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Certified Guatemalan Articles of Incorporation Translation
Certified translation of the documents that constitute and evidence a Guatemalan company, with the corporate form, the registry references and the powers of the representatives reproduced exactly rather than mapped onto US equivalents that carry different law.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
The Registro Mercantil and two patentes
A Guatemalan company is constituted by escritura pública and registered with the Registro Mercantil, which issues two distinct documents: a patente de comercio de sociedad for the company itself and a patente de comercio de empresa for the business it operates.
They are different pieces of paper with different numbers, and an office asking for "the business licence" may mean either. Foreign readers routinely receive one and need the other.
The testimonio, and the first inscription
What you hold is a testimonio of the deed issued by the notary, stamped by the registry with the inscription details. The registry stamp — folio, libro, and the inscription number — is where the legal effect lives, and we transcribe it rather than describing it as a seal.
Guatemalan notaries are lawyers who keep a protocolo, and the razón the notary adds recording the registration is translated too.
NIT, and the representative
The NIT is the tax identification number issued by SAT, separate from the registry number. Both appear and both are reproduced exactly.
The legal representative is inscribed with the registry and evidenced by a certification of that inscription; the deed names who was appointed at formation, which may no longer be who serves. A current certification is what a counterparty should be sent.
SAS, and Maya surnames
Guatemala introduced the sociedad de emprendimiento in 2018 as a light form for new businesses, alongside the traditional sociedad anónima. The designation is part of the legal name.
Guatemalan names frequently include Maya surnames spelled with apostrophes and letters foreign to Spanish orthography, and stripping them changes the name. We reproduce them exactly. See our Spanish page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Every seal, stamp, notarial recital and registry annotation is translated — a corporate document with its endorsements missing is not a complete document. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there two patentes?
One registers the company, one the business it operates. Different numbers, and offices asking for "the licence" may mean either.
What is the razón on the last page?
The notary's record that the deed was registered. It is translated with the rest.
NIT or registry number?
Tax number from SAT and commercial registry number. Both appear and both are reproduced exactly.
Does the deed prove who represents the company now?
No — it names who was appointed at formation. Send a current certification of the inscribed representative.
Ready to get started?
Upload the deed or the registry extract and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.