In Costa Rica, everyone that has a vehicle has to pay the marchamo, the obligatory “Liability” insurance. It must be renewed annually between November 1 and Dec. 31. If your car does not have the marchamo decal on the windshield, it will be illegal after the January 1, 2012 and may be impounded.
The marchamo cannot be paid if there are any outstanding parking or traffic tickets issued against the car during the year. You also need a current inspection certificate to be allowed to pay.
The amount you are required to pay is based on the make, model and year of your car. This is available on-line. Here.
You can pay at the MOPT offices, or at a number of private locations including all public and most private banks. Lines tend to be very long as the deadline draws near, so pay this as soon as possible to avoid long waits.
If you don’t pay, you can be ticketed, your plates confiscated and the car towed. Police normally start ticketing January 2nd. Pay your marchamo on time and save yourself lots of grief.
_______________________________________________
I love to hear from my readers. Let me know about your favorite place in Costa Rica. I also love to hear about upcoming events. My e-mail address is Lynn.Farris@ymail.com
Comments