How to know if your travel agency in Peru is legal?
To know if a travel agency and tour guide are legal in Peru, you must verify that they have an active RUC (Tax ID) and are registered in the National Directory of Qualified Tourist Service Providers by MINCETUR. Ask for the RUC of both the agency and the guide, and validate their formality using our free Validator.
Traveling to Peru? It is the dream of many travelers, but a bad choice of agency can turn the trip into a nightmare. Just in the last few months, INDECOPI (the Consumer Protection Agency) sanctioned 11 tourism agencies in Cusco for violations such as not having a Complaints Book or failing to provide clear information about itineraries.
How can you protect your investment and your safety? The key is prior verification. Although it does not guarantee the quality of the service—which depends on many factors—it is the best way to minimize the risks of fraud and bad experiences.
Here is the step-by-step guide:
The MINCETUR Directory: The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) maintains the "National Directory of Qualified Tourist Service Providers". If your agency is not listed there, you are most likely dealing with an informal agency.
Operating License (Licencia de Funcionamiento): In June 2025, Indecopi initiated proceedings against several agencies for allegedly operating without a license, which constitutes unfair competition and puts passengers at risk. A formal agency has an official operating license; ask for it.
The Tech Shortcut: Instead of manually searching through multiple government databases, we have integrated all these sources into our Buho Smart Agency Validator. Just enter the RUC or the name of the agency in our search engine on the homepage, and you will instantly know if it is a formal company registered with MINCETUR.
Furthermore, we recommend requesting their permits and the names of the guides who will provide the service. You can also verify the guide's RUC to check if they are registered with MINCETUR and are official tour guides.
To do a quick search, ask for their RUC and run a query by clicking here.
You can also run the query directly at:
https://cuscoseguro.gercetur.com.pe/home
Do not leave your trip to chance. Verify before you pay!