San José’s weekday vehicle plate restriction will be suspended from July 6 to July 17 as Costa Rica starts its midyear school vacation period, according to MOPT information reported by Delfino.cr. The restriction will return Monday, July 20, for vehicles with plates ending in 1 or 2.
The move comes as public school students begin their midyear break and much of the public sector enters collective vacation days from July 6 to July 10. Authorities expect fewer daily school and work trips into the capital, while more families leave the Central Valley for beaches, mountain towns and rural destinations.
The restriction will not apply in central San José during the two-week period because of the expected drop in vehicle circulation. The final day before the pause was Friday, July 3, for vehicles with plates ending in 9 or 0. Regular enforcement resumes July 20 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The suspension does not mean Traffic Police will be less active. MOPT said officers will focus from July 4 to July 19 on the main roads used by vacationers leaving and returning to the Greater Metropolitan Area. Those include the Interamericana Norte and Sur, Route 27 toward the Pacific, Route 32 toward the Caribbean and the Costanera Sur.
Traffic Police also said they will maintain a presence in high-traffic tourism areas, including Quepos-Manuel Antonio, Puerto Viejo, Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Puntarenas, San Carlos and La Fortuna. Authorities said the goal is to manage vacation traffic, prevent reckless driving and enforce rules against illegal parking and vehicles entering beach areas.
Route 27 will also operate under special return measures on two Sundays during the vacation period. MOPT said reversible lanes will be used on July 12 and July 19 between Pozón and the Ciudad Colón toll area, covering about 47 kilometers of the San José-Caldera highway.
According to the National Concessions Council, all available lanes on that section will run only toward San José from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on those Sundays. Traffic toward the Pacific will be closed from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the maximum speed will be 60 km/h. Drivers can call the Route 27 control center at 2588-4040 for road updates or assistance.
MOPT said the measure is intended to help vacationers return from Puntarenas and Guanacaste, two of the country’s busiest domestic travel destinations during school breaks. Drivers headed toward the Pacific on those Sundays will need to plan around the temporary closure in the opposite direction.
Traffic Police also reminded beachgoers that driving onto the sand is illegal except in specific authorized cases, such as emergencies, fishing work or moving boats with proper permission. MOPT said the fine is ₡61,000 and that plates may be removed or the vehicle may be towed if the owner is not present.
For anyone looking to get into San José, it will be easier during the two-week school break, but the highways out of the Central Valley may be busier and more heavily monitored. Authorities are urging motorists to avoid speeding, illegal passing, drunk driving, overloaded vehicles and failure to use seat belts or child restraint seats.
