Who runs local government in Honduras?
Honduras has one level of elected local government: 298 municipalities, each run by a mayor and council elected every four years on the same day as national elections. Its 18 departments are run by governors appointed by the president and have no budget of their own. Communities take part through open town meetings (cabildos abiertos) and neighbourhood boards called patronatos.
Republic of Honduras · Unitary presidential republic · Central America
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Departments (18) | Governor appointed by the president | Represents central government; no functions or funds of its own. |
| Municipalities (298, including the Central District of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela) | Mayor and 4–10 councillors (regidores) directly elected for four years | Local services, planning, local taxes and fees, local development plans (Municipalities Act 1990). |
| Villages (aldeas), hamlets (caseríos), neighbourhoods | Not elected governments; patronatos elected by residents | Administrative subdivisions under the Municipalities Act. |
Three questions about local power in Honduras
Are local leaders elected?
Mayors and councillors are elected. Departmental governors are appointed. Patronato boards are elected by residents.
Which laws set up local government?
Municipalities are in the Constitution and the Municipalities Act; patronatos and open town meetings are formal through that Act. Indigenous councils of elders work by custom, with rights under international law.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters every four years; the Superior Court of Accounts audits municipalities; the national Congress sets municipal law. Patronatos answer to residents' assemblies.
Traditional and customary authority
Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, including the Lenca, Miskitu, Garifuna, Pech, Tolupan and others, have their own federations and councils of elders that represent them, especially on land and natural resources. These bodies have no formal place in the municipal system, but Honduras has ratified ILO Convention 169, which requires the state to consult indigenous peoples on decisions that affect them.
Community and neighbourhood power
Patronatos are neighbourhood or village improvement boards elected by residents and registered with the municipality. They organise local projects and speak to the mayor's office. The Municipalities Act also provides for open town meetings (cabildos abiertos) and local plebiscites. In 2013–21 many municipalities used open town meetings to declare themselves against the special development zones (ZEDEs), which were repealed in 2022.
Points to know
- The number of councillors depends on population, from 4 to 10.
- Municipalities may not create new taxes; they rely on fees and central transfers.
- The 2013 ZEDE law allowed zones outside normal municipal and national jurisdiction; Congress repealed it in April 2022.
- About 90% of municipalities have fewer than 50,000 people.
Local terms
- Patronato
- A neighbourhood or village improvement board elected by residents and registered with the municipality.
- Cabildo abierto
- An open town meeting where residents discuss and vote on local issues.
Sources
- Honduras: country profile (SNG-WOFI), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment, checked 14 October 2026
- Honduras's Constitution of 1982 (rev. 2013), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Honduras's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.