Limón proposes raising parking meters to ¢750 per hour and …

The Municipal Council of the Central Canton of Limón proposes to increase the parking meter rate from ¢300 to ¢750 per hour and the infringement fine from ¢3,000 to ¢7,500, according to the public consultation published in La Gaceta No. 187 on Monday, October 5, 2026 (reference IN202601128773). The proposal was signed by Mayor Ana Matarrita Mc Calla on July 14, 2026, and remains open for observations for ten business days.

The municipal agreement that originated the proposal

The publication is based on the agreement adopted by the Municipal Council in ordinary session No. 101 on April 7, 2026, article VII, Commission Reports subsection a), which ordered the publication of the proposal to update the rate applicable to the authorized parking service on public roads of the canton of Limón.

The Municipality bases the measure on the competencies granted by Law No. 3580, Law on the Installation of Parking Meters, and its amendments, as well as its powers to administer, regulate, and control local public services.

A rate without updates for over twenty years

The current rate was set more than twenty years ago, and the technical study by the Financial Department concludes that the ¢300.00 has lost approximately 72% of its purchasing power since it was established. This loss, the report notes, limited the service’s capacity to cover its operating costs, finance its modernization, and sustain municipal road safety and citizen security programs.

A market study conducted in private parking lots within the canton determined an average rate of ¢1,000.00 per hour. In accordance with Article 2 of Law No. 3580, amended by Law No. 6852, the municipal rate cannot be lower than 75% of the value charged by private parking lots for similar services: ¢1,000.00 × 75% = ¢750.00.

The new proposed rates

Parking fee per hour: ¢750.00.
Minimum fraction of thirty minutes: ¢375.00.
Infringement fine, equivalent to ten times the hourly rate: ¢7,500.00.

Payment will apply in authorized parking zones and during the hours established by the Municipality of Limón, and may be paid via digital platforms, mobile application, electronic parking meters, authorized businesses, and other collection methods that are enabled.

Ten-business-day public consultation

The proposal is submitted for the knowledge of interested parties for a period of ten business days, counting from the business day following its publication in La Gaceta. Observations must be submitted in writing to the Secretariat of the Municipal Council of Limón:

Physical submission: Municipal Palace, 100 meters north of the Juan Goban Stadium, Municipal Secretariat window, addressed to the Legal Affairs Commission.
Office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Email: derian.gutierrez@municlimon.go.cr.

Observations must identify the interested party, indicate a means for receiving notifications, and concretely present the technical or legal arguments related to the proposal. Once the deadline has passed, the Municipal Council will review the observations received and issue the corresponding resolution.

Purpose of the increase

According to the proposal, the tariff update aims to:

Improve road organization and vehicle rotation in areas of highest commercial and institutional activity.
Strengthen the financial sustainability of the parking meter service.
Finance the costs of operation, enforcement, maintenance, signage, and technological modernization of the system.
Contribute to the financing of municipal programs for road safety, surveillance, monitoring, and citizen security.
Facilitate the implementation of technological means that improve control, transparency, and the recovery of municipal revenues.

Impact on drivers and businesses

If approved, the adjustment would multiply the cost of parking on public roads in Limón by 2.5 and the infringement fine by 2.5, with a direct effect on drivers and businesses in the canton. The public consultation is the formal instance for interested parties to object to the calculation before the Municipal Council resolves.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 187 of Monday, October 5, 2026, Municipal Regime, page 145 (official reference: IN202601128773).