The Road Safety Council (COSEVI) announced on March 26 that it will suspend its services during the collective government holidays for Holy Week, meaning no public attention will be provided throughout this period. The last day of service before the break is Friday, March 27, until 3 p.m., with operations resuming on Monday, April 6 at 7 a.m.
This suspension affects drivers whose vehicles or license plates are confiscated just before or during the holiday closure. They will not be able to retrieve their property until after Holy Week. COSEVI’s legal director Carlos Rivas Fernández said that those affected must book an appointment through www.csv.go.cr even during the break, but appointments will only be scheduled for dates following the reopening and not necessarily for April 6.
“The recommendation is the same for drivers: always respect traffic laws and even more so in a season where you could be left without your vehicle or without the right to circulate legally—by having your plates withheld—for several days, which could ruin family or friends’ plans to go out,” Rivas said.
Since November 2024, registered owners have been able to request plate returns via COSEVI’s website and receive them by mail through Correos de Costa Rica if all requirements—including fine payments—are met. However, retrieval of confiscated vehicles or bicycles remains strictly personal with a prior appointment and requires payment of fines as well as towing (¢7,622.19 for up to six kilometers plus ¢1,270.37 per additional kilometer) and custody fees (¢4,185.04 per day).
Payments can be made at Banco Nacional, Banco Popular, BAC Credomatic or Banco de Costa Rica if fines are already registered in the system; after the break they may also pay at ASECONSEVI (Punto Tucán) in La Uruca.
During this period no vehicles or plates can be withdrawn from custody nor can appeals processes proceed until offices reopen on April 6. The ten-business-day window for contesting tickets or obtaining a fifteen percent early payment discount is suspended from March 27 onward; counting resumes April 6 so appeals related to tickets issued around these dates can still be filed as late as Friday, April 17. Appeals may also be submitted by email during recess by sending signed documents with required identification attachments to recepcion-impugnaciones@csv.go.cr.
