Procedures

How to get a driver's license in Costa Rica

Step-by-step guide to obtaining a Costa Rican B1 car license or a class A motorcycle license for the first time: credentials, theory exam, medical certificate, road test, documents and costs.

By Brandon BarqueroPublished: July 23, 202614 min readEditorial methodology

Updated July 23, 2026.

This guide covers the process of obtaining an ordinary B1 car license or an A1, A2 or A3 motorcycle license for the first time. Appointment availability, office hours, authorized payment collectors and administrative fees may change; confirm them on the official MOPT driver's license portal before paying or traveling to an office.

The process at a glance

To get your first driver’s license, you will normally need to:

Choose the correct license class.
Obtain your Road Safety Education credentials free of charge.
Study the appropriate driver’s manual and pass the theory exam.
Obtain a valid medical certificate.
Practice; if you will drive on public roads, obtain a temporary learner’s permit.
Pay for and schedule the road test.
Attend with the vehicle and all required documents.
Pass the test and request issuance of the license.

You do not need to pay an intermediary to “get” an appointment. Registration is completed through official systems, and MOPT warns that payments must only be made through authorized financial institutions.

1. Choose the license you actually need

This guide focuses on the most common licenses for a first-time applicant:

Type	What it allows you to drive	Key point for the test
B1	Vehicles with a gross weight or maximum authorized weight of up to 4,000 kg. It also allows a light trailer if the combined unit does not exceed that limit.	The test must be taken in a vehicle of up to 4,000 kg; it cannot be a UTV.
A1	Mopeds or combustion-engine motorcycles up to 125 cc; electric or hybrid motorcycles up to 11 kW.	The motorcycle must match the requested category.
A2	Mopeds or combustion-engine motorcycles up to 500 cc; electric or hybrid motorcycles up to 35 kW.	Check engine displacement or power before paying and scheduling.
A3	Motorcycles with no engine-displacement or power limit. It includes everything authorized under A1 and A2.	The test must correspond to A3.

The general rule is that applicants must be at least 18 years old. A1 is an exception: it may be requested from age 16 with written authorization from a parent, guardian or legal representative and with the special insurance policy required by law. Professional and special-equipment license classes have additional age, experience and prior-license requirements; review Articles 85 through 89 of Traffic Law 9078 if that applies to you.

Cars and motorcycles no longer use the same theory exam.

Since March 2, 2026, class B car licenses and class A motorcycle licenses have separate manuals and assessments. Choose the correct category from the beginning.

Temporary exception during 2026

If you passed the theory exam on or before February 27, 2026, you may take the car and/or motorcycle road test through December 31, 2026 without another theory exam. After that date, the earlier passing result will remain valid for cars, but motorcycle applicants will need to pass the motorcycle-specific assessment. This rule was announced by Road Safety Education.

2. Obtain your Road Safety Education credentials

Before scheduling the exams, you need a username and password for the Driver Accreditation System. According to MOPT, this step has been mandatory since 2023.

The process is free.
No appointment is required.
You must appear in person with your original physical identity document, valid and in good condition.
Costa Rican citizens use their national ID card; foreign residents use the applicable DIMEX immigration identity document.

MOPT publishes the steps for requesting credentials and office information on its driver’s license portal. Do not assume that special hours announced for a temporary campaign are still in effect: check regular office hours before going.

Keep your username and password secure. You will need them to view availability, register and manage your appointments.

3. Study for and pass the theory exam

Get the correct driver’s manual

Since March 2026, there have been two separate manuals:

Driver’s Manual for Automobiles, for applicants seeking a class B license.
Driver’s Manual for Motorcycles, for applicants seeking a class A license.

Each manual costs ₡3,500, according to the official February 2026 announcement, and includes practice questions. Costa Rica’s National Printing Office announced sales at its La Uruca and Curridabat locations and the option to request delivery through Correos de Costa Rica by emailing [email protected]. Confirm availability and payment methods through the official National Printing Office information.

Choose an exam format

Road Safety Education offers two main options:

Self-study exam: you study on your own and attend only to take the exam.
Regular course: you attend four days of classes and take the exam on the fifth day. Attendance is mandatory.

Pay and register

The theory exam costs ₡5,000. Pay the required fee through an authorized financial institution, make sure the payment is linked to your identification number and keep the receipt. Then sign in to the Driver Accreditation System with your credentials to select the format, location, date and time.

There is no additional registration charge inside the system. Do not transfer money to personal bank accounts or purchase appointment slots offered through social media.

What the exam is like

The test contains 40 questions and requires a minimum score of 70 to pass. On the day of the exam, bring:

Your original physical identity document, valid and in good condition.
The receipt number or code required to activate the exam.
Proof of registration, preferably available both on your phone and in printed form.

You can review your appointment through the official exam appointment lookup.

4. Obtain the medical certificate

You need a general medical certificate issued by a professional authorized by the Costa Rican College of Physicians and Surgeons. MOPT does not publish a single fixed price: the cost depends on the medical professional.

For the road test, MOPT requires the certificate to be less than 180 days old from its date of issue. To reduce the risk of it expiring before you obtain an appointment, it is often more practical to get the certificate when you are close to scheduling the road test.

Confirm with the doctor that the certificate was registered correctly and that your information matches your identity document exactly.

5. Practice legally

Passing the theory exam does not by itself authorize you to drive on a public road. If you will practice outside private property or an authorized course, you need a temporary learner’s permit.

The official MOPT frequently asked questions page lists the following requirements: a passed theory exam, valid identification, medical certificate, payment of the applicable fee and an INS insurance policy. The permit is processed at a Road Safety Education office and is listed as valid for three months. Because the amount shown on that page may become outdated, confirm it before paying.

When using the permit:

You must be accompanied by someone who holds a valid license of the same or a higher class.
That person must have obtained their license at least five years earlier.
Both the learner and the accompanying driver must be legally fit to drive.
You must carry the permit and comply with the insurance policy conditions.

A driving school may be helpful, but verify that it operates legally and request a written description of what the service includes. The permit is for learning; it does not replace the permanent license.

6. Pay for and schedule the road test

Once you have passed the theory exam and are ready to drive:

Pay ₡5,000 for the road-test fee through an authorized collector.
Confirm that the payment corresponds to the exact license class and your identification number.
Open the official road-test scheduling system.
Choose an available location, date and time.
Save the confirmation.

Appointment availability depends on the system. If you can no longer attend, use the official option to cancel the road-test appointment so the slot can be released.

If you fail, the system applies a 20-business-day restriction before allowing another registration. Do not make a second payment without first checking the status of the earlier receipt and the rules shown by the system.

7. Prepare the vehicle and documents

Arriving on time and knowing how to drive are not enough. Road Safety Education may end the appointment without administering the test if a document is missing, expired or does not match the vehicle.

Personal documents

Original physical identity document, valid and in good condition.
Correct proof of road-test payment.
Medical certificate issued less than 180 days earlier.
Appointment confirmation.

Vehicle documents

Vehicle title or National Registry certification issued no more than 60 days earlier.
Current vehicle circulation permit, commonly known as the marchamo.
Current vehicle technical inspection card or certificate.
Weight and dimensions card when applicable to vehicles over six metric tons.

This list is based on the official Road Safety Education reminder about mandatory documents. Review it again when scheduling because an individual testing location may publish additional operating instructions.

Check the car or motorcycle

Before leaving for the test, check:

Headlights, turn signals, brake lights and horn.
Tires in good condition.
Seat belts and mirrors, for a car.
Brakes and controls working correctly.
License plates installed and legible.
That the motorcycle’s engine displacement or power matches A1, A2 or A3.

Arrive early. Also verify whether the route at your testing location enters public roads and whether a driving restriction applies to the vehicle’s license plate that day.

8. What the road test evaluates

The minimum passing score is 80. The test is not limited to moving the vehicle: it evaluates control, observation, compliance with signs and safe driving.

Common reasons for losing points or failing, according to Road Safety Education, include:

Failing to obey vertical or road-surface signs.
Hitting or touching a cone or movable marker.
Stopping the vehicle during the reverse-driving exercise.
On a motorcycle, placing a foot on the ground during parallel or zigzag exercises.
Leaving the marked course boundaries.

Review the official list of violations linked by MOPT and practice the maneuvers without relying only on memorizing the course. Your priority should be to observe, signal and perform each action under control. MOPT published additional context in its analysis of common reasons for failing.

9. After passing: issuance of your first license

Once the passing result appears in the system, follow the testing location’s instructions to have the license printed through Banco de Costa Rica. MOPT has stated that first-time issuance is handled without an appointment at designated BCR offices located at Road Safety Education centers, but arrangements may vary by location.

Bring the following for issuance:

Valid identity document in good condition.
Valid medical certificate.
Proof of payment of the issuance fee.

MOPT’s frequently asked questions section lists a ₡4,000 fee for a first license. Confirm the amount and any commission directly with BCR before paying. The first license is issued for three years; later renewals follow different rules.

Minimum reference budget

Item	Published amount
Road Safety Education credentials	Free
Official car or motorcycle manual	₡3,500
Theory exam	₡5,000
Road test	₡5,000
First-issuance fee listed by MOPT	₡4,000
Medical certificate	Variable
Temporary permit, insurance, lessons or vehicle rental	Variable and optional depending on your case

As a reference, the official items with known published amounts total ₡17,500, excluding the medical certificate, commissions, learner’s permit, insurance, lessons, transportation and vehicle costs. It also excludes retaking an exam. Do not treat this as a quotation: verify every fee before paying.

Cases requiring special attention

Foreign nationals

To create system credentials, the official instructions specify an original physical DIMEX document that is valid and in good condition. If you already hold a foreign driver’s license and want it recognized in Costa Rica, do not automatically begin the entire process from scratch: review the separate foreign-license recognition process.

Applicants who need educational support

Road Safety Education schedules theory courses with additional support for people who did not complete sixth grade or who attended certain educational programs. Specific sessions are also offered in Costa Rican Sign Language, known as LESCO. Review the official calendar and requirements; these formats do not remove the obligation to provide identification, pay the fee and complete the assessment.

Professional licenses

B2, B3, B4, C, D and E licenses do not follow exactly the same process. They may require minimum ages, previous driving experience, specialized courses or an existing license. Use this guide only as an initial reference and confirm the correct class under Law 9078 and with Road Safety Education.

Mistakes that can cost you the appointment

Paying for B1 when you need a motorcycle test, or selecting the wrong class A category.
Arriving with an expired or damaged Costa Rican ID or DIMEX, or only a photograph of the document.
Bringing a medical certificate that is 180 days old or older.
Presenting a National Registry certification issued more than 60 days earlier.
Relying on an expired marchamo or technical inspection.
Using a motorcycle whose displacement or power does not match the paid category.
Buying an appointment or transferring money to a supposed intermediary.
Failing to cancel an appointment you cannot attend.

Frequently asked questions

Does the theory exam expire?

MOPT has stated that a passed theory exam does not expire. However, the separation between car and motorcycle exams introduced in 2026 determines the class for which it is valid. If you passed before February 28, 2026, pay particular attention to the transition period ending December 31, 2026.

Can I take the theory exam and road test on the same day?

The normal process requires passing the theory exam before scheduling the road test. Extraordinary walk-in events announced by MOPT have specific conditions and dates and should not be treated as regular service.

Can I use a borrowed vehicle?

Yes, provided that it matches the requested class, is in safe condition and you bring all required documents. The applicant does not need to be the registered owner, but the documents must correctly identify the vehicle being presented.

Can I practice on public roads after passing only the theory exam?

No. To drive legally on public roads before receiving a license, you need the temporary learner’s permit, the insurance policy and the accompanying driver required by law.

Where should I check the correct links?

Always start with the MOPT driver’s license page. Avoid sponsored search results, links sent by unknown people and websites that imitate the official system.