Driving my own car in and out of Costa Rica

Replies: 18 - Last Post: Mar 23, 2013 5:09 AM Last Post By: BOOMER1

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Mar 21, 2013 9:25 AM
Posts: 4

Driving my own car in and out of Costa Rica

Need information on driving my own car from Nicaragua through Costa Rica to Panama and back. What are the current laws and rules?
I am in Costa Rica now and getting a lot of conflicting reports. Thanks for the help. John

BOOMER1

Mar 21, 2013 12:51 PM
Posts: 1,917

Its quite straightforward, except you don't say what plates the car has.
If it has CA plates you will need to apply to the National Registry for papers to allow it to cross CA borders. The papers will include the period of stay.
If it is on foreign plates you will need the title document in your name plus passport and you will be issued a temporary import visa at the borders that lasts the same time as your tourist visa. This will be stamped in your passport for Nicaragua and Panama. It is not stamped in your passport for Costa Rica but the same rules apply.

chefhagan

Mar 21, 2013 5:21 PM
Posts: 2,411

Per #1, I have done it many times with Guatemalan plates. Pretty easy.

MrTim

Mar 21, 2013 5:59 PM
Posts: 822

Well how did you drive it from Nicaragua to Costa Rica? Then why cant you drive it to Panama to, and back?

http://www.drivetheamericas.com/

johnfinnegan

Mar 21, 2013 8:29 PM
Posts: 4

My car has Illinois plates. I am not worried about title and other documents. I have heard that if I go to Panama with my car I will not be able to return to Costa Rica for three months. Unlike the expats who boarder hop for 72 hours to renew their Visa they do not let you do this with your car. So I am wondering if anyone knows the current laws and regulations. Also how long can I keep a car in Panama. Again I heard rumors that a person can get a visa for 3 months but only one month for a car

BOOMER1

Mar 22, 2013 4:50 AM
Posts: 1,917

You can drive freely amongst CA countries on US plates. Normally your car permit lasts for the same time as your tourist visa. Immigration have been known to try and put the squeeze on "perpetual tourists" and this may include those who try and renew their car permit by constant entering and exiting. In theory immigration can vary the length of permits and visas to make life more difficult. If this is the first time you have crossed these borders you'll be fine, if you are obviously doing a visa run then it may prove different.

RayitoG

Mar 22, 2013 8:35 AM
Posts: 600

#5 You shouldn't generalize. El Salvador only allowed me 60 days on my Ontario Canada licensed vehicle when I entered on my 90 day tourist visa from Guatemala.

BOOMER1

Mar 22, 2013 12:18 PM
Posts: 1,917

#6 (Mo)...if you read #5 you'll see it says "In theory immigration can vary the length of permits and visas"....clearly from your experience I am right....

MrTim

Mar 22, 2013 12:25 PM
Posts: 822

Maybe a more appropriate question for the poster is, how many Stamps do you already have in your Passport for passing between Nica and CR? Cr is cracking down on the perpetual tourist (illegal resident) making Visa runs, car or not.

scoot

Mar 22, 2013 1:05 PM
Posts: 901

Recently heard about someone in the same situation. He thought he could go to Panama for a border run to stamp his passport and that it would also apply to his car.
He was told that if he left Costa Rica with his car, he could not return the car into the country for three months. He was left with the option of paying 9K in taxes to plate the car in Costa Rica, or leave the country. If his car would have been in the country longer than three months, he would have faced fines when eventually trying to leave with the car so he opted to drive it back to Canada.
Laws change constantly here. A friend hopped in his car to move it 10 meters and was nailed with a $200 seat belt fine. Heard yesterday that now seat belts are optional.

RayitoG

Mar 22, 2013 1:35 PM
Posts: 600

#5/7 there is no "in theory" the rule in El Salvador for a vehicle too old to import is 60 days. It must then leave the country, never to return! The alternative is a major fine or confiscation.

Edited by: RayitoG

chefhagan

Mar 22, 2013 5:06 PM
Posts: 2,411

The Costa Rican rules were; 90 days for your car and then a 90 day extension. After 6 months your car had to leave for 3 months. That may have changed but the theory hasn't. You cannot just keep renewing your car permit by leaving the country for a short time.

johnfinnegan

Mar 22, 2013 5:06 PM
Posts: 4

#9 described exactly what I heard. I will be leaving Costa Rica before my three months expire. Going to Panama for the first time. Plan on driving back to the U.S.. So will C.A. Let me back in with my car or am I stuck for three months in Panama. Also does panama have any restrictions. Tks

MrTim

Mar 22, 2013 5:19 PM
Posts: 822

I cant imagine all the people driving from North America to Panama and back to North America get stuck in Panama for 3 months? Thats nuts.

scoot

Mar 22, 2013 5:26 PM
Posts: 901

Would be interesting to know how long the vehicle was in Costa Rica. I'm assuming that there was very little time left on the visa for this to come up and be an issue at the border.