133 Drivers Daily Left on Foot For Paying Marchamo
If you have yet to pay your 2007 Marchamo, make sure you bring along a comfortable pair of shoes and money for a tow truck, as you are likely to become one of the 133 drivers that daily have their vehicles confiscated by the Policía de Tránsito.

The 2007 Marchamo or circulation permit was due and payable before December 31 of last year. The Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) began accepting payments on December 1 and unlike other years, this year there is no grace period.

Tránsito (traffic) officials will stop, ticket and confiscate the plates of any vehicle that does not count with the 2007 Marchamo red sticker on the window.

According to INS figures there are still 37.000 vehicles that have not paid their 2007 Marchamo. However, the institute cannot say how many of those vehicles are no longer in circulation and their owners do not intend to pay the annual fee.

Notwithstanding, the INS will continue to charge the annual fee, plus late fees and interest, on all vehicles registered with the Registro Nacional. The INS is not concerned if the vehicle is in use or not, the owner is responsible to pay the annual marchamo even if the vehicle is not in use. Those owners should de-register their vehicles to avoid paying the annual dues.

The worst part of having the vehicle license plates confiscated from a Tránsito is the process of getting them back, not to mention the cost, hassle and potential damage by a tow truck while having the vehicle towed, as it cannot circulate or risks additional fines and confiscation of the vehicle itself for driving without the license plates and of course the 2007 Marchamo paid.

First off, the 2007 Marchamo and the fine for driving without the marchamo has to be paid. Next is the process of making a line for hours at the COSEVI offices in La Uruca to get a "costancia" - a certificate - of the owner of the license plate and their driver's license that there are no fees pending.

With the costancia in hand, the owner of the plates has to attend a traffic tribunal where the plates are being kept for safe keeping and have the court order release the plates.

The entire process can be avoided by visiting any one of the more than 700 points of sale at banks, insurance offices and INS agencies to pay the 2007 Marchamo.

Many vehicles, according to the INS records, do not count with the annual vehicle inspecion known as Riteve, which is required to obtain the marchamo. This complicates matters and becomes risky business.

Most owners will drive their vehicles to the Riteve testing centre. And then it takes at least 24 hours for the information to be made available to the INS computers, which will then permit the issuance of the 2007 Marchamo.

Vehicle owners in this situation risk having their license plate confiscated while driving to and from the testing centre, unless they have their vehicles towed to and from.