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I currently have a US Drivers license. How and where do I need to go to get a Costa Rican license. Since I live in Nicoya, can I go to Liberia or do I need to go to san Jose?
Someone else will have to respond to whether or not you can obtain an initial driver’s license in Liberia. If not, you’ll have to come to the main driver’s license office in La Uruca which, I think, only processes applications until about 11:00am. La Uruca is a suburb of San Jose and the office there is just off the autopista.
You will first need to go to a physician who has the form and have the most superficial physical exam of your life. If you can fog a mirror, you’ll pass. Also, you must either present convincing proof of your blood type or have a lab type it. Nearby the driver’s license office(s), you’ll find clinics dedicated to the exam and blood typing. Proof of your blood type would be a Red Cross donor card or maybe a notation on your U.S. license.
You should bring copies of your passport or cedula and the front and back of your U.S. driver’s license. You will [b]NOT[/b] have to surrender your U.S. license although you can drive in the U.S. on your Costa Rican license.
You [b]MUST[/b] apply for your Costa Rican driver’s license in the first 90 days of your presence here to avoid having to take a written test and or a driver’s education course — [i][b]en espanol.[/b][/i]
Thanks Dave for your prompt reply. This validates what we have in order for our license. You are probably right about needing to go to San Jose. Do we need an appointment?
So many things change around here that it is good to confirm on what is “current”.
Thank goodness for you earlier pioneers who make the way easier for us newcomers.
Pura Vida
Jean & RichUnless you wish to take the exam in Spanish, you must go to La Uruca for your initial license with your valid passport, showing you are still within your 90 day visa..
Thank goodness for this forum and the enlightened folks who take the time to answer our questions. We will make the trek to La Uruca next week for our licenses and see what else we may be able to accomplish while in San Jose.
Ciao!
Jean and RichIt seems like I also remember having to take a copy of something to prove a place of residence such as a copy of an electric bill in Costa Rica or a rental receipt from the landlord. They don’t make any copies there so you have to have the copies made yourself before you get in line. Just make sure you go early so that you get in by 11AM. That is the cut-off intake time for processing driver’s licenses for foreigners. Also make sure your current driver’s license from the states is still valid. I was sitting next to some Brazilian guy who waited hours for a Costa Rican driver’s license. His Brazilian driver’s license was expired. They said he had to go and get some kind of police report before they would give him a driver’s license.
Also the medical exam and blood typing does cost money. I think it was more than the license itself.
Rosie,
Taking proof of where we live is an excellent idea, we had not thought of that. Yup, I know the medical and blood test cost money. We have already taken care of those details. Everything cost money and more than we expect. Oh well.
We will be like teenagers, bragging when we get our Costa Rican license 🙂
Have a good evening!
J&RThe fees for the “physical exam” and (maybe) blood typing are standardized. The physical is around c10,000. The blood typing is probably c3-4,000 (but don’t’ quote me).
if you get a separate blood test from the physical, you can save that for your renewal. and to save time and hassle, i would have those two things done the week before you go to La Uruca.
We have our licenses!!!!
All went well. We were at COSEVI for 3 hours, that includes the bank closing for lunch. We were prepared in advance with doctor’s report, blood type on separate page, which we kept (thanks for the tip).
What we didn’t have were 3 copies each of the passport pages, US license front and back. We only had one each. They will keep the original doctor’s report. We kept one copy for ourselves.
Wear sneakers, we were running back and forth for copies and the bank and to find the “soda” for a quick bean empanada.
Cost was 4,000 colones for the license. Additional 4,000 for separate motorcycle license.
We are good for three years. 😀
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