Read this carefully!

1. Driver S License In Costa Rica
2. American Driver's License In Costa Rica
3. Driving Licence In Costa Rica

• To rent a car in Costa Rica you must have a valid state or country issued drivers license. You also must be at least 21 years old and have a major credit card for the deposit and liability insurance. Debit cards will not be accepted.
• Costa Rica Drivers License. Read this carefully! First, while Costa Rica issues visas to some visitors from a few countries, most visitors (like from the USA, Canada), get a stamp in their passport when passing through immigration.
• Driver's licence. As a foreigner, you are allowed to drive in Costa Rica for up to 90 days, so long as you have a valid driver's license from your home country and a valid passport (you don't need to have an international driver's license). After that timeframe, you will need to get a Costa Rican driver's license, which is relatively easy to obtain.
• Your current driver's license from your home country is accepted in Costa Rica, as are International Driver's Permits issued by the American Automobile Association. Car rental agencies offer both standard and 4WD vehicles, and visitors can choose either manual or automatic transmission, though the latter is often more expensive.
• A new traffic law that requires foreign holders of a Drivers License in Costa Rica to be legal residents is a potential problem for those who receive residency in Costa Rica. In the past, Costa Rica was generally willing to issue a license to holders of a valid foreign license. For most tourists.

First, while Costa Rica issues visas to some visitors from a few countries, most visitors (like from the USA, Canada), get a stamp in their passport when passing through immigration. THIS is their VISA and the date that is hand written inside the stamp indicates when your visa expires, i.e. when you must leave the country. It is no longer automatically 90 (or 30) days.

If you are visiting Costa Rica, you may drive on the driver's license issued by your home country so long as your visa has not expired. Once your visa has expired, so has your license (regardless of its expiration date in your home country) and any insurance you may have.

Apr 25, 2016  After coming into Costa Rica, you can get your Costa Rican driver’s license only after you have been in the country for the full 90 days. Then the week after your 90th day, (within those first few days is best) you can get your Costa Rican driver’s license. As a visiting foreigner, you are permitted to drive in Costa Rica using a valid license from your home country for the duration of your entry stamp. If your passport entry stamp reads 90 days, you may legally drive on your foreign license for that time period. After 90 days, you must either leave the country to renew your entry stamp or obtain a Costa Rican driver’s license.

This is important! Depending on the country you are from, your tourist visa may be as long as ninety days or as short as thirty days. See Entry to Costa Rica. However, once it expires, you cannot drive legally in Costa Rica unless you have applied for and received your Costa Rica license. (See below). To see visa regulations, click here then go to Visa Regulations. This may not be 90 or 30 days as in the past.

The validity of your home country license is NOT based on its expiration but rather the date handwritten inside your visa stamp! Also important. If you are not driving on a valid license, you have NO insurance coverage even if you paid for it.

If you 'renew' your tourist visa by leaving the country and returning, your non-Costa Rica driver's license will be good for another period of time equal to the date in your visa. If you live in Costa Rica and your are a legal resident (or citizen), it is an excellent idea to get your Costa Rican drivers license.

Costa Rica law now prohibits issuance of a Costa Rica drivers license to anyone not a citizen or legal resident of Costa Rica. If you are pr plan to be a 'perpetual tourist' (not legal btw), you will not be able to apply for a Costa Rica drivers license.

Getting your license.

While the process is simple enough, the time to do it may be a bit daunting. Plan on from one to two hours. See my recent experience here.

For NEW license applications, you MUST go to the Consevi location in Uruca located about 100M from the Banco Nacional on the main road through Uruca and about 200 meters west from the gas station. Big building - Hard to miss. For a detailed first hand explanation of the process, check the blog.

For renewals, you can go to all MOPT offices in Liberia, Limon, San Jose, San Ramon etc.

For a new or renewal license, you will need your a receipt from Banco de Costa Rica for the cost of the license, your current un-expired drivers license, your passport with a current entry stamp, and a doctors examination certificate, and cash to pay the doctor. **

There is also now a payment window just inside the gates of COSEVI.

If you have changed addresses or residency since your last license, you may have to travel across town to register those changes before you can renew. Make sure all info on your current license is 100% accurate before trying to renew it.

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New info regarding drivers licenses for citizens! Please see this.

Note: In front of the Consevi building, (as in front of many government offices in Costa Rica) you will find a group of people who want to want to be your guide through this process. Many speak some form of understandable English. If you have come alone and speak little or no Spanish, and feel a bit daunted by all the movement and seeming disorganization, consider using one of these guys to sort of tell you what is going on and get you started. A couple of bucks goes a long way, and you'll catch on pretty quick.

You will need to take a physical. Total joke! Testing includes eyes, blood pressure and several other things. I renewed recently and they checked NOTHING but got me for 17,000 colones. There are several doctors office I could find near Consevi. You just go into it to get the exam. No waiting. The cost at this writing is 15,000 - 20,000. A total rip-off but nothing you can do. There are also others all over town and you can now take your physical 'online'. Nice trick, but you get the needed number.

Then you take the items above and the results of your physical to the licensing area about 300 meters behind the Consevi building where you will present your receipt, your current drivers license, your passport with a current entry stamp (or your cedula), and the doctor's examination certificate. You will go through at two separate lines and but they move along ok.

It takes about 90 minutes to renew a license. If you are 65+, go directly to the front of the line and show your ID. My renewal took less than 10 minutes.

There is not a lot of parking available, so either have someone take you or take a cab. Getting there is easy.

When done, you will have your first Costa Rica license. It will be for two years, but when you renew it (or if you are renewing now), it will be for five years.

Hint: If you have a Costa Rica drivers license now, do NOT let that baby expire. If you do, you will need drivers classes, plus will need to take the written and drivers exam (in Spanish). The inspector probably will not speak Spanish. being pro-active here will save you a TON of time and trouble.

Driver S License In Costa Rica

** Note to perpetual tourists!

Occasionally, people come to Costa Rica and never leave. They are illegal, but don't think they will get caught. At the beginning, they leave every three months, but after a while, they just don't leave any more. One thing to remember.. if you already have your Costa Rica driver's license, your CR license expires when your tourist visa expires, and that can get you into a bit of trouble.

Motorcycle Licenses

If you currently have a valid current motorcycle license (or endorsement), you can apply for and receive the Costa Rica Motorcycle license without taking the exam. If not, then you must take all exams including the practical to ne licensed. I also think you should probably get your head examined as well as driving a a moto here is just plain dangerous.

If you’re planning to drive during your next visit to Costa Rica or you just moved in and are about to explore Costa Rica, you’ll discover that some of the driving habits and the mentality of the Costa Rican drivers are very different than the ones you have gotten used to back home.

In this guide I will go straight to the point and tell you the main differences you’ll experience when you drive in Costa Rica.

I agree that the best way to get around Costa Rica is by renting a car (we have an exclusive Costa Rica car rental discount for our readers) so let’s try to make our driving and walking experience more enjoyable and safe.

Here’s part two and a more in depth guide to driving in Costa Rica. Read part 1 tips for driving in Costa Rica for road signs, road conditions, what to do in emergency and driving restrictions.

Important facts about driving in Costa Rica

• In Costa Rica you drive on the right side (just like USA or Canada).
• Driving signs are in Spanish and in kilometers.
• The normal speed limit on the highway is 90 Km/h.
• Driving tickets are expensive so avoid getting one. For example you can go to jail if you drive with .76+ alcohol in your blood or pay more than $500 for speeding +120km/h.
• Always be alert and drive defensively. You might find dogs wandering around the main roads, potholes and lots of drivers doing whatever they want.
• In my opinion driving is the best way to get to know Costa Rica.

Differences Between Driving in the City and Rural Areas

This is one of the most common questions we get on the blog when it comes to driving in Costa Rica. There are huge differences between driving in San José downtown or Heredia than driving in most of the touristic places.

There are more than 1.5 million citizens who live and work in San Jose, representing almost half of the total population in the country. Therefore the main roads are always packed during rush hour and traffic is terrible.

My advice is to avoid driving in the cities during rush hour but if you want to visit, try to go from 9 am to 3:30 pm. You’ll still run into traffic but it won’t be that bad.

On the other hand if you are in Guanacaste or other touristic areas, the traffic is more fluid and easy to drive though. Also, in rural areas you’ll notice that some locals don’t wear helmets when they ride a scooter/motorcycle or they fit the whole family in a scooter so be extra careful when you drive in these areas.

Tips for driving in Costa Rica for the first time

Whether you’re renting a car or you just got your own, it’s important to understand the Costa Rican driving mentality before you get on the road.

Driving in Costa Rica isn’t as difficult as say, India but it it would be better if you keep in mind the next tips for driving in Costa Rica so you have a great and safe time.

• There’s no such thing as a 4 or 3 way stop. All the stops (“Alto” in Spanish) are normal as in you have to stop and then you can go.
• Costa Rican drivers aren’t as kind as most of the drivers in North America. If you’re on the highway and you’re going to change lanes, your blinker will mean almost nothing to other drivers. Make sure to look 3 times before you do.
• Road conditions aren’t the best but they’re good enough to drive from point A to point B. Just be aware you might encounter some pretty bad potholes. If you see the car in front of you slowing down and driving around something, there’s a good indication there’s a big hole.
• Some roads don’t have painted lines. If you are in a situation like this assume there are cars coming on the other side of the road. I have seen accidents happen because of this.
• Some Costa Rican drivers think that they’re ready to go to Nascar so if you see a guy tailgating, just let them pass. Usually they are not smart and going slow or speeding up will not do anything to back them off.
• People are not used to cars to stop for them when crossing the road, so don’t be scared if you see a pedestrian getting too close to your car, they are just trying to cross the road (try to give the space so the other drivers will watch and hopefully learn).
• If you stop to let pedestrians cross the road, be aware of the cars behind you. They might not know that someone is crossing so they could pass you and hit the pedestrian. Flash your emergency lights to let them know.
• When parking you will notice that Costa Ricans get very close. Just be aware when you park and choose a wide space. I always try to leave half a car distance so no other car will park in front and to have space to move away.
• If you’re driving in the city at rush hour or in a traffic jam, be very careful at interactions or the merge areas. Other drivers will completely ignore you and just try to jam themselves in front of you without using their blinker or checking.

Extra tips

• Assume that every car/bus/bike/person is going to walk out in front of your car without looking.
• Pay attention to the car in front of you and take note of whether their brake lights are working or not.
• Always check your mirrors before pulling out, its not unusual for someone to be overtaking 4-5 cars at once.
• Check oil and water levels at least once per week.
• Best “GPS” app for Costa Rica is WAZE.
• Make sure you have an emergency kit in the car which includes enough food & water for 2 people for 48 hours.

Here are some pictures I took from a recent drive through the city. These kinds of traffic jams happen pretty much in all the major cities and most of the drivers (not all of them) act like the ones in the pictures. My intention is to show you the truth and not to discourage you to drive, just try to avoid the main cities 🙂

What to do if a police officer stops you or you have an accident

In Costa Rica, anyone can drive with their home country driver’s license as long as they have a valid “tourist visa.” Make sure to have a color copy of your passport and the entry stamp or your original passport.

• If you have an accident, call your rent a car company immediately. Some people will try to approach and help you but use your common sense. There have been some cases where people act like they’re helping but instead rob the person. Keep your values with you and remember, the emergency number is 911.
• Do not drink when you drive. You can get yourself in serious problems so do not even think about having one or two beers before getting behind the wheel. You never know what can happen and the last thing you want is to get thrown in jail in a foreign country.
• If a police officer stops you and you don’t speak Spanish, try to speak slow and as clear as you can (not louder). All the police officers have access to an English line in case they need it. Just be respectful and don’t try to bribe a police officer. You might have heard stories that you can but you can get yourself in trouble if the police officer refuses and reports you.

Also make sure that the police officer who stops you is a real police officer.

If you get a ticket, call your rent a car company and start the payment process as soon as possible so you won’t have problems in the future.

Costa Rican Driving “Lights vocabulary”

If you see cars flashing their lights, they are actually sending a message. This is the Costa Rican lights vocabulary which I’ll explain.

American Driver's License In Costa Rica

• There is a cop ahead of you: This is very useful and it might save yourself from a ticket. If you’re on the highway and you see the car coming from the other direction flashes their light twice (one short, one long) it means that a cop is ahead of you.
• Thank you: Let’s say that the person in front of you slows down to let you pass, we usually say thank you by turning on the emergency lights for a few seconds (blink 2 or 3 times).
• Pass me: I’m not a big fan of this one but just in case you see it you’ll know what’s going on. When you drive on the main highway you’ll see big semi trucks going really slow. Since it’s hard to see, the driver will turn on his left blinker to let you know you can pass him. Like I said I don’t like this one but it’s very common.

Directions in Costa Rica

If you are driving in Costa Rica, you will see that addresses are a little different than in the United States, Canada or the UK.

Costa Ricans use referral points to get to places and these kind of directions might not work for a tourist. You’ll see addresses like “From the kids hospital turn left 3 blocks and as soon as you see the leather boots factory turn right and your destination is the second yellow building on your left.” Many times they are something like “200 meters west of the bus stop.”

You’ll find these directions all throughout the country. Main roads and destinations have signs but it’s recommended to rent a GPS or if you have a smart phone with data, download an app called WAZE. It works very well in Costa Rica.

Extra Tips! How to Cross the Street in Costa Rica

Driving Licence In Costa Rica

Walking is way easier than driving but it will be better to keep these tips in mind. You can’t just look both ways once!

• Most of the drivers will NOT stop for you to cross the road. It is very different than the USA or Canada. Just a few drivers will stop for you especially if you’re a woman but still be very careful if someone stops for you since other drivers might not know that you’re crossing.
• Cars will get as close as they can to you. The 3 to 5 feet rule here doesn’t apply in most cases so don’t be surprised if you’re touching cars as you walk
• Some roads don’t have a pedestrian path. If you are in that situation, walk on the left side of the road where you can see the car coming towards you and vice versa.
• You will see many locals waiting in the middle of the road. I don’t recommend doing this. Look both ways several times to cross the street, not just one side of the street.

Conclusion

If you want to see Costa Rica and explore as much as you can, driving in Costa Rica is the best way to get around. You won’t have to rely on public transportation which isn’t always reliable outside the city and you can go wherever you want. In my opinion renting a car is the best option since you’ll save time and will be more comfortable. Click below to get our Costa Rica car rental discount and save up to 20%!

The most important thing to take away is to drive defensively, don’t drink while driving and stay alert. City driving is hectic but most visitors don’t stay in San Jose very long for this reason. In the rural areas and small town, driving is much easier and less crazy.

Have as much fun as you can in Costa Rica and I hope these tips for driving in Costa Rica were helpful. If you have further questions, please leave a comment and we will answer you as soon as we can.

Read our other Costa Rica driving articles below!

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