What you should know about driving in Costa Rica?

expatslegalcr
Sep 11, 2023
3 min read

NEWS & LEGAL TIPS COSTA RICA

DRIVING IN COSTA RICA

It is important to know that driving illegally as a foreigner in Costa Rica can have serious consequences beyond just immigration issues. You could potentially have your license plates confiscated by the police or even face criminal charges in court. If you find yourself in any such situation and require legal assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We can help you dispute any police tickets, activate insurance policies, and provide legal accompaniment to court, among other services.

National ID Driver License with Copy Space Isolated on a White Background.

If you are a foreigner planning to drive in Costa Rica, you should know that the Traffic Law ("Ley de Tránsito por Vías Públicas Terrestres y Seguridad Vial, 9078") applies to you in the same way as it does to locals. This means that you will be subject to the same regulations and penalties as Costa Ricans or other residents. Foreigners are allowed to drive with their foreign driver's license for up to 90 days in Costa Rica. After that time, if you wish to continue driving legally without leaving the country, you must either become a resident and obtain a national driver's license or homologate your foreign driver's license. Any foreign license that meets the international legal requirements can be homologated in Costa Rica. In addition, you can leave the country and re-enter to get a new valid stamp after the 90-day period. To obtain a national driver's license or homologate a foreign one, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) requires foreign drivers to present their identity card of residence, which is called DIMEX. Therefore, if you want to drive legally in Costa Rica after the first three months, you must have an approved residency by the Immigration Department.

DO YOU NEED TO HOMOLOGATE YOUR DRIVER´S LICENSE IN COSTA RICA?

It can be a tedious process as it requires you to obtain two appointments, one at COSEVI and another at the Bank of Costa Rica (BCR). These appointments are released by the government only once, and they get exhausted in minutes. Moreover, you need to fulfill legal requirements such as translations, medical opinions, copies of all documents, and a valid passport with the appropriate entry stamp. Hundreds of people are failing to obtain their homologation license every month due to the complexity of the process. If you need legal assistance in this process, you can contact us. We can help you get it done in approximately one month. Our approach is to follow and respect the law. We know when and at what time appointments are released, so we can obtain them for our clients who have previously contracted our services.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO DRIVE LEGALLY IN COSTA RICA?

It is crucial to drive legally in Costa Rica. The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) is a separate government institute that focuses on ensuring road control. Therefore, if a person is stopped while driving with a foreign license after three months, the traffic police can confiscate the license plates of the vehicle. This would require the person to recover the license plates and pay the corresponding fines. If the vehicle is rented, the car rental company would have to pay the additional charges. Driving illegally in Costa Rica can also have migratory consequences. A border closure order may be issued, which means that the person must pay all the traffic fines related to their license or vehicle before leaving the country. When a foreign driver or vehicle receives a ticket, the National Road Council (COSEVI) notifies the Immigration Department, which then issues an order not to allow the vehicle or driver to leave the country. This order can only be lifted once all fines are paid. If you attempt to leave the country with outstanding fines, you will likely be stopped at the airport or border control. We sincerely hope these tips can help you.