Every year, vehicle owners in Guatemala must pay the Impuesto de Circulacion de Vehiculos — the annual circulation tax — and download an updated tarjeta de circulacion (circulation card). This is the document that proves your vehicle is legally registered and that you have paid the annual tax. Police at checkpoints routinely ask for it alongside your driver’s license, and not having a current one can result in fines.

The good news is that this is one of the few tramites in Guatemala that works seamlessly online. You log into SAT’s Agencia Virtual, check your vehicle’s tax amount, generate a payment voucher, pay at an authorized bank (or via online banking), and download your digital tarjeta de circulacion and annual sticker (calcomania). The digital card is legally valid — you can show it on your phone. The entire process takes about 15-30 minutes without leaving your couch.

The payment window runs from January 1 through July 31 each year. After July 31, SAT begins charging fines and interest on the unpaid balance. The smart move is to pay early in the year — the portal is less congested, bank lines are shorter, and you avoid any last-minute complications.

Quick summary: Pay the annual vehicle circulation tax online through SAT’s Agencia Virtual. Payment window: January 1 to July 31. Cost varies by vehicle value. The digital tarjeta de circulacion is legally valid — download it to your phone. Available 24/7 online.

Prices verified March 2026. Check our exchange rate page for today’s USD/GTQ rate.

Cost Structure

The circulation tax is based on your vehicle’s value in SAT’s official table, with a 50% reduction applied. Approximate ranges:

Vehicle Category Approximate Annual Tax
Economy car (0-5 years old) Q200 - Q500
Mid-range sedan/SUV Q500 - Q1,500
Luxury vehicle Q1,500 - Q5,000+
Motorcycle Q100 - Q300
Electric vehicle Reduced rate
Hybrid vehicle Additional discount

Additional Costs

Item Cost
2 license plates (if new) Q75
1 license plate (motorcycle) Q30
Late payment fine Varies (interest accrues after July 31)

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Log into SAT’s Agencia Virtual at portal.sat.gob.gt
  2. Navigate to the vehicle section and select your vehicle by plate number or VIN
  3. Review the tax amount — SAT calculates this automatically based on the vehicle’s value in their tables
  4. Generate the payment voucher (boleta de pago)
  5. Pay at an authorized bank — Banrural, Banco Industrial, G&T Continental, and others accept the voucher. You can also pay via online banking.
  6. Return to the Agencia Virtual after payment is processed (usually within hours)
  7. Download your digital tarjeta de circulacion — this is your proof of payment and registration
  8. Download the calcomania (sticker) — some owners print and affix it to the windshield, though the digital version suffices

Documents Needed

For the online process, you just need:

  • SAT Agencia Virtual account — linked to your NIT
  • Vehicle data — plate number or VIN
  • Bank account or access to a bank branch for payment

No physical documents need to be submitted. This is a fully online process.

Tips & Common Mistakes

  1. Pay in January or February. The portal is least congested early in the year. By June and July, bank lines are long and the portal may be slow due to last-minute payers.

  2. Save the digital tarjeta on your phone. Download the PDF and keep it easily accessible. When police ask for your tarjeta de circulacion at a checkpoint, you can show the digital version — it is legally valid under the reformed transit law.

  3. Check for multiple vehicles under your NIT. If you own more than one vehicle, each requires its own circulation tax payment. The Agencia Virtual lists all vehicles registered to your NIT.

  4. Settle outstanding years before paying current year. If you have unpaid circulation taxes from previous years, SAT may require you to pay those first (plus fines and interest) before accepting the current year’s payment.

  5. Electric and hybrid vehicle owners: Make sure SAT has your vehicle correctly classified. The tax reduction for electric/hybrid vehicles under Decreto 40-2022 is significant, but only applies if the vehicle type is properly recorded in the system.

From the US (Diaspora Guide)

This is one of the easiest tramites to handle from abroad. If you have a vehicle registered in your name in Guatemala:

  1. Log into SAT’s Agencia Virtual from anywhere with internet access
  2. Check and pay the circulation tax online
  3. Download the digital tarjeta de circulacion
  4. Send it to whoever is using the vehicle in Guatemala

If a family member drives the car, they can carry the digital tarjeta on their phone. No power of attorney or physical presence is needed — it is entirely online.