RITEVE

Have a car in Costa Rica with an expiring inspection sticker? You likely have another month to pass the annual checkup. 

Several Costa Rican institutions have reduced or suspended operations this week due to the Orange Alert that comprises the Greater Metropolitan Area (among other cantons).

The price of the yearly technical vehicle inspection charged by Spanish-owned company Riteve SyC will increase in July after 11 years without change.

The Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) rejected Spanish private contractor Riteve's request to increase rates for mandatory vehicle inspections for the 10th consecutive year.

If Riteve, the private company responsible for mandatory vehicle inspections in Costa Rica, gets its way, you might be paying 205 percent more for your car inspection next year.

Costa Rica’s Roadway Safety Council (COSEVI) has published a new manual for mandatory technical vehicle inspections, conducted by the Spanish-Costa Rican company Riteve SyC. A total of 14 changes were published in the official government newspaper La Gaceta on Nov. 21, and will take effect in January 2015.

The cost of mandatory technical vehicle inspections in Costa Rica will remain unchanged for the next 12 months, as the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) on Tuesday evening rejected a rates-hike request of up to 202 percent, depending on the type of vehicle.

RITEVE says vehicle inspection rates haven't increased in 10 years, and blames the Public Works and Transport Ministry for failing to issue a methodology to calculate them.

An agreement signed Wednesday between the two entities is part of Costa Rica’s carbon-neutral strategy.