One of the questions I get asked about most is “How is the driving in Costa Rica?” Most people like the freedom of having a car parked nearby for unplanned trips or just to know it is there. In general, there is no problem driving a car here, but there are things you should know to do this safely.
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. 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. Once it expires, you cannot drive legally in Costa Rica unless you have applied for and received your Costa Rica driver’s license.
Driving Tips
Take taxis if possible, especially at night. They are cheap and everywhere. If you rent a car, which I actually recommend for a better visit, it is better to not drive at night until you get some experience.
You need patience because the potholes are big enough to swallow a truck so it takes longer to get anywhere. The roads are narrow and that’s one reason why everyone drives smaller vehicles. But there is simply no better way to enjoy seeing a country than to meander thought it at your own speed, stopping whenever something appeals to you.
If you rent a car, make sure you go over the car very carefully and make sure the attendant marks down every nick and scratch on his sheet. Failure to do this can result in huge adjustments to your bill when you return the rental.
If you rent a car, here is a common scam. Someone will punch a very small hole in your tire or loosen the valve stem before you take delivery of the car or perhaps while you are at a restaurant or shop. You leave and maybe 30 minutes to an hour later, you get a flat. Then, miraculously, some really nice folks appear to assist you. In this case, assist means to separate you and whatever valuables they can find.
Until you know how things work here, I urge you not to drive at night. I recommend not driving at night until you know the route first.
When in San Jose or in slow traffic, do not leave anything valuable on the seat next to you if the windows are open. A person can and will reach in and grab stuff. NEVER leave valuables in plain view in your car.
There are traffic laws here, but there are no police to enforce them. If you EVER drive defensively in your life, do it here. Ticos are creative drivers… and most traffic laws are flaunted. Just because there is a red light, don’t make the mistake of thinking everyone else plans to stop.
Be especially careful of motorcycles. They obey NO rules and can come out of nowhere. They also can be the vehicles used when snatching stuff from you car through an open window.
Businesses and restaurants use mopeds or motorcycles to make deliveries. No space between cars, buses or trucks is too narrow for a moped to try to get through. I have seen several accidents involving motorcycles.
Pedestrians and animals use or cross the highways everywhere; even where the speed limit is 80 kilometers/hour, pedestrians, bus riders, cyclists are to be found on the highways. The highways around San Jose are notorious for people crossing the road anywhere. Many die each year. While hitting one of them won’t be your fault, it will ruin your time in Costa Rica.
Passing Slower Traffic is a national sport in Costa Rica. Many large trucks and busses, along with an assortment of ancient vehicles (usually pickup trucks) travel the highways at speeds well below the posted limit, especially in the mountains.
The mountain roads and highways provide very limited opportunity for passing and caution should be used. Exercise caution in your own passing strategy and be constantly aware of local drivers, most of whom are averse to following slow-moving traffic. This applies to cars, trucks and busses. Defensive driving is a must.
Roads can drop off suddenly. Over the years and several layers of resurfacing, roads get narrower and ditches gets deeper.
The country is blessed with great bus service ……… some buses stopping anywhere someone flags them down (including highways). Others stop only at assigned stops. You never know which one you are following
As you might guess accidents happen frequently and when they do, no vehicles involved can be moved until the police and the insurance inspector can visit the scene and record whatever it is they need to record. Traffic can be blocked up for hours and for miles around, probably causing other accidents.
Some licensed drivers have “bought” their licenses instead of taking the test.
Foreigners seeking a Costa Rican driver’s license can only apply at the transport ministry in La Uruca
Foreigners seeking a Costa Rican driver’s license can only apply at the transport ministry in La Uruca in northern San José. The office used to be based in Plaza Víquez, but in August 2007 was moved.
The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes said that foreigners who already have a valid driver’s license in their native country need not fear the application process in Costa Rica. Tourists can use their U.S. or European license for up to three months, except for driver’s licenses obtained in Colombia or Central America, which are valid for only one month, it said in a release.
After this time has expired, it is necessary to request a license through the motor vehicles office in La Uruca. Tourists must present copies of a valid passport, entry visa and driver’s license from his or her country. While Costa Ricans may apply for their licenses in banks, foreigners are required to apply in La Uruca.
Applicants have to take a medical exam that checks for eyesight or heart problems in advance of getting the license. This may cost up to 6,000 colons (about $11), and there now are doctors’ offices in La Uruca which conduct such exams specifically for the driver’s license application, said the ministry. Applicants must provide information about blood type, too.
