No, your home license is valid in Costa Rica for the duration of your tourist entry stamp. When driving, always carry your passport, or a copy of your passport ID page and entry stamp page, showing proof of legal status in the country.

If you are short on time and visiting more than two destinations, we recommend a car rental. Distances can be deceiving and winding mountain roads often take longer to negotiate than planned. Your own transport will be much more efficient than public buses. Another option for getting around is one of the country's private shuttle companies that offer door-to-door service to most tourist destinations for less than $40 per person each way.

Be warned that potholes are common, but for travel to many of Costa Rica’s vacation hotspots – Arenal, Manuel Antonio, Jaco, and Tamarindo, for example – you will not need a 4WD vehicle. If Monteverde or some of the country’s more remote areas are on your itinerary, 4WD is suggested and sometimes necessary. During the rainy season (May-November), all roads are susceptible to landslides and flooding, and 4WD is highly recommended.