legal to drive in CR

Today my adventure took me all the way to La Uruca in San Jose.
I left around 7:30am on a direct bus, got off at the wrong stop and taxied to where I needed to be. I waited in line for about 4 hours, took a bad picture and...got my license. Here is how to go about doing it!

Documentation you need:
Passport (3 copies, along with 3 copies of your last enrty to the country; you should be within the legal 90 days! Otherwise forget it)
Foriegn licensen (3 copies front and back)
Dictamen medico (3 copies, make sure your blood type is listed)

Where you go:
Offices of COSEVI in La Uruca in San Jose. Ticos can go and renew or get a license at most Banco de Costa Ricas after getting an appointment, or at the MOPT (Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes) offices in any given province.
For extranjeros, your foriegn license has to be validated at the main offices in San Jose. It cannot be done anywhere else.

What you do:
Go in to COSEVI  and follow the signs all the way to the back of the complex. Skip the line (all of the people waiting are Tico, you follow a different process) and show the worker your passport and license. He will ask to make sure you have all the copies you need, and then direct you to a waiting area. You will wait to have your paperwork ok'd and then go to a specific window to be attended to. You will present your validated paperwork and documentation, give your maritial status, phone number, home address and email. Then you will be given a payslip to go and pay C4,000 (about $8USD) at the Banco de Costa Rica. This bank is located near the entrance of the complex, across the way from where you see the signs for "CAJEROS." Don't be embarassed to ask for directions! You pay there and they give you a reciept. Then you return to the same window, present your pay stamp, take your picture, and get your license. Ta-da!

I am now legal to drive in Costa Rica. Now I just need a car...!

Pura Vida