QCOSTARICA – In an effort to defray operational costs, the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police) says it will not start to apply a two charge to owners of seized vehicles.
In addition to the initial tow, vehicle owners will also be required to pay a impound fee.
The cost of the initial of tow of a seized vehicle is ¢5,347 colones for the first six kilometres (the average distance to the near impound yard) and ¢819 colones for each additional kilometre.
For example, a seized vehicle is 10 kilometres away from the nearest impound yard will be bill ¢8,623 (5.347 + ¢3.276). The daily impound fee is ¢3,484 colones.
The registered owner of the vehicle will be responsible for the impound payment, in addition to the traffic fine, before the vehicle can be released.
Once the fees are paid, the vehicle must be removed immediately from the impound yard, or face additional fees.
The executive order (Decreto No 39098-MOPT) setting the rates were published on Wednesday in the official government publication, Diario Oficial La Gaceta.
Impounding a vehicle is a the discretion of the traffic official (transito), depending on the type of infraction and severity. Typically vehicles are impounded in cases of drunk driving (where the driver is taking into custody), not having the marchamo (circulation permit), riteve (vehicle inspection), vehicle registration is in question or driver without a license or as in the case of illegal taxis (porteadores). In many cases the license plate is confiscated, required the registered owner of the plate to pay the fine before having it returned.
Just another form of taxation or to put it in simpler terms: legalized theft by the government. They take YOUR property which you have paid for and charge you a ransom to get YOUR property back. This is on top of all the other “fees” (taxes) you already have paid the government for the privilege of using YOUR property. They are going to leave it up to the discretion of the transit police to decide which vehicles get towed? This seems to be a questionable policy and one which may open the door to corruption. How much will it cost me to not have my vehicle towed, Mr. Policeman? When and where is it ever going to end?
Pretty soon they’ll be taxing you to breathe; an “air purification tax” for requiring exhaust emission systems on vehicles so that you can breathe cleaner air. This fee (tax) will be paid by ALL people wanting to breathe. IF you do not wish to breathe, you must still pay the fee or the fee will be passed on to your family who will be responsible for paying the fee. Taxed from birth till death and beyond.