Costa Rica extends driving grace period for citizens, residents

The Public Works and Transport Ministry says Costa Ricans and legal residents with foreign driver’s licenses can continue using that document to drive in Costa Rica for six more months.

The grace period applies to citizens and residents whose license expired or should have been homologated as of March 20, 2020.

The six-month extension begins when the resolution is published in La Gaceta, the official government newspaper. That is expected “in the next few days,” MOPT says. 

“In this way, foreigners under the migratory categories of refugees, permanent or temporary residents, special category of complementary protection or Costa Ricans whose licenses that were issued abroad have expired, or who have not managed to homologate the document, will enjoy this grace period,” MOPT explains. 

This extension does not apply to tourists.

As long as the grace period is in force, Traffic Police will not sanction citizens and residents, as long as they carry their foreign license and passport. 

Costa Rica license homologation is conducted at COSEVI offices through appointments that are made available via an online platform on Thursdays at 8 a.m.

Appointments for procedures related to the issuance of licenses can be scheduled at the following link: https://servicios.educacionvial.go.cr/Formularios/SolicitarCitaTramite.