Correction (24 September 2026): Type B covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes where you may be paid to drive, Type A covers cargo over 3.5 tonnes and school and public transport, and Maycom’s fees are Q100 / Q185 / Q260 / Q320 / Q390 for one to five years. The CECOVE is a Q700 evaluation of 1.5 to 2 hours with a free second attempt, not a 2-3 week course, and Maycom has 16 offices (none in Mixco). A foreign resident’s route is the art. 24 transfer of their licence. This page previously gave Type B as 3.5-10 tonnes and Type A as 10+ tonnes, fees of Q200 and Q290 for two and three years, a ~Q850 first-licence total, a “Mixco (main)” office, a “CECOVE regulation” we could not find, and a 30-day tourist rule. See our corrections policy.
Guatemala has five driver’s license types, defined in the Reglamento de Tránsito (Acuerdo Gubernativo 273-98, art. 23), each allowing different vehicles. Most people start with Type C (cars, not paid) or Type M (motorcycles). Types B and A are changes of type restricted by age and experience. Type E is only for machinery. Every licence is issued at a Maycom office.
Quick summary: Most people need Type C (cars; Q320 for 4 years — the maximum on a first licence — plus the Q700 CECOVE evaluation = Q1,020, plus an eye exam) or Type M (motorcycles). Type B needs age 23 and two years with a C; Type A, age 25 and three years with a B or C. Type E is machinery only.
Fees checked on maycom.com.gt and the CECOVE price on transito.gob.gt on 24 September 2026. Check our exchange rate page for today’s USD/GTQ rate.
All License Types Compared
| Type | Vehicles Allowed | Min. Age | Experience Required | First Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type C | Cars, panels, microbuses and pick-ups, with or without trailer, up to 3.5 tonnes, not paid | 18 (16 with written authorisation) | None (first license) | First license |
| Type M | All motorbikes and motorcycles | 18 (16 with written authorisation) | None (first license) | First license |
| Type B | Cars and vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, may be paid to drive | 23 | 2+ years with Type C | Change of type |
| Type A | Cargo vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, school transport, public transport (urban and inter-urban) | 25 | 3+ years with Type B or C | Change of type |
| Type E | Agricultural and industrial machinery only | Not published | Employer’s letter + patente de comercio (Maycom) | First license |
Sources: Reglamento de Tránsito arts. 23 and 26; Tránsito’s and Maycom’s requirements for changing licence type; checked 24 September 2026.
Type C — Standard Cars (Most Common)
Who needs it: Anyone who drives a car, SUV, pick-up or microbus without being paid to drive.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Cars, panels, microbuses and pick-ups, with or without trailer, up to 3.5 tonnes gross, not paid |
| Minimum age | 18 years (16 with written parental or guardian authorisation, for a 1-year license) |
| Prerequisites | CECOVE evaluation certificate + eye exam |
| Total first-time cost | Q1,020 + eye exam (Q320 for 4 years + Q700 CECOVE) |
| Duration options | 1 year (Q100), 2 years (Q185), 3 years (Q260), 4 years (Q320) |
| Renewal | Up to 5 years (Q390) |
Requirements
- Valid DPI (original and copy; a DPI application copy is accepted)
- Digital driving certificate from an authorised CECOVE + its invoice
- Eye exam from an optician or ophthalmologist meeting Tránsito’s requirements
- Banrural payment receipt
- No pending traffic fines (checked by the Tránsito delegate at Maycom)
Full guide: How to Get Your First License
Type M — Motorcycles
Who needs it: Anyone riding a motorbike or motorcycle of any engine size.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | All motorbikes and motorcycles |
| Minimum age | 18 years (16 with written parental or guardian authorisation) |
| Prerequisites | CECOVE evaluation certificate + eye exam |
| Total first-time cost | Q1,020 + eye exam (Q320 for 4 years + Q700 CECOVE) |
| Duration options | 1 year (Q100) to 5 years (Q390) |
| Note | Separate from Type C — you need both if you drive cars AND motorcycles |
Requirements
- Same documents as Type C
- Helmet is mandatory when riding (Reglamento art. 94)
Full guide: Motorcycle License
Type B — Paid Driving up to 3.5 Tonnes
Who needs it: Anyone paid to drive a vehicle of up to 3.5 tonnes.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Cars and motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross, with the right to be paid for driving |
| Minimum age | 23 years |
| Prerequisites | Type C held for 2+ years + CECOVE certificate + notarised copy of 6th-grade primary |
| Upgrade cost | Q100 transfer + Q700 CECOVE evaluation |
| Duration options | 1-5 years |
Requirements
- Valid DPI
- Original, valid licence (Type C held for 2+ years)
- CECOVE digital driving certificate + invoice
- Notarised copy of a title, diploma or certificate showing at least 6th-grade primary (Decreto 15-2014, per Maycom)
- Eye exam
- No pending fines
- Q100 Banrural payment receipt
Full guide: Type B License Upgrade
Type A — Heavy Cargo and Public Transport
Who needs it: Drivers of cargo vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, school transport and urban or inter-urban public transport.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Cargo vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross, school transport, public transport (urban and inter-urban) |
| Minimum age | 25 years |
| Prerequisites | Type B or C held for 3+ years + CECOVE certificate + notarised copy of 6th-grade primary |
| Upgrade cost | Q100 transfer + Q700 CECOVE evaluation |
| Duration options | 1-5 years |
Requirements
- Valid DPI
- Original, valid licence (Type B or C held for 3+ years)
- CECOVE digital driving certificate + invoice
- Notarised copy of 6th-grade primary
- Eye exam
- No pending fines
- Q100 Banrural payment receipt
Full guide: Type A License Upgrade
Type E — Agricultural and Industrial Machinery
Who needs it: Operators of agricultural and industrial machinery.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vehicles | Agricultural and industrial machinery only; it does not authorise any other vehicle |
| Minimum age | Not published |
| Prerequisites | CECOVE certificate + eye exam + a letter from your employer addressed to the head of the Departamento de Tránsito + a copy of the employer’s patente de comercio (except Covial, Cuerpo de Ingenieros, Caminos and municipalities), per Maycom |
| Cost | Q100-Q390 (license by validity) |
| Note | Does not require Type C as a prerequisite |
License Costs (2026)
All license types use the same Maycom fees for the card:
| Duration | Cost | Available For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | Q100 | All types; the only option for minors |
| 2 years | Q185 | All types |
| 3 years | Q260 | All types |
| 4 years | Q320 | All types; first-license maximum |
| 5 years | Q390 | Renewals and other procedures (not on a first license) |
| Replacement or change of type | Q100 | All types |
Additional First-Time Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| CECOVE evaluation (theory and practical, 1.5-2 hours, 72 points to pass, free second attempt) | Q700 (Departamento de Tránsito) |
| Eye exam | Price not published (set by the optician) |
| Total first license, 4 years | Q1,020 + eye exam |
Upgrade Path
Type C (18+; 16+ with authorisation) ──→ Type B (23+, 2 yrs with C)
│
└──→ Type A (25+, 3 yrs with B or C)
Type M (18+; 16+ with authorisation) ── standalone, no upgrade path
Type E ── standalone, employer's letter + patente
- You do not need Type B to get Type A — you go directly from C to A if you meet the age/experience requirements
- Type C and Type M are independent — having one doesn’t give you the other
- You can hold multiple license types simultaneously
Late Renewal Fines (All Types)
| Time Expired | Fine |
|---|---|
| 0-30 days | No fine (grace period) |
| 31 days - 1 year | Q50 |
| 1-2 years | Q100 |
| 2-3 years | Q150 |
| 3-4 years | Q200 |
| 4-5 years | Q250 |
| 5+ years | Q300 |
Maycom states that since 1 July 2012 a licence expired more than 30 days pays the expired time as a fine. Tránsito publishes an exemption (Acuerdo Gubernativo 59-2012) for people who were abroad, ill or in prison.
Maycom Centers
Maycom lists 16 offices (checked 24 September 2026); there is no Maycom office in Mixco or Antigua.
| Area | Offices |
|---|---|
| Guatemala City | Zona 9 (6a avenida 1-60); Rus Mall (Calzada Roosevelt 12-76, zona 7); Metronorte (km 5, zona 17, local 402); CAES (C.C. Metroplaza, km 13 Carretera a El Salvador, local 222) |
| Villa Nueva | Galerías Catalina (5a avenida 8-45, zona 6); Reformadores (C.C. Centro Cívico del Sur, zona 4) |
| Departments | Quetzaltenango, Coatepeque, Petén (Santa Elena), Jutiapa, Zacapa (Río Hondo), Mazatenango, Cobán, Huehuetenango, Escuintla, Puerto Barrios |
Hours: metropolitan offices Monday-Friday 8:00-18:00; departmental offices and Reformadores 8:00-17:00; Saturdays 8:00-13:00. Maycom no longer gives appointments. Full list: maycom.com.gt/ubicaciones.
Edge Cases & Special Situations
Details
Your foreign licence lets you drive the vehicles it covers for as long as your immigration authorisation is in force (Reglamento de Tránsito art. 24) — there is no 30-day limit. With residency, the same article makes it obligatory to transfer it to a Guatemalan licence of the same or a lower type, and the Departamento de Tránsito decides whether you need a theory or practical test. Tránsito processes this as homologación (apostilled certification of your licence, sworn translation, foreign-resident DPI), and it also issues a driving permit for foreigners whose residency is in process (Q50 per month). Details: foreign license conversion.
Details
A suspended licence cannot be renewed or replaced while the suspension is in force (Reglamento de Tránsito art. 30). Tránsito publishes separate procedures to lift a suspension ordered by a criminal court or a block ordered by a municipal traffic court: you present the judge’s order. Pay any pending fines before going to Maycom.
Details
Minors aged 16-17 can obtain a Type C or M license (art. 26), but only for a 1-year duration (Q100). Maycom asks for: an original RENAP birth certificate issued in the last six months, a responsibility letter drawn up and signed by a lawyer, the valid DPI of the parent or guardian, the CECOVE certificate, and the payment receipt. At age 18, the license can be renewed for longer periods.
Tips
- Most people only need Type C — don’t pay for a higher type unless your job requires it
- The CECOVE evaluation is required for a first license and for a change of type — renewals don’t need it
- You can hold Types C and M simultaneously (for car + motorcycle)
- The CECOVE evaluation takes 1.5 to 2 hours; if you fail, you get a second attempt without paying again
- Check for pending fines at any Maycom center before starting the process
- Read our complete guide on driving in Guatemala once you have your license
- For vehicle registration, you’ll need your license plus additional documents