UK licence Costa Rica

Driving in Costa Rica with a UK license

Short answer: you can drive in Costa Rica with a UK license; an International Driving Permit is recommended and is carried alongside your UK license.

IDP recommended

An International Driving Permit is recommended (not strictly required) for UK licence holders driving in Costa Rica. Your UK licence is in the Roman alphabet, but an IDP removes any doubt at rental desks and roadside checks. Carry both.

Convention basisCosta Rica uses the format of the 1949 Geneva Convention. Our certified translation is prepared in that exact format.

At the rental deskMandatory liability insurance is added at the desk; an IDP helps non-Latin scripts.

CarryCarry BOTH your UK national licence and the IDP at all times. The IDP is a translation of your licence and never replaces it.

Minimum age18+ to drive; rental typically 21+ with a young-driver surcharge under 25

Validity1–3 years (you choose at checkout)

FormatDigital PDF you print yourself, plus a QR-verifiable ID card — accepted alongside printed permits

Last verified July 2026Convention: 1949 Geneva

Get my IDP for Costa Rica Full Costa Rica guide

UK drivers should carry an International Driving Permit with their licence; some countries recognise the 1949 version and others the 1968 version. Your International Driving Permit is a certified multilingual translation of your existing licence, prepared in the 1949 Geneva format and carried alongside your national licence.

What driving in Costa Rica is like

Driving in Costa Rica with a foreign licence

The mountain road up to Monteverde and the scenic Pan-American stretch over Cerro de la Muerte (Ruta 2) are classic drives tourists seek out. For most visitors the real draw is the freedom to reach places trains and tours don't, on your own schedule, with the open road generally capped around 100 km/h highways where signed. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your UK licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Costa Rica can read your credentials at a glance.

Driving rules in Costa Rica

Drive on the right.
Mandatory state liability insurance on rentals.
0.05% alcohol limit.
4x4 advised for rural and rainy-season roads.

Local driving facts in Costa Rica

Emergency number: 911 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 100 km/h highways where signed. Posted limits always take precedence.

Tolls & road charges: A handful of routes are tolled, most notably Ruta 27 (San Jose to the Pacific via Caldera) with several small booths; tourists pay cash in colones (typically a few hundred to ~1,000 colones per booth) at the cabin.
Parking: Curbs painted yellow forbid stopping near hydrants, bus stops and taxi stands; many town centres run paid street zones ('boletas de parquimetro') where you buy and display a paper ticket, and 'cuidacarros' informally watch parked cars for a small tip.
Penalties & enforcement: Speeding tickets are notoriously steep (roughly 100,000-300,000+ colones, around US$200-450 for serious excess), and fines for phone use or no seatbelt also run into the tens of thousands of colones; transit police issue a ticket rather than collect cash roadside, and rental firms pass camera/photo-radar fines to the renter's card.
If you have an accident: Call 911 and notify the rental company immediately; by law you must NOT move the vehicles until the transit police (Transito) and the INS insurance inspector arrive and document the scene, even if you are blocking traffic.
City driving: In San Jose, avoid the chaotic 'La Hispanidad'/Sabana rotondas and note the city's restriction quirk: heavy congestion and one-way grids downtown make GPS essential, and parking enforcement around Paseo Colon is strict.
Winter driving: No winter-tyre rules - tropical climate.
Fuel: All stations are full-service (attendant fills the tank, no self-serve) and prices are fixed nationwide by RECOPE/ARESEP; mid-2026 prices run about 753-756 colones/litre for super/regular and ~670 for diesel, with cards widely accepted at branded stations.

Sources: adobecar.com, twoweeksincostarica.com, costaricavibes.com, globalpetrolprices.com

Common questions

Can I drive in Costa Rica with a UK license?

you can drive in Costa Rica with a UK license; an International Driving Permit is recommended and is carried alongside your UK license. Costa Rica uses the format of the 1949 Geneva Convention. Our certified translation is prepared in that exact format.

Is my UK driver's license valid in Costa Rica?

Do I need an International Driving Permit for Costa Rica?

Can I rent a car in Costa Rica with a UK license?

Mandatory liability insurance is added at the desk; an IDP helps non-Latin scripts.

What IDP format does Costa Rica accept?

Costa Rica uses the format of the 1949 Geneva Convention. Our certified translation is prepared in that exact format.

How do I get an International Driving Permit for Costa Rica?

An International Driving Permit is a certified multilingual translation of your existing UK license. You apply online, and it is issued as a printable PDF booklet with a QR-verifiable ID card in the 1949 Geneva format Costa Rica uses — carried alongside your UK license.

Do I still carry my UK license?

Carry BOTH your UK national licence and the IDP at all times. The IDP is a translation of your licence and never replaces it.

What is the emergency number and speed limit in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, dial 911 for emergencies; 112 also works from most GSM phones. The general maximum for cars on the fastest road class is 100 km/h highways where signed; posted limits in towns and on secondary roads are lower and always take precedence.

How do tolls and road charges work in Costa Rica?

A handful of routes are tolled, most notably Ruta 27 (San Jose to the Pacific via Caldera) with several small booths; tourists pay cash in colones (typically a few hundred to ~1,000 colones per booth) at the cabin.