First Day Abroad

Driving in Guatemala: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Guatemala arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Driving in Guatemala: the three basics

Drives on the
right

The driver sits on the left and overtakes on the left. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise.

Your licence
Licence plus an IDP

Your own licence works with an International Driving Permit beside it. Get the permit at home before you fly - no country issues one for another country's licence.

Motorways
Free

There is no motorway charge for a car.

Guatemalan roads are free, the mountain routes are slow and beautiful, and chicken buses set the pace.

Free roads, slow mountain routes, and buses that overtake wherever they like.

  • Roads are free, and the CA-1 through the highlands is the main route between Guatemala City, Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Quetzaltenango.
  • Chicken buses overtake on blind bends and stop without warning; they set the rhythm of every highland road.
  • Speed bumps (tumulos) are unmarked and frequent through villages, and they damage more hire cars than anything else.
  • Do not drive at night between towns, which is both official advice and local practice.
  • The alcohol limit is 0.08 %, and checkpoints are common at weekends.
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.