The new traffic law of Costa Rica

The new law which provides stiffer monetary fines for traffic violations becomes effective March 2010. In 2011 the traffic fines haven been increased again. The fines have been increased by 14%, the increased fines are being applied since January 2012! The posted fines are still without the 30% surcharge for PANI (Children’s welfare agency). For example: The fine for driving a vehicle without marchamo is ¢270.000. The 30% surcharge for PANI (Children’s welfare agency) is ¢81.000. So in total it is ¢351.000.

The point system was eliminated from the new traffic law of Costa Rica. The initial idea was that the law creates a license point system. Each driver would have started with 50 points, which would have been reduced for each violation. With zero points one would have lost his driver's license for two years.

Emblems of the traffic police and the M.O.P.T..
Emblems of the traffic police and the M.O.P.T..

Many fear that with the new traffic law, that includes stiffer penalties and fines for traffic violations, the amount of corruption will increase. The MOPT (Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes) will conduct stings to identify cops who solicit bribes.

One can denounce a corrupt traffic policeman in the offices of the MOPT (Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes). Therefore you have to present the name and the number of the official. The number is visible on uniform of the traffic policemen.

The number plate of the car of the official can help to identify him.

Complainants may file a written complaint at the central office of the MOPT (avenue 20 and 22 street 9, San Jose, phone 2257 7798) or by fax 2257 5247.

Traffic Offence Deducted Point Fine
Not wearing a seatbelt
20 ¢270.000
Speaking on the cell phone while driving
  ¢180.000
Making a u-turn where it is not allowed
10 ¢270.000
Not complying with downtown vehicle restrictions
10 ¢31.600*
Driving 20 km/h or more over the speed limit
20 ¢5.000
Driving 40 km/h or more over the speed limit
50 ¢360.000*
Not keeping braking safety distance between moving cars
5 ¢108.000
Running a red light or stop sign
25 ¢270.000
Overtaking on the right on double-lane roads
  ¢180.000
Driving or riding a vehicle on the beach
15 ¢180.000
Stopping in the middle of an intersection
15 ¢180.000
Contamination of public roads
20 ¢180.000
Honking the horn unnecessarily
  ¢144.000
Driving with broken wipers or lights
5 ¢68.100*
Driving without a windscreen
10 ¢144.000
Use of loudspeakers, to make announcements, without the proper permission
10 ¢36.000
Use of rotating lights without the proper permission
10 ¢36.000
Riding bicycle or motorcycle without wearing a reflective vest
10 ¢144.000
Riding bicycle or motorcycle without using a helmet
  ¢270.000
Driving with expired marchamo
20 ¢270.000
Driving a vehicle with an expired riteve
  ¢270.000
Not paying at the tollbooth
0 ¢36.000
Driving without a valid driver’s license
50
¢360.000 and confiscation of the vehicle
Driving with an suspended driver’s license
50
¢360.000 and confiscation of the vehicle
Driving with an expired driver’s license
5 ¢108.000
Offering public transport without the proper permission
10 ¢360.000
Driving with a foreign driver's license for more than 3 months
0 ¢108.000
Driving or riding a vehicle and not carrying your drivers license with you
  ¢72.000
Driving without carrying 2 warning triangles with you
  ¢180.000
Driving or riding a vehicle and not carrying the vehicles documents with you
  ¢72.000
Driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between .05 and 0.74
  ¢360.000
Driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.75 or more
50
Between 1 and 3 years imprisonment or social work, confiscation of the vehicle and suspension of the driver's license for 2 years
Driving faster than 120 km/h
  ¢360.000
Driving faster than 150 km/h
50
Between 1 and 3 years imprisonment or social work, confiscation of the vehicle and suspension of the driver's license for 2 years
Participation in illegal races
50
Between 1 and 3 years imprisonment or social work, confiscation of the vehicle and suspension of the driver's license for 2 years
Taxi drivers that overcharge
15 ¢180.000
Taxis that do not have a taximeter, have a modified taximeter or that do not use the taximeter
10 ¢144.000
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