Guatemala

Cannabis is illegal in Guatemala, including small amounts for your own use. Buying or possessing it for personal consumption is a crime under the Ley contra la Narcoactividad (Decreto 48-92), punishable by four months to two years in prison plus a fine. There is no published quantity you can rely on: whether what you are carrying counts as personal consumption is judged by the authorities after they seize it, and if it is not accepted as personal use the far heavier trafficking article applies. Guatemalan law offers no medical-cannabis or CBD exception either: the Ministry of Health's own list of legislation in force contains no cannabis or cannabidiol entry.

Possession for personal consumption (art. 39, Decreto 48-92): four months to two years in prison plus a fine of Q200 to Q10,000. If the quantity is not accepted as personal use, the trafficking article applies instead: art. 38, covering acquiring, storing, transporting, supplying or selling, carries twelve to twenty years plus a fine of Q50,000 to Q1,000,000. Growing cannabis (art. 36) carries five to twenty years plus a fine of Q10,000 to Q100,000. Two further warnings come from foreign governments rather than Guatemalan law: the US State Department lists cannabis and medicines containing CBD among the products prohibited from entering Guatemala, and the UK Foreign Office describes Guatemalan prisons as overcrowded, violent and dirty.

Verified Sep 27, 2026

Carry prescription medication in original packaging with your prescription and confirm legality with Guatemala's Ministry of Public Health; counterfeit medication is common, so buy only from trusted places.

Verified Jun 26, 2026

A visitor cannot simply carry a firearm in Guatemala. Under the Ley de Armas y Municiones (Decreto 15-2009) you must get the licence first - "deben obtener previamente la licencia de portacion" (art. 72) - and art. 70 limits carrying to Guatemalan citizens and to "extranjeros con residencia temporal o permanente legalmente autorizada", with DIGECAM authorisation. A non-resident foreigner bringing a firearm in temporarily applies through a Guatemalan consulate, and DIGECAM may grant a special temporary carry or transit licence (art. 36). Weapons of war and those reserved to the Guatemalan Army, and weapons classified as automatic, are barred to private persons (arts. 5 and 10). Holding a firearm at home is governed separately (art. 62) and must be registered (art. 63).

Verified Oct 8, 2026

Guatemala sets no cap on currency entering or leaving, but if you are carrying USD 10,000 or more you must identify the source of the money and its purpose.

Verified Jul 30, 2026

A valid US driver's licence is accepted in Guatemala for the first 30 days of a visit and an International Driving Permit is needed for longer stays; it is illegal to use a phone while driving.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs means arrest and possible jail; after an accident causing injury you can be held until an investigation or payment of damages is completed, no matter who is at fault.

Verified Jul 30, 2026

Same-sex sexual activity is not illegal in Guatemala, but no law guarantees freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and same-sex marriages are not recognised.

Verified Jul 30, 2026

If you are charged with a crime in Guatemala you may be banned from leaving the country until the case is resolved, and after a traffic accident causing injury you can be held regardless of who was at fault.

Travel ban until the case resolves; detention until an investigation completes or damages are paid.

Verified Jul 30, 2026