices |
| Amount refunded | The balance SAT finds valid | 100% of the credit not withheld | 75% of the declared credit (up to Q500,000) or 60% (over Q500,000) |
| Legal deadline | SAT decides in 30 business days (quarterly) or 60 (semiannual) | SAT decides in 10 business days; the Bank refunds in 5 business days | The Bank checks in 5 business days, SAT audits within 30 business days at most, and the Bank pays within the next 5 business days |
General procedure (art. 23 A)
- The request covers expired periods of IVA duly paid, accumulated quarterly or semiannually, as long as a credit balance remains.
- Attach: the original supplier invoices that generated the credit; the purchase and sales ledger in the medium and format SAT specifies; if you sold exclusively to exempt entities, a copy of the invoice and the accounting certification of the income; if you are an occasional exporter, the export customs declarations with a detailed inventory and copies of the commercial invoices.
- On SAT’s request: a copy of the check or bank statement proving payment to suppliers and proof they received it; and, if you are a withholding agent, proof you complied.
- SAT checks the copies against the originals, returns the originals and opens the file.
- Decision: SAT must decide within 30 business days (quarterly) or 60 business days (semiannual), authorizing the Banco de Guatemala to refund from the Fondo IVA account. If it makes adjustments, it notifies them and authorizes the unadjusted balance, and the Banco de Guatemala pays the unadjusted balance within 5 business days of receiving SAT’s report.
- If SAT does not decide within those periods, counted from filing with complete documentation, the request is treated as denied, solely so the taxpayer can appeal or move to the next administrative level.
Optional regime (arts. 24, 24 A and 24 B)
For exporters. Requirements: a request within 10 business days after the monthly IVA return deadline; a sworn statement before a notary that the credit was not previously refunded or offset; copies of the monthly returns; registration in the Exporters Registry with the export percentage of article 25; and an opinion from an independent public accountant and auditor registered and authorized with SAT, with no employment or family relationship with the taxpayer. Once the requirements are met, SAT decides within 10 business days and notifies the Banco de Guatemala, which refunds 100% of the credit not withheld within 5 business days after the taxpayer presents the decision. The exporter can switch regimes before the start of the next period (art. 24 A).
Special regime with the Banco de Guatemala (art. 25)
The registered exporter applies directly to the Banco de Guatemala, per expired calendar month, within 30 business days after the return deadline. It receives 75% of the declared credit if the refund is up to Q500,000, or 60% if it is larger. To qualify it must show it exports 50% or more of annual sales, or that, exporting less, it cannot offset the credit. The request includes the NIT, the amount, the bank for the refund and a list of export invoices for the period.
Special-regime deadlines (art. 25, numeral 3): the Banco de Guatemala checks the requirements within 5 business days and sends the request to SAT, which has at most 30 business days for a desk audit. With the report, the Bank pays in full or in part within the next 5 business days. If the report does not arrive in time, the Bank must pay within 5 business days after the audit deadline. Payment is by non-negotiable check or deposit to the designated account, and the Bank deducts one quarter of one percent of the refunded amount to cover costs (numeral 8). In the return for the period in which it received the refund, the exporter records it as tax debit (numeral 5).
After the refund
Refunds authorized by SAT remain subject to later verification within the Tax Code’s statute of limitations (art. 23). If SAT finds signs that information was altered or credits were improperly taken, it withholds the refund and files a criminal complaint (art. 23 A).
What this page does not tell you
- Reforms after 2012 to articles 23 to 25: the compilation we used cites reforms through Decreto 10-2012; we did not review later changes.
- SAT’s current forms and electronic channel for filing: we did not read them for this guide.
- How long refunds take in practice: the law sets deadlines; we found no official statistic on actual times.
Related SAT procedures
- Monthly IVA Declaration — where the tax credit is reported
- Tax Clearance (Solvencia Fiscal)
- FEL Electronic Invoicing
- RTU Registration
Sources
- Ley del Impuesto al Valor Agregado, Decreto 27-92, articles 23, 23 A, 24, 24 A, 24 B and 25, compilation with reforms published by the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (read 24 September 2026).