QCOSTARICA — Starting today, Friday, June 13, the first adjustments to the tax exemptions applied to electric vehicles in Costa Rica will take effect.
The changes will directly affect customs duties and the selective consumption tax, which will go from being completely exempt to paying 25% of their original value.
This adjustment is part of the progressive implementation provided for in the Law of Incentives and Promotion for Electric Transportation, which contemplates a gradual reduction in tax benefits as the costs of this technology fall.
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“The goal of the tax exemptions is to promote electric mobility so that the cost of an electric vehicle is equivalent to a similar combustion vehicle. We are currently seeing that the price of electric vehicles has been falling, the exemptions are fulfilling their purpose, and then they will begin to decrease in a planned and fiscally responsible manner,” said Silvia Rojas, Executive Director of ASOMOVE.
Starting today, the Selective Consumption Tax will increase from 0% to 25%. This tax corresponds to 30% of the vehicle’s value, so 25% of that 30% will be paid, equivalent to 7.5% of the vehicle’s price
Also starting today, the Customs Tax: will go from 0% to 25%. This tax corresponds to 1% of the CIF value of the vehicle delivered to port, so 25% of that 1% will be paid, i.e., 0.25% of the price.
Other incentives remain in place, such as the value-added tax (Impuesto sobre el valor agregado or IVA) remains at 3% for 2025, with gradual increases until reaching 13%; The vehicle property tax exemption included in the Marchamo, annual circular permit stays at 40% this year and will continue to decrease by 20% annually.
These changes will remain in place for the next three years, before a further reduction is implemented in June 2028.
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Environmental Impact and Projections
In addition to the economic benefits, electric mobility continues to offer environmental advantages. It is estimated that by 2026, there will be 35,000 electric vehicles in circulation in Costa Rica, which would prevent the emission of approximately 117,250 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the annual capture of the same number of mature trees.
Costa Rica has established itself as the country with the highest electric vehicle penetration in the Americas, according to the latest Global EV Outlook 2025 report, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
According to the report, 15% of new vehicles registered in Costa Rica in 2024 will be electric, surpassing larger economies with better infrastructure such as Canada (12%), the United States (10.5%), Brazil (6.5%), and Mexico (3%). This figure positions Costa Rica as the leading benchmark for electric mobility on the continent.
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2024 marked an important milestone in the transition to sustainable mobility in Costa Rica. According to data from Asomove, the country went from having 12,218 registered electric vehicles at the end of 2023 to reaching 22,731 zero-emission units by the end of this year.
By the end of 2025, Costa Rica is projected to have more than 30,000 electric vehicles in circulation.
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