Quick summary: Free used-vehicle bill of sale in Word (contract text in Spanish). It records the parties, the vehicle’s plate, VIN and engine numbers, the price and payment option, the seller’s statements, the vehicle’s condition, the transfer costs split and the delivery date and hour. It does not transfer the car at SAT: SAT’s requirement list (checked October 9, 2026) asks for the ownership certificate endorsed with signatures legalized by an active notary, a Q120.00 fee on form SAT-8611, and the transfer IVA on form SAT-2311, with 15 business days for the IVA and 30 business days for the transfer.
Download the Vehicle Bill of Sale Template (Word)
Same template as the Spanish version of this page. The contract text is in Spanish; this page explains it in English.
Private Vehicle Sale Contract (Contrato Privado de Compraventa de Vehículo) — Guatemala 2026
⬇ Download Word template (.docx, Spanish)Editable · Works with Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice · Free
Bill of Sale vs Endorsement vs SAT Transfer
Three separate pieces are involved. Only the second and third are on SAT’s list.
| Step | What it is | Who signs or acts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill of sale (this template) | Private contract between seller and buyer: price, payment, condition, liability, costs | Seller and buyer; the template recommends legalizing the signatures before a notary too | Civil Code Arts. 1790-1791; template text |
| Endorsement of the ownership certificate | The Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos endorsed to the buyer | Owner, with signatures legalized by an active notary | SAT requirement 7 |
| SAT transfer (traspaso) | Filing at a SAT office or agency with ID, payments and documents; the electronic documents are then downloaded in Agencia Virtual | Owner, agent or legal representative | SAT requirements 1-9 and steps |
SAT’s requirement 7 reads: “Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos endosado y con legalización de firmas por notario activo”. The alternative SAT lists is the certificate plus its annex issued through Declaraguate form SAT-8611, also with signatures legalized by an active notary. The first line of the template says the transfer is completed with the notarized endorsement and that the contract does not replace it.
What the Civil Code Says About the Sale
- Definition (Art. 1790): “Por el contrato de compraventa el vendedor transfiere la propiedad de una cosa y se compromete a entregarla, y el comprador se obliga a pagar el precio en dinero.”
- When it binds (Art. 1791): “El contrato de compraventa queda perfecto entre las partes desde el momento en que convienen en la cosa y en el precio, aunque ni la una ni el otro se hayan entregado.” The template’s payment option B ties the endorsement and handover of the certificate to full payment.
- Writing (Art. 1575): a contract worth more than three hundred quetzales must be in writing.
- Only the owner can sell (Art. 1794): “Ninguno puede vender sino lo que es de su propiedad. La venta de cosa ajena es nula” and the seller must return the price if received, and also answer for damages if he acted in bad faith. Check that the seller’s name matches the ownership certificate and the tarjeta de circulación; the template’s vehicle section says the data must match both.
- Spouses (Art. 1792): “El marido no puede comprar de su mujer ni ésta de aquél, aunque haya separación de bienes.” For transfers between spouses, SAT asks for a private document or a public deed of donation between living persons and cites this article.
- Who cannot buy (Art. 1793): administrators, judicial depositaries, judges and court officials, auctioneers and others may not buy property they manage or that is the subject of their proceedings.
What the Template Covers
| Clause | What you fill in or tick |
|---|---|
| Parties | Seller and buyer: full name, DPI (CUI), NIT, address |
| Primera: object | Type, make and line, model year and color, plate, chassis (VIN), engine number, mileage at sale |
| Segunda: price and payment | Total price in figures and words; option A cash in the act, or option B down payment and balance by a date, with the endorsed certificate delivered against full payment |
| Tercera: seller’s statements | Legitimate owner; free of liens, pledges, seizures or limits; circulation tax for the current year paid or pending; pending traffic fines listed |
| Cuarta: condition | Buyer inspected and accepts the vehicle as is; notes on dents, known faults, accessories |
| Quinta: transfer and costs | Date the endorsed certificate is delivered; who pays the notary, the SAT transfer fee (Q120) and the transfer IVA (form SAT-2311); the 15 and 30 business-day deadlines SAT publishes |
| Sexta: liability after delivery | Date and hour of delivery from which fines, infractions, taxes and liability fall on the buyer, even while the SAT transfer is in process |
| Séptima: items delivered | Endorsed certificate, tarjeta de circulación, number of keys, other items |
The SAT Transfer Step
From SAT’s page for this transfer (captured October 9, 2026):
| SAT requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| ID | DPI, or passport for a foreigner (owner, agent or legal representative) |
| Online accounts | Agencia Virtual and up-to-date RTU data |
| Circulation tax | Owner solvent on the Impuesto Sobre Circulación de Vehículos Terrestres for all registered vehicles |
| Transfer fee | Q120.00, form SAT-8611 in Declaraguate |
| IVA on the sale | Form SAT-2311 in Declaraguate |
| Tarjeta de circulación | Current original (special cases if you do not have it) |
| Ownership certificate | Endorsed with notarized signatures, or certificate plus SAT-8611 annex with notarized signatures |
| Invoice | For vehicles of the current, previous and next model year, showing at least plate, VIN, series or chassis |
| Third party filing | Additional requirements for authorized third parties |
Deadlines. SAT states: “El propietario cuenta con 15 días hábiles para realizar el pago del Impuesto al Valor Agregado (IVA) por enajenación a partir de la fecha que se realiza la legalización de firmas del endoso del Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos por notario activo” and gives 30 business days after the endorsement date to file the transfer with the Registro Fiscal de Vehículos, after which it applies the sanction under Article 94 of the Código Tributario (Decreto 6-91).
Steps SAT lists. Fill in forms SAT-8611 and SAT-2311 in Declaraguate and generate a SAT-2000 payment slip for each; pay at an authorized bank; return to Declaraguate to generate the certificate annex if it applies; go to a SAT office or agency with the requirements and payments; then download the electronic documents in Agencia Virtual. Where the electronic SAT-8611 cannot be used, SAT lists paper form SAT-2430 with Q60.00 per transfer on form SAT-8370.
For the transfer costs, IVA amounts by model year and the step-by-step at the counter, see vehicle transfer in Guatemala. If you are buying as a foreigner, buying a car in Guatemala as a foreigner covers lien checks and the NIT, and Agencia Virtual SAT covers the account SAT requires.
What the Template Does Not Do
- It does not endorse the ownership certificate and is not on SAT’s requirement list; the notarized endorsement is.
- It does not pay or calculate the IVA. Form SAT-2311 does.
- Its ID fields say DPI (CUI). A foreign party without a DPI writes the passport number, which SAT accepts for foreigners.
- It is a template for a private sale between individuals. SAT’s page lists extra requirements for government entities, rental and urban plates, and trimotos for 3 or more passengers.
Related Pages
- Vehicle transfer in Guatemala: process, documents and costs
- Buying a car in Guatemala as a foreigner
- Agencia Virtual SAT
- Notary fees in Guatemala
- All trámites
Sources
- SAT, Traspaso con Certificado de Propiedad de Vehículos Endosado y Legalizado ante Notario, captured October 9, 2026 (page dated 27/12/2023).
- Civil Code of Guatemala (Decreto-Ley 106), Arts. 1575, 1790-1794: OAS legal library PDF, captured September 21, 2026.
- Template text: the Word file linked above, read October 9, 2026.
This page explains the template, the Civil Code text and SAT’s published requirements. It is general information, not legal advice for your specific sale.