Driving in Costa Rica is the best way to see the country — but the roads here work differently than most visitors expect. Narrow two-lanes, one-way bridges, aggressive motorcycles threading between cars, livestock on rural roads, and fines that can top $700 USD for a single infraction. This is what you actually need to know before you pick up the rental car.
Who can legally drive in Costa Rica
Tourists can drive on a valid foreign driver’s license for up to 180 days, as long as that stay matches the entry stamp in your passport. No international driving permit is required — your home-country license is enough. You must carry your passport and license together any time you’re behind the wheel, because the transit police will want to check your entry date against the license.
If you overstay or become a resident, you need a Costa Rican license. Rental companies also require the driver to be at least 21 (often 25 for certain vehicle classes) with a credit card in the driver’s name.
The rules of the road Ticos don’t tell you about
“Ceda el paso” on one-lane bridges
Outside the Central Valley, most bridges are a single lane shared by both directions. A yellow Ceda el Paso sign (yield) on your side of the bridge means the other direction has right-of-way — stop and wait. If there’s no sign on your side, you go first. Getting this wrong is how head-on scares happen on the rural routes to Monteverde, the Osa, and the Caribbean side.
Speed limits are lower than they look
Highway limits top out at 90–100 km/h, but most secondary roads are 60–80 km/h, and populated zones drop to 40. The Costanera, the Pan-American, and the road over Cerro de la Muerte all have aggressive radar enforcement. Driving faster than 120 km/h is a criminal offense, not just a fine.
Turning and passing
U-turns and left turns in posted zones are the single most expensive ticket on the books — the transit police ran a targeted campaign on this in early 2026, with three drivers cited per day on average. Passing on a solid yellow line or on a curve falls into the same top-tier category.
Hazard lights mean “slow down”
When the car ahead of you flips on its four-ways, they’re not breaking down. They’re warning you about something ahead: a police checkpoint, an accident, a pothole the size of a suitcase, or a cow in the road. Tap yours on and pass the signal back to the car behind you.
Motorcycles, pedestrians, and livestock
Motorcycles will filter between lanes at speed, including on your right. Check your mirrors before every lane change. On rural roads assume a pedestrian, cyclist, horse, or dog is around the next blind curve — especially at dawn, dusk, and after dark, when shoulders become walking paths.
What a traffic stop looks like
Transit police (Policía de Tránsito, in blue uniforms with MOPT patches) set up daily checkpoints at predictable spots: exits off the Pan-American, approaches to beach towns on Friday afternoons, and the bottom of Cerro de la Muerte. They’ll wave you over with a hand signal.
Hand over your driver’s license, passport, and the rental car paperwork from the glovebox. Stay in the car. Be polite, speak slowly, and if your Spanish isn’t up to it, say “no hablo español” — most officers working tourist corridors can handle basic English.
Officers cannot collect fines on the spot. They issue a citation (boleta) with a reference number. You pay it at any branch of Banco de Costa Rica, Banco Nacional, or through the online system at csv.go.cr. Rental car companies will also pay it for you and charge it back — along with a handling fee — if it arrives after you’ve left the country.
2026 traffic fines, by category
Costa Rica groups infractions into five categories, A through E, with A being the most serious. The amounts below took effect January 1, 2026. A 15% discount applies to categories B through E if you pay within 10 business days; category A fines do not get the discount.
| Category | Amount (2026) | Examples of what you’d pay this for |
|---|---|---|
| A | ₡362,839 (~$700 USD) |
DUI, driving over 120 km/h, illegal U-turns or left turns in posted zones, passing on a solid line, racing |
| B | ₡245,195 (~$475 USD) |
Child without proper car seat, fake or altered plates, carrying children under 5 on a motorcycle |
| C | ₡122,597 (~$235 USD) |
Cell phone without hands-free, no seat belt, running a stop sign |
| D | ₡60,679 (~$115 USD) |
Expired vehicle inspection (revisión técnica), illegal parking |
| E | ₡26,005 (~$50 USD) |
Honking to pressure another driver, slowing to gawk at an accident, missing emergency triangle or extinguisher, violating vehicle restriction |
Category A fines also add six points to the driver’s license. For rental cars that’s the rental company’s problem in the short term, but they’ll bill you. Drunk driving at higher blood alcohol levels moves into criminal territory, with possible jail time and vehicle impoundment.
What to do if you’re in an accident
Small fender benders happen constantly in Costa Rica, and there’s a specific protocol that protects your insurance claim. Skipping any of these steps — especially moving the cars before the authorities arrive — can void your coverage.
- Do not move the vehicles. Even if you’re blocking traffic. The position of the cars is the evidence the inspectors use to assign fault. The only exception is if someone is in immediate danger, or if both drivers formally agree to clear the lane for safety.
- Check for injuries and call 911. The dispatcher will send the Red Cross (ambulances) and notify the Transit Police. Bilingual operators are usually available — ask for English. Do not move anyone who is seriously injured.
- Call INS at 800-800-8000. This is the national insurance institute, and almost every rental and private car in Costa Rica is insured through them. An INS inspector will come to the scene, document the accident, and issue a report. This step is required for any claim to process.
- Put out the triangles. Every car in Costa Rica is required to carry two reflective triangles and a fire extinguisher. Place one triangle about 15 feet in front of your car and the other 15 feet behind. Turn on your hazards.
- Call the rental company. The 24-hour number is on your rental contract and usually on a sticker in the glovebox. They’ll coordinate with INS and arrange a replacement vehicle if yours isn’t drivable.
- Document everything. Photograph all vehicles from multiple angles, the license plates, the road conditions, any skid marks, and the surrounding area. Get the other driver’s full name, cédula (ID) number, phone number, license plate, and insurance info. Collect names and phone numbers from any witnesses.
- Don’t argue, don’t admit fault, don’t discuss it. Speak only to the Transit Police and the INS inspector. Anything you say to the other driver or to witnesses can come back in the report. If the other driver suggests “handling it without insurance,” politely decline — you have no idea what damage exists under the paint or what pain will show up in the morning.
A few habits that keep tourists out of trouble
- Don’t drive after dark on unfamiliar roads. Outside San José, street lighting is scarce, potholes are invisible, and many roads have no shoulder and no lane markings. If your plan has you arriving somewhere after sunset, consider leaving a day earlier or booking a shuttle.
- Keep the gas tank above half on rural routes. Gas stations get sparse in the Osa Peninsula, the Nicoya Peninsula south of Nosara, and the route to Monteverde.
- Waze is more accurate than Google Maps in Costa Rica. Both work, but Waze handles the daily road closures, flooding, and Ticos-reported hazards better.
- Never leave anything visible in a parked car. Rental car break-ins at beach and national park parking lots are common. Even a charging cable is enough to tempt a smash-and-grab. Use the guachimán when available.
- If you hit an animal, stop. Hitting a cow or horse on a public road is a civil matter. The owner will usually show up within minutes — call INS and let them document it. Don’t drive off.
Driving yourself opens up the country in a way no shuttle or tour can. But the rules here reward caution: go slow, leave early, watch for hazard lights, and keep the INS number saved before you ever turn the key. Pura vida — and safe roads.