For the second straight year, Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly has approved a discount on the mandatory vehicle circulation permits, or marchamos.
Deputies approved the project on Tuesday, La Nacion reports. The discount will apply for vehicles valued at less than ¢15 million (about $24,000) and will range between 9% and 45%.
The initiative was approved with 35 votes in favor and seven against, with opposition lawmakers arguing that the cuts will impact public finances.
Supporters of the project noted the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on individuals and the restrictions that prevented free circulation of vehicles.
Marchamos were also discounted in 2020 for this year.
Payments for marchamos are collected starting November 1. The amount varies according to the year, make and use of a vehicle. It includes Mandatory Automobile Insurance (SOA), property tax, sales tax and other taxes, as well as unpaid traffic fines.
The deadline to pay is Dec. 31; starting Jan. 1, drivers without the 2022 marchamo sticker displayed on their vehicles will be fined and have their license plates removed.
Paying after the deadline also entails a daily fine of a certain percentage of every tax that is part of the marchamo, plus a monthly fine of a percentage of the value of all insurance charges.
As of November, vehicle owners can find out exactly what they owe on the INS website.
Vehicle owners can pay their marchamo at hundreds of authorized collection points, including INS branches, banks and many businesses. Payment locations can be found here.
