QCOSTARICA – It’s Semana Santa, sorry we’re closed. That is what the sign outside the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (COSEVI) offices should read, but most likely, it will be just a locked chain-link fence.
The closure is due two factors, one, this Semana Santa week has three mandatory holidays (Monday, April 11 and Holy Thursday and Friday, April 14 and 15) and the government directive giving central government officials the entire week off.
In other words, all Cosevi services have been suspended at the close of business Friday, April 8, and re-open on Monday, April 18 at 7 am.
What this means for drivers who have had or will have during this week, their license plates and/or vehicles confiscated, they can’t get them back until at least Monday the 18th.
But before you can retrieve your plates and/or vehicle, all fines, including the accrued, must be paid first before they will be returned.
If your vehicle is towed, the cost added to the fine is ¢8,016 colones for the first 6 kilometers, ¢1,336 for each additional kilometer and ¢4,846 for each day the vehicle sits on the Transito (Traffic Polilce) patios.
As to traffic fines obtained during this period, drivers will have to wait until at least Monday the 18th to file an “impugnación” (challenge), as the process is also shut down for Semana Santa.
Starting Monday the 18th, the 10 working days to challenge the ticket begins. The process can take months for a resolution.
