Discovering Costa Rica

License Plates The car dealership where you bought the car will handle all the procedures to get the license plates for your vehicle. However, the procedure taken is below. A new car will initially be issued a provisional license plate, which must be affixed to the front windshield. Because they fade in the sun, it is advisable to place a photocopy in the windshield and the original in the glove compartment. There is an expiration date shown on the provisional plate. If you are caught driving the vehicle beyond this date, you could be issued a traffic ticket. The car dealership will be in charge of getting the plates for you. To renew the paper license plate (if metal plates are still not available) it must be taken to the Public Registry in Zapote, and they will put a seal to extend it. There is no charge for this service. The license cannot be renewed until the day it expires. When metal plates are ready for pickup, you must go to the Public Registry in Zapote with the following documents: (The dealership will pick up the plates for you) + Provisional plate, the original will have to be turned in + Title deed to the car (Título de propiedad)

+ Yellow registration card (Tarjeta de circulación) + Resident ID Card or passport (Cédula or carnet)

Helpful Hint: It is illegal to operate a vehicle without a valid cédula or passport, a valid driver’s license either Costa Rican or foreign, and the original provisional plate if metal plates are not on the car. It is possible for the transit police to impound the vehicle if any of the papers mentioned are not valid, or not present in the vehicle. If you are driving a rented car, the rental agreement needs to be carried.

Insurance Companies in Costa Rica INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) Telephone: (506) 2287-6000 www.ins-cr.com Mapfre Costa Rica Telephone: (506) 2010-3000 www.mapfrecr.com

ASSA Compañia de Seguros Telephone: (506) 2503-2700 www.assanet.cr BMI (Best Meridian Insurance Company Telephone: (506) 2228-6069 www.segurosbmicr.com

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