There were twelve karate events at the 2018 South American Games in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Six for men and six for women. The events were held between May 27 and 29 at the Coliseo Suramericano. The top 2 athletes in each event (minus the host nation Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, whose athletes will qualify through the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games) qualifying them to compete at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Athletes in bold have qualified to compete at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Both Venezuela and Colombia elected to use the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games as their qualifying event and thus are ineligible to qualify athletes here.