Costa Rica on a UK Licence — No IDP Needed, but You Switch to the Right

The licence question is the easy part. GOV.UK says a UK photocard licence can be used in Costa Rica for up to 180 days, depending on the length of stay you have been granted as a tourist, so the practical limit is the date on your entry stamp. No International Driving Permit is needed. If you still carry an old paper licence, you may need to swap it for a photocard or get an IDP. Bring the original passport as well.

The harder parts are the capital’s driving restriction, the bridges and the rainy season.

San José has a plate-number rule

GOV.UK says private cars are only allowed to enter San José on certain weekdays, allocated by the last digit of the licence plate. A hire car is no exception. Ask the rental company on collection which days your car may enter the capital, and plan your sightseeing around them rather than discovering the rule at a checkpoint. If you will not be going into the city at all, it matters less.

Driving on the right

The UK drives on the left; Costa Rica drives on the right. The danger window is the first day: joining a roundabout that flows the other way, pulling out of a fuel stop, an instinctive glance the wrong way at a junction. Take your first hour somewhere quiet rather than in the capital’s traffic.

What UK advice says about the roads

The standard of driving is described as lower than in the UK. Drivers cause accidents by speeding, overtaking irresponsibly or ignoring traffic lights. Other warnings from GOV.UK:

• Main routes are generally in good condition, but in the rainy season heavy rain can cause potholes and landslides that block roads.
• Bridges over the road often narrow it to a single lane, so slow down and watch for oncoming traffic.
• Right-hand drive vehicles are illegal in Costa Rica, and border authorities may refuse them entry because they do not qualify for local insurance. This matters if you are thinking of driving a UK car in.

Speeds look low for a reason

Off the main highways you meet narrow lanes, potholes and gravel sections, often through demanding mountain scenery. A journey that looks like an hour on the map can take far longer.

After an accident

If somebody is injured, or the other driver does not accept blame, do not move your vehicle until the traffic police have arrived. GOV.UK gives the traffic police (the ’transito’) on 2222 9330 or 2222 9245, and the insurance investigator, INS, on 800 800 8000. Call both immediately. Your rental company will want to hear too.

Fines and alcohol

The blood-alcohol limit is 0.05, below the 0.08 used in England and Wales. Fines, from the record for Costa Rica:

The Speeding Fine Calculator turns your speed into a likely band.

Taxis, equipment and numbers

Avoid unofficial taxis (’taxi piratas’). Official taxis are red, or orange at the airport, with a triangular sticker and a plastic box on the roof; GOV.UK recommends radio-dispatched ones and says the driver’s ID should be visible and the meter used. A warning triangle and reflective vest must be carried, where the UK only recommends them. The emergency number is 911 for everything, not 999. Read the Costa Rica driving guide for the full breakdown, and check your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Costa Rica safety and security (UK photocard licence for up to 180 days; San José plate restriction; right-hand drive vehicles; road conditions; accidents; taxis): gov.uk