The Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Costa Rica (Updated 2024)

Posted: 1/25/24 | January twenty fifth, 2024

I really like Costa Rica. It was the primary place I visited on my own over 15 years in the past and the nation that set me on my nomadic journey. From its gorgeous seashores to its lush jungles, this biodiverse nation is common with backpackers, honeymooners, and expats alike. And whereas it’s small, there’s a ton to see and do. You might simply spend a month and nonetheless barely scratch the floor.

It’s additionally wonderful for road-tripping.

As a lot as a backpacking bus or hitchhiking journey would possibly initially sound interesting, the fact is that ready within the sizzling solar after which bouncing alongside bumpy roads in an previous bus with out shocks or air-conditioning shouldn’t be for the fainthearted. If you need actual freedom to discover, you want a rental automotive.

To enable you to plan your journey, right here’s every little thing that you must learn about renting a automotive in Costa Rica.

Picking the Right Rental Car (and Rental Company)

Before you lease a automotive, learn and examine critiques for automotive rental firms. While the usual massive firms can be found right here, there are many native ones too.

Once you have got narrowed down the record to a selected few, ask for quotes for the kind of car and journey dates that you just require. The quote ought to embody necessary third-party insurance coverage, taxes, and every other surcharges, like airport tax. Most websites embody all this data when getting a quote on-line.

Whether you might be reserving on-line or immediately with an agent, double-check the small print of your reservation. Crossing time zones might imply that your rental pickup time and even date is totally different in Costa Rica than your nation of departure. You might want to affirm the time, date, and placement of your car’s pickup and drop-off, the car class, transmission, and protection required.

Points to recollect when renting a automotive in Costa Rica:

• A handbook transmission could also be cheaper than automated and extra frequent in Costa Rica however ought to solely be chosen should you can drive a stick shift.
• Returning your automotive at a vacation spot totally different from the place you picked it up will in all probability incur a further cost.
• Most rental firms won’t assure a particular make and mannequin throughout the rental class.
• Expect to lease for 24-hour intervals. Time your pickup and drop-off accordingly.
• Provide your flight quantity earlier than you arrive, so the corporate can monitor your flight.
• If you have got an early flight, think about dropping off the car the evening earlier than and utilizing a resort shuttle to the airport.
• Online journey businesses (OTAs) usually fail to incorporate all costs, so should you ebook by one, make sure you verify the ultimate worth with the automotive rental firm, by which the pricing could also be extra clear.
• Most firms now supply a web-based check-in course of to add paperwork corresponding to passports and driver’s licenses to chop time on the counter and get on the highway sooner.

My go-to rental automotive firm in Costa Rica is Vamos. You can click on right here to get a quote. (You’ll get 5% off simply through the use of that hyperlink).
 

Arriving on the Airport

Both worldwide airports in Costa Rica have automotive rental firm desks throughout the constructing; nevertheless, the workplaces (the place you’ll get your automotive) are off-site. They typically have a shuttle service to take purchasers to their workplaces, most of that are situated inside a 10-minute drive of the airport.

Local hustlers would possibly let you know that your organization has gone out of enterprise to persuade you to go along with a distinct firm that may pay them a fee. Look for an indication along with your firm’s emblem and ignore the hustlers.

If your flight is delayed otherwise you miss your connection, contact the corporate along with your new estimated arrival time to keep away from having the reservation canceled as a no-show.

When you arrive on the rental workplace, the agent will fill in any excellent paperwork that has not been finished on-line and conduct a car inspection with you. Although the agent will be aware present harm, it is best to take pictures or video of the automotive for backup functions.

Your car might not have a full gas tank if you choose it up, however the gas gauge degree ought to be logged on the inspection type. You might want to return the automotive with the identical gas degree. Although you’ll not be reimbursed for a degree larger than the one registered, you can be charged whether it is beneath the beginning degree.

Returning the Vehicle
Confirm your drop-off location and time if you choose up the car. If you might be caught in site visitors or are delayed for any purpose, contact the rental firm to keep away from a penalty. Make positive that your gas gauge is on the proper degree, or else head to a gasoline station earlier than you drop it off. The firm’s consultant will examine your car with you after which course of the deposit reimbursement.
 

Documents Needed for Renting a Car in Costa Rica

Here’s every little thing that you must lease a automotive in Costa Rica:

Driver’s license – You can use your native driver’s license throughout the rental interval so long as it’s printed within the Latin alphabet. If your license is in a language that doesn’t use the Latin alphabet (e.g., Mandarin, Arabic), a world driving license is required. Your driver’s license have to be legitimate for the whole thing of your keep.

It is essential to notice that though most vacationers might be given a 180-day visa once they enter the nation, their driver’s licenses are solely legitimate for 90 days, and they are going to be required to depart Costa Rica and return to legally drive once more.

Credit card – You want a legitimate bank card in your identify to pay the automotive rental and to put the deposit.

Passport – Your passport ought to be legitimate at some point of your keep. Legally, vacationers should carry it with them always. The transit police will need to see it and your entry visa if you’re pulled over.

A Note on the Minimum and Maximum Driving Age
Each automotive rental firm has insurance policies relating to the age of the drivers it insures. Many wouldn’t have a most age, however some set a restrict of 70-75 years previous. The authorized age to drive in Costa Rica is eighteen; nevertheless, most firms require that drivers be a minimum of 25. Younger drivers might be able to lease a automotive for a further surcharge and insurance coverage prices.
 

Insurance Coverage

Costa Rica has necessary third-party insurance coverage for automotive leases. It shouldn’t be attainable to acquire this protection every other manner. Check that this value is included in your rental quote, because it’s usually ignored, so chances are you’ll find yourself paying greater than what you initially thought.

A collision harm waiver (CDW) covers losses from harm to your rental automotive. This is legally required when renting a automotive in Costa Rica. Most firms supply numerous tiers of insurance coverage, with numerous deductibles. Many renters choose full protection for peace of thoughts, as then any harm that happens throughout rental is roofed. Some firms supply further protection for tires and the windscreen (windshield), as they aren’t all the time coated by the CDW.

If your bank card supplier has a CDW as a perk, you’ll be able to waive the in-house CDW. Just be aware that you will want to carry a letter that explicitly states the quantity of protection, that Costa Rica is included within the areas coated, and the final 4 digits of the driving force’s bank card. A duplicate of the bank card firm’s phrases and situations shouldn’t be often ample.

One essential factor to notice is that the rental firm might maintain a deposit for the rental interval, which may very well be as much as $5,000 USD if the renter is utilizing their bank card supplier’s CDW. The deposit might be launched on the finish of the rental interval. Make positive you have got a bank card that may take up this layer.
 

Driving in Costa Rica

Here are some things to bear in mind whereas driving in Costa Rica:

Speed limits – Signs are in kilometers somewhat than miles, and velocity limits are typically decrease than you’d count on, with a 90 km/h (55 mph) restrict on main highways. Speed limits change with restricted warning between areas, so keep alert to signage.

Gas stations – Make positive that you realize in case your rental car is fueled by gasoline or diesel. This data ought to be on the car inspection report should you’ve forgotten. Gas stations will not be self-service, so be ready to ask for the sort of gas you want in addition to the quantity.

If you’re renting one of many EVs which can be beginning to type a part of fleets in Costa Rica, then plan your route across the community of charging stations throughout the nation. You can study extra about these right here.

Navigation – Use Waze, which is up to date in actual time by an enthusiastic group of volunteers, so that you’re conscious of accidents or different conditions which will have an effect on your journey time. Google Maps is on the market however doesn’t all the time have correct data. It additionally tends to underestimate journey instances, so it is best to take that into consideration when planning your itinerary should you plan to make use of it.

Despite Costa Rica’s official tackle system, which consists of calles (roads that run north-south) and avenidas (avenues that run west-east), virtually all locals give instructions utilizing landmarks, and few can present instructions utilizing highway or avenue numbers. It’s useful to know {that a} block is often described as 100 meters.

To add to the confusion, a location might use landmarks that now not exist however have been recognized nicely sufficient to stay in residing reminiscence. So chances are you’ll be directed to go 600 meters south of the place “where the big mango tree used to be” or to show left after “the supermarket that used to be pink.” Thankfully, Waze is a navigation lifesaver, however you would possibly develop to benefit from the quirky tico (Costa Rican) manner of discovering locations!

Parking – Always park in safe parking tons, and don’t go away valuables in an unattended car, as break-ins can happen.

In the previous few years, there have been instances of the transit police issuing fines and eradicating license plates from automobiles parked on yellow traces at common vacationer spots like Manuel Antonio. The headache on this scenario is that the car can’t be pushed with out plates and have to be towed again to the workplace, the place it stays off the highway till the automotive rental firm reclaims the plates from the related authority. This is a time-consuming and costly process, so be conscious of the place you park!
 

Additional Rental Considerations

Many automotive rental firms cost a every day worth for tools or providers past the fundamental rental prices. You ought to take this under consideration when budgeting your journey. These can embody:

Additional drivers – Expect to pay a every day fee for every driver added to your rental settlement after the principle driver. (Vamos Rent-A-Car presents further drivers with out additional value.) It is smart to have a minimum of one further driver to share the burden for longer journeys or to take over if the principle driver is feeling underneath the climate.

Roof racks – If you’re touring with loads of baggage or surfboards, then renting a roof rack at a every day fee could also be an answer to a cramped car inside.

Baby or automotive seating – If you’re touring with youngsters, Costa Rican legislation about seating (see beneath) is strictly enforced. Either carry your personal youngster seat or lease one at a every day fee from the corporate.

Costa Rican seating legal guidelines for youngsters are primarily based both on age or weight/top:

• Rear-facing child seat: Required for youngsters lower than a 12 months previous and underneath 22 lbs (10 kg)
• Child seat: For these as much as 4 years previous or lower than 40 lbs (18 kg) and underneath 3’7”
• Booster seat: For these 5 to 12 years previous, 40 kilos or extra, and nonetheless underneath 4’9”
• Seat belt: For these 4’9” or taller or over the age of 12

Wi-Fi – Stay linked all through your journey with out paying extortionate roaming costs through the use of a Mi-Fi (cell Wi-Fi) gadget out of your rental firm. It’s often quick sufficient to add your newest vacay pics onto Instagram, connect with your Spotify road-trip playlists, and navigate with Waze, however downloading motion pictures might be an excessive amount of to count on. Internet protection in Costa Rica is huge, however don’t depend on it if you’re touring off the overwhelmed monitor.

Accidents – If you might be concerned in a site visitors accident, verify that nobody is damage then transfer to security off the highway. Do not transfer the car. Call the transit police and your insurance coverage firm. You must also name your automotive rental supplier to evaluate if the automotive might be pushed, if a mechanic is required onsite or if the automotive must be exchanged and towed. The car might be moved as soon as the transit police give permission.

Crossing the Border – Rental automobiles can’t be taken to neighboring international locations (Nicaragua or Panama) resulting from insurance coverage restrictions. If you need to go to these locations, you’ll be able to organize to drop off your rental car on the border and reserve a automotive to be delivered when you’ve crossed it.
 

11 Driving Tips for Costa Rica

1. Keep a detailed eye on velocity restrict indicators, as this may change shortly inside a brief distance.

2. You’re renting a automotive, not a ship, so resist the temptation to drive by rivers (even when the locals are doing so). Insurance insurance policies are voided if the car is pushed by any physique of water. And the digital parts of recent automobiles are more likely to expertise costly harm in water.

3. On the same be aware, it’s unlawful to park on the seaside. This is to guard wildlife, corresponding to turtles. Even if locals are doing it, discover a safe car parking zone as an alternative.

4. Drivers within the different lane might flash their lights as they’re coming towards you. This is often a warning that there are transit police forward or that there’s an upcoming impediment.

5. Speed bumps could also be massive and may very well be unmarked. Stay vigilant.

6. Bridges could also be one lane, so that you must search for signage that signifies which course has precedence.

7. If driving a manual-transmission car, change gears when driving downhill, and don’t journey the brakes or else the pads might overheat.

8. Use warning whereas driving at evening. Roads are sometimes poorly lit, and cyclists or pedestrians might use the highway edge in locations the place there’s no sidewalk. Plan to reach at your vacation spot by sundown or round 5:30pm. Keep your eyes peeled for sloths or different wildlife crossing the highway.

9. If you’re touring exterior of the Central Valley or essentially the most visited vacationer spots like Jaco, lease an SUV for the upper clearance that the car presents. For extra rural locations, a 4×4 could also be required, particularly within the wet season. Feel free to ask your automotive rental supplier for recommendation on the very best car to your itinerary.

10. Flat tires will not be often coated by in-house or bank card insurance policies. If you get a flat tire, a neighborhood storage can often repair it for lower than $20 USD.

11. If you might be pulled over by the transit police, it is best to current your driver’s license, passport, and the paperwork offered by the automotive rental firm. Traffic tickets might be issued by officers, however the cost can solely be made in a financial institution or through your automotive rental firm. Should a police officer ask you for money, name the police immediately or your automotive rental firm for help. Do not pay any bribes.

Costa Rica is a gorgeous nation and one in every of my favourite locations in Central America. To make sure you benefit from your go to and get off the overwhelmed path, lease a automotive. You’ll have extra freedom and adaptability, and be capable to discover past the usual vacationer websites. I can’t suggest it sufficient!

Click right here to get a quote from Vamos Rent-A-Car. You’ll get an automated 5% off simply through the use of this hyperlink!