Costa Rica on an Indian Licence — The Side Switch & One-Lane Bridges

Costa Rica is a natural self-drive country, and for an Indian visitor the paperwork is the easy part. The real adjustments are the side of the road and the roads themselves, especially once the rains begin.

The side switch

India drives on the left and Costa Rica on the right. Roundabouts run anticlockwise, you overtake on the left, and the instinctive glance at a junction now goes the wrong way. Give yourself a quiet first hour away from San José traffic.

Your licence and passport

Costa Rica lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence for the length of stay granted on the entry stamp, up to 180 days, as both Global Affairs Canada and GOV.UK describe. Keep your original passport with you while driving; Canada notes that photocopies are not accepted. India is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention and Costa Rica is not, so an Indian IDP carries no treaty weight there, though a hire desk may still like to see one. The Driving Permit Checker compares your other trips.

Roads, rain and one-lane bridges

GOV.UK says the main routes are generally in good condition, but the rainy season brings potholes and landslides, and bridges often narrow to a single lane. Canada’s advice adds sharp curves, missing signs and unpaved stretches, warns that some drivers run without lights at night, and advises against night driving. WHO lists a maximum of 50 km/h in urban areas and 60 km/h on rural roads; follow the posted signs.

Alcohol and cameras

Costa Rica’s limit is 0.05 g/dl for the general population and 0.02 for young or novice drivers, against 0.03 in India. Canada notes that automatic speed cameras are common and that tickets can arrive by post, payable at COSEVI or a bank. After a crash, do not move the car until the authorities arrive, call 911, and expect that you may be prevented from leaving the country until injury claims are settled. More in the Costa Rica driving guide.

Sources

• Global Affairs Canada, Costa Rica travel advice (foreign licence up to 180 days or the stay on the entry stamp, passport while driving, road conditions, cameras, accident rules, 911): travel.gc.ca
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Costa Rica safety and security (licence up to 180 days depending on stay granted, rainy-season potholes and landslides, single-lane bridges): gov.uk
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Costa Rica profile (urban 50, rural 60 km/h; BAC 0.05 general, 0.02 novice): who.int
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, India profile (BAC 0.03 g/dl): who.int
• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (India a party; Costa Rica not) and 1968 Convention (Costa Rica signed, not ratified; India not a party): treaties.un.org 1949, treaties.un.org 1968