AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES

Driving in Nicaragua

Regulations governing transit are administered by the National Police’s Central Transit Bureau.  For specific information concerning Nicaraguan driver’s licenses, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please refer to the National Police web site at http://www.policia.gob.ni.  You may also contact the Embassy of Nicaragua or a Nicaraguan Consulate for further information.

The information listed below is merely a sketch of the process and may not be entirely up-to-date given the frequency with which regulations change. Specific questions should be directed to the Nicaraguan government.

Every district in Nicaragua has a local transit bureau office – sometimes co-located at the police station – for issuing driver’s licenses and license plates. 

If you are in the Managua area, you may consider processing your initial papers at the SERVIGOB (“Government Services”) building where the majority of public services are housed.  Payments and exams are conducted relatively quickly. SERVIGOB also provides notary services for legal documents.

Address of SERVIGOB: de la rotonda de Plaza Inter, 1 ½ C. al norte, mano derecha (close to the Vice Presidencial offices)

Nicaraguan Driver’s Licenses
Short-term tourists who have a valid U.S. license are generally exempt from needing a Nicaraguan driver’s license.  However, U.S. citizens who are Nicaraguan residents are required to have one.

General steps for a new driver’s license:

• Get a blood and vision test at the Cruz Roja (Red Cross). The blood test is just to verify your blood type for the license.
  
• Photocopy the photo page of your passport and your non-Nicaraguan driver's license.
  
• Go to BANPRO (Bank of Production) and deposit 150 Córdobas in account number 100-10000025581-5. This is the account of the National Police and there should be deposit slips for this at the counter of the bank.
  
• With the items above, along with your original non-Nicaraguan driver’s license and passport, go to a transit police station that issues driver’s licenses.

Note that Nicaraguan driver’s licenses feature a photo, blood type, name, passport number, and emergency contact information, but not a date of birth.  A driver’s license is not accepted as an official identification document in Nicaragua.  Only passports and cédulas serve this function.

Vehicle Permits
Nicaraguan law allows tourists to enter the country with their vehicles on the assumption that they will take their vehicles with them when they go. One important note is that Nicaraguan customs does not permit the entry of vehicles which are ten years old or older.  For additional information please contact Nicaraguan Customs.

Vehicle Insurance
All vehicles must have local third-party liability insurance. This is available through several local companies for between $120 and $240 per year, depending on the amount of coverage purchased.  Many U.S. citizens take out more comprehensive insurance from U.S. firms for additional protection

Road Conditions
For information on road conditions in Nicaragua, please see the Our Country Specific Information for Nicaragua and our Warden Announcements.