Coming to Costa Rica and enjoying the country usually involves driving through beautiful places and poor rural roads. We know this is part of the charm for our visitors and expat clients as having this feeling of driving through the jungle or a river is part of the excitement and thrill. Nevertheless, these stories in our experience are usually followed by “the river swallowed the plate” or “the dirt roads got another victim”. (Just as a side note: insurance will not cover any damages if you drive through a river. We will cover this one at some point). Finally, once the fun of the story telling is done, we get to the bottom of why you are reaching out to the attorney and are asked the two most common questions:

Can I drive with no plates or just one? This is easy to respond as the quick response it “no, go back to your house and put the car away for a few days or call the rental and ask for new one”. At most you will be able to return home if the Transit Officer believes you the plates were just lost. In Costa Rica vehicles use two metal plates therefore if you want to drive a car in the public roads you must do so with both plates duly installed and visible. This means in good condition. If you are stopped with a plate or no plates, your vehicle maybe detained and confiscated, you will be applied a fine and you will need to do one of the most cumbersome processes in Costa Rica which is getting your car back from a lot managed by the Ministry of Work and Transportation.

What are the steps and costs to replace your plates? Plates in Costa Rica are issued by the Costa Rican Public Registry (CRPR), specifically, the Vehicles Section. The process as many others related to registered assets is formal and must be done with the assistance of a Public Notary. The owner of the vehicle must present a formal request to the Vehicles Section, it must come in special security paper from the Public Notary, be duly signed and sealed, and include a description of the vehicle, and fully identify the owner whether it is a physical person or legal entity. A sworn statement shall be presented, also issued before a Public Notary, attesting to the fact the plates were lost and the circumstances in which it happened, and releasing the National Registry of any liability. The CRPR will check the status of the vehicle and compliance with all legal obligations, such as, payment of marchamo and other taxes. The cost of the filing is to date, the sum 14,600.00 colones which can be paid via the registry platform or at Banco de Costa Rica. Filings are received from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. If you are lucky plates maybe ready same day or take a few days.

Losing the license plates of a vehicle can happen to anyone, especially if you are having fun on adventurous drives; therefore, remember you will need to visit your lawyer’s office if the plates are lost.

Quatro Legal has a Compliance Department that assists expats and locals replacing car and vehicle plates.

For more information on buying a car in Costa Rica, please fill out the courtesy e-meeting form at the bottom. We will be glad to assist you!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the content, laws and regulations are subject to change. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please contact our office directly. Some images may be AI generated.