The Traffic Police have resumed in-person services at their headquarters in San José and at offices nationwide following the year-end holiday break, the Road Safety Council (Cosevi) announced.

All Cosevi offices were closed from Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The closure coincided with the annual vacation period for public-sector employees in nonessential services, which runs from the last Friday before Christmas through the first Monday after New Year’s Day.

With offices now reopened, vehicle owners may once again file claims in person at any Traffic Police office. These services include procedures related to impounded vehicles, seized license plates and expired driver’s licenses.

Under Costa Rica’s Traffic Law, vehicle owners must pay the original traffic fine along with two additional charges: a towing fee and a daily custody fee. The towing fee is calculated based on the distance from the location where the vehicle was seized to the police impound lot.

 

The base towing cost is approximately $15 for the first three miles, with an additional $8 charged for each extra mile. The custody fee is $10 per day for every day a vehicle remains stored at a Cosevi impound lot.

Traffic fines remain valid for seven years. As a result, owners of impounded vehicles must settle all outstanding fines, towing charges, custody fees and any other unexpired penalties to recover their vehicles or license plates.

To schedule a vehicle or license plate recovery appointment, drivers must submit a request through the Cosevi website.

  

Authorities announced that traffic fines will be reduced by 0.22% this year. The adjustment reflects the same percentage decrease recorded in the Consumer Price Index.

In a related development, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) has reinstated license plate-based driving restrictions in San José following the end of the year-end holiday season.

Recently, traffic officials also issued warnings to drivers traveling to the country’s beaches, urging them to comply with the law and avoid common violations. These include driving or parking vehicles on the sand and the irresponsible use of personal watercraft, commonly known as jet skis.

As of November 2025, Costa Rica had recorded more than 490 traffic-related deaths, according to MOPT data.

In total, the country reported more than 500 traffic fatalities in 2024, with motorcyclists accounting for 53% of all deaths.

Officials urged drivers to follow traffic laws and report dangerous driving to the 9-1-1 emergency hotline.

MOPT is responsible for enforcing traffic laws and promoting road safety nationwide.