How to send money to Honduras in 2026: lempiras or dollars, money for family and a house on the islands
Honduras receives transfers in lempiras and dollars, and family remittances are flowing at a record pace in 2026. Here is which currency to receive a transfer in, how much arrived in eight months, why foreign income is not taxed, which plot a foreigner buys under the 90-90 law and what the bank asks for.
In short
- Banks keep accounts in lempiras and dollars, and foreign currency is 22.4% of deposits.
- January-August 2026 - $8.9 billion in family remittances, 98% from the US.
- Income from abroad is not taxed.
- A foreigner buys a house on a plot of up to 3,000 m² under the 90-90 law.
In detail
Yes, in 2026 money is sent to Honduras by bank transfer in lempiras or dollars: the country's banks keep dollar accounts, and foreign currency makes up more than a fifth of all deposits. Transfers from abroad are a pillar of the economy: in January-August 2026 families received $8.9 billion, 98% of it from the United States. Honduras does not tax money from abroad, and the 90-90 law allows a foreigner to buy a home by the sea.
| Method | In 2026 | What the recipient gets | Time | What the sender needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to a dollar account | works | dollars without exchange | 1-3 business days | account number, the bank's international transfer code, recipient's name |
| Bank transfer to a lempira account | works | lempiras at the bank's rate | 1-3 business days | the same details and the payment purpose |
| Money transfer system for family | works | lempiras or dollars | on the day of sending | the recipient's name and identity document |
| Transfer to a Honduran bank card | works | the currency of the card account | as for a transfer to an account | the number of the account the card is linked to |
The table was checked on 8 October 2026. The Central Bank of Honduras reference rate on 6 October 2026: 26.8920 lempiras per dollar for buying and 27.0265 for selling.
Lempiras or dollars: which currency to receive a transfer in
The Honduran Monetary Law allows foreign currency deposits at licensed banks, and many families who receive money from abroad have a dollar account here. According to the central bank, in April 2025 foreign currency made up 22.4% of deposits, and in spring 2026, according to the banking supervisor, 77.5% of client money was held in lempiras and the rest in foreign currency.
The lempira gradually depreciates under the central bank's rules: at the end of August 2026 the selling rate exceeded 27 lempiras per dollar for the first time. So a large amount is more conveniently held in a dollar account and exchanged into lempiras as it is spent, while money for everyday expenses is received in lempiras straight away. Want to compare both options? Our manager will choose the transfer currency for your amount.
Money for family: $8.9 billion in eight months of 2026
Family remittances are Honduras's main source of foreign currency. According to the central bank, in 2025 the country received more than $11.9 billion, a quarter more than a year earlier, and in January-August 2026 $8.9 billion, another 12.3% more. $8.8 billion, or 98%, came from the United States, and for the whole of 2026 the central bank expects more than $13 billion.
For a sender from the United States it is better to pay from a US bank account or with a US card: since 1 January 2026 such transfers are exempt from the new 1% levy under section 4475 of the US tax code, which applies to other payment methods.
Tax on income from abroad: only income in the country
Honduras taxes income on a territorial basis: tax is charged on income from sources in the country, and salary, pensions and interest from abroad are not taxed. In 2023 the tax service explained separately that family remittances are gifts, not taxable income. Rent from housing in Honduras, salary from a local employer and income of a local business are taxed. Life in the capital is covered on the page Tegucigalpa.
A house on Roatan: a plot of up to 3,000 m² under the 90-90 law
The Constitution of Honduras (Article 107) reserves land in the 40 km strip along the borders and coast and on the islands for citizens by birth. For towns and tourist zones in this strip the 90-90 law of 1990 applies: under its Article 5 a foreigner buys a house or a condominium flat for temporary or permanent residence on a plot of up to 3,000 m², one such unit per person.
An empty building plot is bought on the same terms, but the house must be built within 36 months, otherwise the owner pays a surcharge of 20% a year on the plot's valuation until construction is finished. So the money is sent in parts: for the purchase and then for construction on the contractor's schedule. Planning a house by the sea? Our manager will split the transfer into stages and suggest the timing of each part.
How much you can send to Honduras and which papers are needed
Honduran banks check clients under the Special Law against Money Laundering, Decree 144-2014, supervised by the National Banking and Insurance Commission. In 2026 the ladder of questions looks like this:
| Transfer amount | What the Honduran bank will check | Which papers to attach |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | the sender and the purpose | payment purpose and link to the recipient |
| $10,000 - $100,000 | where the sender's money came from | an account statement, income certificate or sale agreement |
| From $100,000 | the source of the whole amount and what it will be used for | property sale agreement, tax return, house purchase agreement |
Preparing a transfer from $100,000? A specialist will check the document package before sending, so the bank credits the money without delay. Countries for moving with capital are compared on the capital relocation page.
We will help you send money to Honduras
Mistakes cost more than fees: dollars converted into lempiras at a poor rate, money for a plot without a construction schedule, a large amount without the statements and contracts the bank asks for. We will help you avoid them: we will suggest the currency and method for your purpose, collect the papers for the bank in Honduras and take the transfer through licensed partners until it is credited.
Details and cost are with our manager in the chat: everything depends on the amount, currency and who receives the money in Honduras.
From Honduras to neighbours and North America
- Mexico: transfers in pesos and instant payments.
- Nicaragua: the national currency is the cordoba.
- Costa Rica: accounts in colones and dollars.
- Panama: payments in US dollars.
- Canada: money for studies and a new life.
- Guatemala: money arrives in quetzales or US dollars.
Choosing a country for a move with money is on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Can I receive a transfer in Honduras in dollars?
How much money did families send to Honduras in 2026?
Is money from abroad taxed in Honduras?
Which plot by the sea can a foreigner buy in Honduras?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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