Costa Rica Car Rental: What the Online Price Leaves Out

Quick answer

The cheap daily rate you see online often leaves out the liability insurance that Costa Rican law requires, and you can’t decline it. Expect it to be added at the counter, along with a security hold on your credit card. Compare quotes with that in mind.

What gets added at the counter

• Third-party liability insurance. Costa Rica requires it on every vehicle, so the rental company adds it if your quote doesn’t include it.
• A security hold. Rental companies place a refundable hold on your credit card when you pick up the car. The amount depends on the company; one local company lists US$1,000. Most banks release it within 24 to 48 hours after the rental ends, though it can take longer.
• Unpaved roads. Some policies don’t cover driving off paved roads. Check before you plan a route to remote areas.

Booking sites compared

Booking site	How it works
Economybookings	Compares rental options at San José airport (SJO)
QEEQ	Pick-up at SJO, Liberia airport and towns such as La Fortuna, Jacó and Tamarindo
Localrent	Local rental companies. You pay part online and the rest when you pick up the car
GetRentacar	Cars from local owners. You pay 15% online and 85% to the owner at pick-up, plus a deposit the owner holds

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Before you book

• Your license. With a valid driver’s license from home, you can drive in Costa Rica for three months. You don’t need an international license.
• Read what’s included. Look for liability insurance in the quote. If it isn’t listed, expect to pay for it at the counter.
• Using your credit card’s rental car coverage? Before you travel, contact your card company and ask for a letter that states what your card covers for your rental dates, and take it with you. Card coverage is usually for damage to the rental car itself, and you normally have to decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and pay with that card. It doesn’t replace the liability insurance Costa Rica requires.
• We list what each booking site states. We haven’t tested these sites, and prices change. Check the total before you pay.

Need an eSIM or an airport transfer too? See Costa Rica: book before you go.