If your company operates heavy transport vehicles or runs a fleet of intercity buses in Guatemala, this new regulation changes your exposure to penalties overnight. Although the Road Safety Strengthening Law has existed since 2016, fines for not implementing the Speed Limiter System only took effect on March 2, 2026, with Government Agreement 69-2026. A few days before penalties began, fewer than 10% of the country's intercity buses had the device installed, leaving most of the sector exposed to immediate fines.
Urgent notice: if your vehicle is 3.5 tons or more and does not have an SLV installed with a valid functionality certificate, you are exposed to fines ranging from Q. 20,011 to Q. 42,522 per unit, depending on the time of the year. Roadside inspections are already active. Regularizing before being stopped is always cheaper.
Legal framework of the Speed Limiter System
Road Safety Strengthening Law (2016)
This is the framework law that creates the obligation. Its purpose is to reduce road accidents in the country — particularly serious accidents involving intercity buses and heavy transport, which historically have concentrated a high percentage of fatal victims on the Guatemalan road network.
Law Regulations
Define the technical specifications of the Speed Limiter System, the installation, certification and verification procedures, as well as the powers of the supervising entities.
Government Agreement 69-2026
This is the key novelty: it establishes the tiered fine schedule for non-compliance, with a graduated scheme that hardens over time. Penalties took effect on March 2, 2026.
Which vehicles are subject to the obligation?
The Speed Limiter System is mandatory for:
- Intercity buses in public service (passenger transport between departments).
- Heavy cargo transport: trucks, tractor-trucks, trailers, tankers, flatbeds, movers, container trucks.
- Any vehicle with gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tons or more according to the registration on file with the DGT (Directorate General of Transport).
Key point: what counts is the registered weight on file, not the vehicle's actual operating weight. If your registration card indicates 3.5 tons or more, you must install the SLV even if you normally circulate with less cargo. Verify the registration of every unit in your fleet before assuming it is exempt.
Exempt vehicles
- Vehicles registered at 3.4 tons or less: private cars, light pick-ups, small microbuses, most light commercial vehicles.
- Note: tourism, school transport and taxi associations have requested the rule extend to them, but at the time of writing this guide that request is not active policy. It only applies to vehicles of 3.5 tons or more.
Maximum speed allowed by the SLV
The Speed Limiter System restricts the maximum speed of regulated vehicles to:
80 km/h
physical maximum speed of the device
The limitation is physical: the device controls the engine or fuel injection system and does not allow the vehicle to exceed that speed regardless of accelerator pressure. It is not a visual or audible alert — it is a physical cutoff of acceleration.
Tiered fines: the penalty schedule
Government Agreement 69-2026 establishes a graduated fine schedule that hardens with time, pressuring carriers to regularize as soon as possible:
In addition to the financial fine, the first detection may also entail suspension of the route (operating authorization) for six months, which paralyzes the vehicle's commercial operation during that term.
Repeat offenses: consequences worsen
The Road Safety Strengthening Law is strict with repeat offenders. If a carrier is again caught without an SLV after having been sanctioned:
- Cancellation of the route's operating authorization for up to 5 years. For a transport company, this is equivalent to losing the right to operate commercially with those units.
- Retention of documents of the vehicle (registration card, insurance, etc.) and of the driver (license).
- Registration as an offender in the DGT system, which affects future authorizations, renewals and procedures.
- Accumulation of fines for each unit operating without compliance.
For companies with fleets of several units, exposure multiplies: a company with 20 intercity buses without SLV could face accumulated fines exceeding Q. 800,000 in the first year, before considering route suspensions.
Functionality certificate: the key document
Having the SLV device physically installed is not enough. Every vehicle must carry a valid functionality certificate, issued by an authorized workshop, which certifies that:
- The SLV is correctly installed.
- The system operates within the required technical parameters.
- The 80 km/h maximum speed is effectively enforced.
- The device has not been tampered with or altered.
The certificate must be presented in any inspection by the DGT, PROVIAL or the Transit Division of the National Civil Police. Without a valid certificate, the vehicle is considered non-compliant even if the physical device is installed. Certificates have a defined validity period and must be renewed according to the instructions of the issuing workshop.
Entities responsible for enforcement
Three entities work coordinately on verification and enforcement of SLV compliance:
PROVIAL
- Preventive and guidance role.
- Verifies SLV functionality during field operations.
- Channels findings to the DGT for administrative sanction.
- Runs awareness and education campaigns about the regulation.
DGT (Directorate General of Transport)
- Applies the administrative sanctions established in Government Agreement 69-2026.
- Supervises overall compliance with the regime.
- Keeps the registry of carriers and offenders.
- Resolves administrative appeals and sanction proceedings.
- Manages suspension and cancellation of operating routes.
Transit Division of the National Civil Police (and PMT)
- Carries out roadside field control.
- Stops vehicles to verify documentation and installation of the SLV.
- Files the reports that serve as the basis for administrative proceedings at the DGT.
- In municipalities with a PMT (Municipal Transit Police), agents may also verify documentation during urban checks.
How to comply with the regulation
Step 1: Verify whether your fleet is subject to the obligation
- Review the registration (circulation card) of every unit.
- Confirm the registered gross vehicle weight.
- If it is 3.5 tons or more → you need an SLV.
- If it is 3.4 tons or less → exempt for now.
Step 2: Identify authorized workshops
- SLV installation must be done at workshops authorized by the competent authorities.
- Request the updated list from the DGT or consult directly with your commercial vehicle distributor.
- Verify that the workshop issues an officially recognized functionality certificate.
Step 3: Install the SLV device
- Schedule installation at the authorized workshop.
- The typical process takes from half a day to a full day per unit, depending on the vehicle model.
- Request invoice, functionality certificate and installation record.
Step 4: Keep documentation on board
- Every unit must carry the functionality certificate in physical or digital form, presentable in any inspection.
- The driver must be trained to display the certificate when requested.
- Keep a copy at the office and in a backup digital archive.
Step 5: Renew the certificate periodically
- The functionality certificate has limited validity.
- Schedule renewal with the workshop before expiration.
- Set reminders in your fleet management system.
Risks for companies with fleets
For companies operating more than one heavy vehicle, non-compliance risks multiply and can seriously affect business operations:
- Fines accumulated per unit: Q. 20,011 × 10 units = Q. 200,110 in a single operation.
- Simultaneous suspension of several routes: blocks revenue for 6 months per unit.
- Inability to fulfill contracts: obligations with clients requiring deliveries may result in civil lawsuits.
- Higher insurance costs: transport insurers require regulatory compliance and raise premiums on non-compliant fleets.
- Loss of public and private tenders: large clients (Walmart, Cementos Progreso, distributors) require compliance documentation.
- Criminal risk in case of accident: if an accident occurs and it is shown there was no SLV, criminal and civil liability worsens.
- Reputational damage: the DGT offender registry is public and affects the trust of clients and lenders.
How we support you at Asesoria Global
Our team advises transport, distribution and logistics companies on full compliance with the SLV regime and with Guatemalan road safety regulations. If you have a fleet or heavy vehicles, we accompany you in:
Fleet diagnosis
- Review of registrations and gross vehicle weight of every unit.
- Identification of required and exempt units.
- Analysis of current compliance status (installed, not installed, certified, expired).
- Map of exposure to fines based on current situation.
Legal and administrative advisory
- Coordination with authorized workshops to schedule installations.
- Management of functionality certificates and legal recordkeeping.
- Advisory on supplementary carrier obligations (licenses, insurance, DGT authorizations).
Defense in sanction proceedings
- If your company has already received a fine, we accompany you in the administrative process before the DGT.
- Analysis of the legality of the sanction and possible appeals.
- Negotiation of regularization plans with the authority.
- Defense in cases of route suspension or cancellation.
Comprehensive carrier compliance
- Review of all carrier documentation (authorizations, insurance policies, records).
- Design of an internal compliance management system (reminders, files, controls).
- Training for operators and administrative staff on the regime's obligations.
Frequently asked questions
Which vehicles are subject to the SLV?
All vehicles of 3.5 tons or more according to registration: intercity buses, trucks, tractor-trucks, trailers, tankers and similar. Vehicles of 3.4 tons or less are exempt.
Since when is it mandatory?
Fines took effect on March 2, 2026 under Government Agreement 69-2026. The legal obligation derives from the Road Safety Strengthening Law of 2016.
What are the fines?
Tiered: 5 minimum wages (~Q. 20,011) for the first 6 months, 7 minimum wages (~Q. 28,016) between months 6 and 12, and 10 minimum wages (~Q. 40,023 to Q. 42,522) after the first year, plus possible 6-month route suspension.
What happens with repeat offenses?
Cancellation of the route's operating authorization for up to 5 years, retention of documents and registration as an offender in DGT.
What is the SLV's maximum speed?
80 km/h. The limitation is physical and the device does not allow exceeding it.
What is the functionality certificate?
Document certifying that the SLV is correctly installed and operating. It is issued by an authorized workshop and must be carried in the vehicle. Without a valid certificate, the vehicle is considered non-compliant.
Who verifies and sanctions?
PROVIAL verifies functionality, the DGT applies administrative sanctions, and the Transit Division of the National Civil Police (with PMT support in municipalities) performs roadside control.
Does my vehicle of less than 3.5 tons need an SLV?
No. Vehicles registered at 3.4 tons or less are exempt. Registered weight on the circulation card counts, not the weight of the loaded vehicle.