We are applying for residency so do NOT have to leave the country... EXCEPT to renew the driver's license.
Let me clear up a misconception out there about renewing your license:
Some say "The worst that can happen is you will get a ticket for $90 so you can just pay it and avoid doing a border run to renew it."
This is not true. If you don't do a border run within 90 days your driver's license is expired as far as Costa Rica is concerned and then if you are in an accident your car insurance will be invalid. Also I have read (can't swear it's true) that they can also choose to impound your car and take your plates if you are caught driving without a renewed license. There is a site costaricalaw which says this.
Bottom line:
We did a border run to San Carlos, Nicaragua up by Las Tablillas/ Los Chiles, but it's a horrible place and a lousy drive. We stayed one night in Fortuna and then drove the rest of the way up the next a.m. and then drove back to San Ramon after going to Nicaragua. Way too much driving but we couldn't afford another night in La Fortuna, which would be the ideal way to do it. IF you can afford to do 2 nights in La Fortuna and drive up to the border in between then it would not be too bad. But driving all the way back from Nicaragua in one day is just too much as far as I am concerned and I'll never do it again.
I had a headache and backache from driving and the stress of having to hurry to get home before dark was too much. Also the road in many parts is rather dangerous since it's too narrow and trucks come over on your side of the highway. Also, as in most places, Ticos just stop in the middle of the road without warning, to pick someone up or let someone off - or who knows? maybe just because they can. So all in all it's NOT a fun drive by any means.
Next time we'll try to go somewhere else for our border run!
Details:
When we got to the aduanis a Nicaraguan border agent told us we HAD to stay in Nicaragua 3 hours. I said (in Spanish) "But if we do that we'll end up having to drive home in the dark and I can't see well driving at night. Couldn't we just stay one hour so we don't end up having to endanger our lives?"
"No", he said. "It's part of our computer system and you have to stay 3 hours."
We walked away, frustrated and worried that we would indeed have to drive home in the dark part of the way. If we stayed 3 hours there we'd have ended up driving the last 2 hours or so in the dark. Entering San Ramon from that direction involves a narrow curvy dangerous road plagued with fog in the evening and night.
We got to San Carlos and it was a "servicio" (toilet). So I told my wife, let's just go back and TRY to go back through to Costa Rica before 3 hours. If they say no we'll try to beg them based on driving at night.
Well we went back after only an hour or so and no one said a thing. It is my theory that it is NOT "in their system", and not a requirement it's just some aholes at the border trying to drum up business for San Carlos and there is no time stamp and no one really knows if you're gone for an hour or 3 hours. MAYBE if you tried to go right back in without even going to San Carlos they would notice and stop you.
If you tried to appeal to a supervisor or make a stink about it you might end up wishing you hadn't.
That was the impression I got from the Nica border people who were not very friendly.
OPINION:
I don't recommend this border crossing.
Too bad Costa Rica's government won't fix this stupid license-renewal rule! People legally applying for residency who do not otherwise have to leave the country, should not be forced to leave the country for 5 minutes (or 3 hours or whatever) in order to get their drivers license renewed by crossing a border.