HomeNewsCosta RicaCosta Rica Sanitary Driving Restrictions Back In Effect

Costa Rica Sanitary Driving Restrictions Back In Effect

After a reprieve for the Presidential and National Assembly elections traffic restrictions are back in force.

Starting last night at midnight, February 8th, vehicles cannot be on the road until 5 a.m. unless possessing the proper exemptions.

The restrictions on odd and even plates have started today once again for the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) circulating the San Jose area.

Plates ending in 5 and 6 will be restricted from the GAM tomorrow.

When the sanitary vehicle restriction back in place, the typical list of exceptions — which includes rental vehicles, people driving to/from a hotel reservation, people driving to/from the airport and people driving to/from work or school — continues to apply. The official list of exceptions can be found here.

The San José restricted area is shown in the image below. It has existed for many years to reduce road congestion. Circulation is restricted based on the last digit of a vehicle’s license plate:

Trending Now

Costa Rica Airport QR Codes Point U.S. Visitors to Free Safety Alerts

If you're a U.S. citizen landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, you'll now walk past QR codes in the immigration line...

Landslides Close Costa Rica’s Route 32 Between San José and Limón

Costa Rica’s main highway between San José and the Caribbean remained closed this morning after heavy rain triggered landslides at several points along...

New Details Reveal Political Contacts of Producers in Costa Rica Money-Laundering Probe

New details emerging from Costa Rica’s investigation into alleged drug-money laundering through concerts show that two prominent event producers detained this week had recent...

Rebeca Grynspan Leads UN Secretary-General Vote for Fourth Time

Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan on Wednesday topped a United Nations Security Council “straw poll” for the fourth time in the race...

Costa Rica Suspends Investigation Into Who Ordered Roberto Samcam’s Murder

Costa Rica’s prosecutor’s office has suspended its investigation into who ordered the 2025 killing of retired Nicaraguan military officer Roberto Samcam, an outspoken critic...

Route 32 to Costa Rica’s Caribbean closed after overnight landslide

Route 32 closed overnight at Zurquí after a landslide. Here's what it means if you're driving to the Caribbean today.

Costa Rica Investigates Damage to Thermal Wetland Near Cartago

Costa Rican environmental prosecutors are investigating alleged damage to a wetland near Cartago that contains natural hot springs, wildlife habitat and a network of...

Water Upgrades for Jacó, Quepos and Manuel Antonio Stall After Seven Years

A loan-funded program to upgrade water systems in Jacó, Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Limón and Guácimo has reached just 25% completion after seven years, according...

Costa Rica Red Cross Considers Ending Overnight Shifts at 20 Branches

The Costa Rican Red Cross is considering eliminating overnight shifts at 20 local branches as financial pressure continues to affect its emergency-response network. The...
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel