On April 1, 2024 Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly passed a bill making it easier for foreigners to drive here in Costa Rica.
Though it has not been signed into law yet by President Chaves, all indicators are strongly pointing that direction and the new law will mark a major milestone.
Costa Rica is a small country with big government. Big government means a lot of rules, regulations, and laws. And as often happens here in Costa Rica, some of these laws aren’t in alignment with – or even contradict – other laws. Enforcement of these laws is a completely different topic and a future blog post.
Last year, an Immigration Law was passed increasing the duration of stay for foreigners from 90 to 180 days (check out my YouTube video). This doubled the time foreigners are allowed to stay in country legally without having to leave to renew their tourist visas. It sounded great! Except for one fly in the ointment: the Transito Law on the books for maintaining a valid foreign driver’s license stayed at 90 days. So even if you didn’t have to leave the country to renew your tourist visa for 180 days, you still had to leave after 90 days to keep your foreign driver’s license valid. Sheesh! Most foreigners living here drive!
Well, as of April 1st, 2024, it appears both Immigration and Transito will soon be on the same page! Here’s why.
There are two key reforms to the Law:
1. Article 91: Approval of licenses issued abroad. The approval of foreign driver's licenses shall be governed by the following provisions:
a. Drivers accredited with a driver's license issued abroad, who are in the country as tourists or in transit, are authorized to drive the same type of vehicle authorized by such license and for the same term granted by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners, for this migratory condition.
During this period, drivers, accredited with a driver's license equivalent to the national license type B-1 or higher, may drive on non-primary roads moped and motorcycle type vehicles of internal combustion, whose engine displacement does not exceed 125 cubic centimeters; in case these have electric or hybrid engines, the maximum power may not exceed 11 kilowatts. In the same terms, the driving of motorcycles of the tricycle and quadricycle type, whose engine displacement does not exceed 500 cubic centimeters, is authorized.
The same regulations shall be applicable to these drivers as to drivers accredited with a national driver's license.
Sidebar: What this means is that you will soon be able to drive on your foreign driver's license for the duration of your tourist visa, which was recently increased by the Legislative Assembly in a new Immigration Law from 90 to 180 days. Prior to this, foreigners still had to leave the country every 90 days to renew their tourist visa so that their driver’s license would be valid - even though they had a 180-day tourist visa. In other words, the new Transit Law, once passed, will be in alignment with the recently passed Immigration Law. Both are now 180 days. Yay!
b. Accredited drivers with a driver's license abroad, who have an approved immigration status in the country or have submitted an application for a legal immigration status, foreign diplomatic and consular officials and officials of international organizations accredited in the country while they remain in their functions, may drive provided they obtain a Costa Rican driver's license, without requiring a minimum uninterrupted period of stay in the country (previously 3 months), upon compliance with the following requirements. The driver's license to be homologated must be in force.
ii. Comply with the provisions of this law for the class and type of license to be homologated, except for the obligation to attend the basic driver education course and take the practical driving test.
iii. Proof that he/she has a legal immigration status in the country or that he/she is in the process of obtaining it, under the immigration legislation in force.
c. For the process of approval of licenses of foreign persons for the purpose of working as professional drivers of paid transportation of persons or heavy cargo, in addition to observing the provisions of subsection b), subparagraphs i), ii) and iii) of this article, the following shall be observed:
i. Drivers with licenses equivalent to type B-4 and class C, contemplated in this law, may have their experience homologated according to the license to be validated.
ii. In addition to the requirements of Articles 85 and 86 of this law, those who apply for a license type B-4 or class C, for the first time, may have their previous experience validated on the basis of the equivalent foreign license they hold.
For drivers with licenses equivalent to type B-4 and C, contemplated in this law, the experience may be homologated according to the license they intend to validate, and they must take the respective course specially designed, supervised and endorsed by the competent entity and/or duly accredited for the type of vehicle they intend to drive.
Likewise, foreigners whose migratory status under the national legislation is considered regular are authorized to drive, since they are in the process of requesting a change of migratory category or extension, whose final resolution is pending to be resolved by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners.
Sidebar: What this means is that residents, and foreigners in the process of getting residency, who apply for a Costa Rica driver’s license (a.k.a. homologating), do not have to be in the country for 3 months uninterrupted as they were required to be previously. So, you can come and go as you wish, when you wish, and not have to worry about the validity of your driver's license.
This is a very positive development! Streamlining the process for foreigners to use their home country driver's license in Costa Rica and eliminating the 3-month minimum stay here for those applying for residency to homologate their license, will make life much easier for all foreigners living or visiting here. It not only facilitates mobility but also helps in integrating expats into the local community more smoothly.
It's great to see legislative efforts aimed at accommodating the needs of foreigners visiting and living here in Costa Rica! ¡Pura vida!
(See the bill in its entirety in Spanish: REFORMA DEL ARTÍCULO 91 DE LEY 9078, LEY DE TRÁNSITO POR VÍAS PÚBLICAS TERRESTRES Y SEGURIDAD VIAL, DE 4 DE OCTUBRE DE 2012)