A couple of important traffic laws for expats and tourists

From time to time, I like to keep people informed about traffic laws in Costa Rica. Being aware of these rules can help avoid getting a ticket (parte) and fine (multa) and even having one’s license plate confiscated.

So, if you are illegally parked you can have your car’s places removed. Getting the plate back is a real pain in the neck and involves a trip to the Consevi (Consejo de Seguridad Vial), an abbreviation for the Council of Road Safety office) which is closed on weekends and holidays. The entity has the authority to remove license plates as a sanction to ensure the payment of fines. The fine has to be deposited into COSEVI’s bank account at the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR). To make matters worse, driving a vehicle without license plates means an additional fine and since there are no plates to confiscate, good chance the Transito (Traffic policeman called a tráfico in Spanish) will seize the vehicle as well.

The fine for a car that is illegally parked is a little over $100 USD. Many drivers think that remaining in a no parking zone for a minute or so to wait for someone is legal— sorry to inform it is not permitted. If a tráfico passes by he will usually turn on his siren to get you to move or if you have bad luck, you will be ticketed. The police have heard every excuse in the book so you probably won’t be able to talk your way out of the ticket.

So, be vigilant of parking signs, yellow-painted curbs, and private entrances. Also, be aware that you have to park your vehicle t least 15 feet away from a fire hydrant, a cross walk, an area for disabled parking or where signs that say “No Parking (No estacionar or No parquear),” are posted.

I’d like to mention a strange traffic law while I am at it. If your vehicle comes to an intersection between midnight and 5 am and you come to a complete stop and there is no cross traffic, then you may proceed. Thus, the Ley de Transito (Traffic Law ) allows drivers to treat a red light as a stop sign, from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM.