How to Get a Costa Rican Driver’s License as a Foreigner

Foreigners living in Costa Rica get a Costa Rican driver’s license by converting (homologating) a valid foreign license. There’s no written or driving test. You need legal residency or a pending residency application, a digital medical certificate and an official Spanish translation of your license. You book an appointment with Educación Vial (the road-safety agency, part of COSEVI), then pay about ₡5,000 and pick up the card at Banco de Costa Rica (BCR). Tourists don’t need one: a foreign license is valid for as many days as your entry stamp allows. This guide covers who qualifies, the documents, the steps, the costs and what happens at renewal.

Costa Rican driver’s license	At a glance
Tourists	Drive on your foreign license for the days on your entry stamp
Residents	Convert (homologate) your valid foreign license; no tests
Who qualifies	Approved residency or a pending application; no minimum stay
Where	Educación Vial office (approval), then BCR branch (printing)
Printing fee	About ₡5,000 plus a bank commission
First license	Valid three years, same category as your foreign license

Who needs one

Do You Need a Costa Rican Driver’s License?

Tourists: no. Since a 2024 change to the traffic law, a valid foreign license works for as long as your authorized stay, which is the number of days written on your entry stamp, up to 180 for visitors from the US, Canada, the UK and most of the EU. When the stamp expires, so does your right to drive, even if your home license is valid for years.

Residents: yes. If you’re moving to Costa Rica, you’ll need a local license to keep driving once your tourist stay ends. If you hold residency or have applied, you can convert your foreign license without a written or practical test. Our guides to moving to Costa Rica and the DIMEX residency card cover the immigration side.

What changed

The 2024 Changes: No More 91-Day Wait

Until 2024, foreigners had to live in Costa Rica for three months and a day without leaving before they could convert a license, which left many new residents unable to drive legally for weeks. A 2024 reform to the traffic law removed that minimum stay. Now:

• Foreigners with approved residency, or with a residency application or status change pending at immigration, can apply right away.
• There’s no minimum time in the country.
• Tourists can drive on a valid foreign license for their full authorized stay instead of a fixed 90 days.

A separate December 2024 reform means you no longer have to carry the physical card. Police check license status online, but the license must still be valid. Driving with an expired license carries a fine of about ₡26,000.

Requirements

Costa Rican Driver’s License Requirements for Foreigners

To convert your license, you’ll generally need:

• A valid foreign driver’s license in good condition. An expired or badly damaged license can be rejected.
• Proof of immigration status: your DIMEX, or proof that your residency application or status change is in process.
• Your passport or national ID from your home country.
• A digital medical certificate (dictamen médico) for a driver’s license, issued by a registered doctor and valid for six months.
• An official translation of your license if it isn’t in Spanish, done by an official translator recognized by Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• No unpaid traffic fines in Costa Rica.
• Photocopies of everything.

If your license was issued by a country other than your country of origin or birth, bring proof that you lived there legally when it was issued. Requirements can change, and Educación Vial may ask for more, such as an official certification of your foreign license, so check the current list on its website before your appointment.

Step by step

How to Get a Costa Rican Driver’s License, Step by Step

1. Get your medical certificate

Visit a doctor or clinic that issues the digital dictamen médico for driver’s licenses. The exam covers vision, hearing and general fitness, and the result goes into the national system electronically. Prices vary by clinic, commonly around ₡20,000 or more. Get it within six months of your appointment.

2. Get your license translated

If your license isn’t in Spanish, hire an official translator. A friend’s translation or an International Driving Permit won’t replace it.

3. Book your Educación Vial appointment

Book online through Educación Vial’s appointment system. As of late 2025, slots were published around the clock, booking was free, and there were 13 offices around the country. Waits were under a week at most offices and up to about 15 days in San José, so a regional office can be faster.

4. Attend the appointment in person

Bring originals and copies of every document. Staff review your paperwork and, if everything is in order, approve the conversion. Many failed appointments come from missing papers or late arrival, so arrive early with a complete set.

5. Print your license at BCR

After approval, book an appointment at a Banco de Costa Rica branch to print the card. The fee is about ₡5,000 plus a bank commission, paid at the appointment, and you leave with your license.

Costs

What It Costs

Item	Approximate cost
Medical certificate (dictamen médico)	Around ₡20,000 or more, depending on the clinic
Official translation	Varies by translator
Educación Vial appointment	Free to book
License printing at BCR	About ₡5,000 plus bank commission

Some expats pay a local agent or attorney to handle bookings and paperwork, which can help if your Spanish is limited. You still have to attend the appointments in person.

After you have it

License Validity, Renewal and Points

• First license: you’re treated as a new driver, and the first license is valid for three years, in the same category as your foreign license (usually B-1 for cars).
• Renewal: you can renew from three months before the expiration date. You’ll need a new medical certificate and no unpaid fines.
• Points: Costa Rica uses a points system, and drivers who accumulate 12 points can lose their license.

Once you’re driving, see our guides to driving rules and fines, the yearly vehicle tax known as the marchamo, gas stations and parking.

Common problems

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Driving after your stamp expires. Once your authorized stay is over, your foreign license no longer lets you drive, and insurance may not cover you in an accident.
• Letting your home license lapse. Only a valid license can be converted.
• Mismatched names. If the name on your license differs from your passport or DIMEX, for example after marriage, bring documents that link the two, with official translations.
• Skipping the translation. An International Driving Permit doesn’t replace an official translation.
• Unpaid fines. Outstanding tickets block the process.

In the meantime, if you’re within your tourist stay, you can drive a rental car on your home license; check our guide to car rental insurance. Otherwise, Uber, taxis and buses cover most trips.

FAQ

Costa Rican Driver’s License FAQ