www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Proposed legal change would bar tourists from getting driver's license
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The national legislature has been asked to close a loophole that lets tourists easily obtain a Costa Rican driving license. A proposal that still is active from the legislature that adjourned in 2006 would link the issuance of a driver's license to the immigration status of the applicant.

Right now anyone with a valid passport and an unexpired license from another country can get a Costa Rican driver's license. The applicant also has to have the required health statement from a physician.

The proposed legislation, offered by former lawmaker Carlos Avendaño Calvo, would still allow tourists 90 days to drive on the license of the home country. But they could not apply for a Costa Rican license until they had been approved for temporary or permanent residency in one of the several categories.

The legislative Comisión Permanente de Gobierno y Administración has just sent the measure to the full Asamblea Legislativa with a positive recommendation. The rule for foreigners is much more liberal than rules for first-time Costa Rican drivers who have to take a mandatory academic course in safe driving and then take a test drive with an examiner.

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

But as a tourist, you can drive on a US license right?

I think that means YES. (I beat ID to the punch)

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Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Absolutely. Just the same as you can drive "legally" in the U.S. with a valid CR Driver's license. And if you ever rent a car in the U.S., you can do it with a valid CR license. And there are benefits to that!

My current CR Driver's license doesn't expire until April, 2008. Looks like I better renew it before they change the law!!!

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Smart-ass.

I usually don't read these articles past the first paragraph. A good article should give me all the pertinent info in the opening paragraph.

What are the benefits for a U.S. citizen to drive and/or rent a car on a CR license?

The only one that comes to mind is you wont get the gringo price at the golf course if you have a CR liscense. The price is literrally half...


Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

The benefits are if / when you get pulled over by a cop (in the U.S.). He might write you a ticket, but it'll be written on your CR license, therefore - no points on your record. It's also another form of picture ID. It is not illegal having "dual" residency, and I've never had a (U.S.) cop ask me for my CR residency papers.

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

got it, thanks. I was planing on picking up one myself in November, when I get down there.

That works with a rental MG but not if you are driving your own car registered to you. If you hand him a CR drivers license and a Florida registration and insurance card he will ask for your FL DL. If you say you do not have one he will run you through the computer and get your FL license number and the status of the license. He then gets pissed because you lied to him and really throws the book at you. The one ticket he would have issued you becomes 3 or more.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

ID, You are absolutely correct. This is exactly why I wrote this::arrow:



I also think there are benefits to driving around CR with a CR Driver's license. I've been pulled over by the CR policia three times, over the past 18 months. Twice was for speeding. Both times, I gave the cop my CR license, and both times, I was let go without a ticket. Not sure why. Maybe they realized that they weren't going to get a bribe out of me. But they still could've written me a ticket, but they elected not to.

But another instance, I was driving through some type of road-block / D.U.I. checkpoint, on the way into Tamarindo. It was only around 2 o'clock in the afternoon! The cop saw that my two passengers in the back seat (my wingman and his chica) weren't wearing their seat belts, and he gave me a ticket. I guess the CR license didn't have any "pull" in that situation!!! No problem. The ticket was only 9,000 colones. Just another souvenir!!!

YMMV!

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Thats great for a tourist driving a rental car you just give the agency the money for the fine and hope they pay the ticket. You will find out if they did when you go to renew your license.

A ticket if you are driving your own car is more time consuming. First you have to wait for the ticket to appear in the system which can take 2 weeks. Then you either have to go to court to contest it or go to a BCR branch, stand in line, pay the ticket.

Easiest way is to settle on the spot. I got caught speeding, in a radar trap, one morning. Payment of 5000 colones solved the problem quickly and cheaply

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Good point! I hope the rental car agency paid that damn ticket!

I know it's much tougher for ex-pats driving their own personal vehicles. In that situation, I'm sure I'd just give the cop a few bucks, and it all goes away!

But since we're on the subject.... what's going to happen to ex-pats (perpetual tourists) if this new law passes? How will this affect the thousands of people who live in country, but leave for 72 hours - every 90 days? What will they do about their driver's licenses?

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

See guys, this is the shit that is priority down here. This is the most inept country at actually fixing any problem of relevance, but how many times have you seen things like this? They are always going to make some change to something to cause inconvenience rather than deal with any real problems.

That my friend is the real problem. The article does not address that point so who knows at this point.

When they go to renew and they are on a tourist visa will they be allowed to renew? If the law is enacted with the intent to keep tourist from having a CR drivers license logically they would not be allowed to renew. Thats the bad news the good news...........when did CR act logically

I knew I was a legal resident for some reason

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine