The three month campaign for the payment of the Municipal Road Tax is well under way in Nicaragua with vehicle owners having until March 31st to pay for the “Rodamiento”. After that date, the Traffic Police (Tránsito Nacional) can give you a ticket for not having a valid sticker (sometimes called a “calcomanía – decal) displayed on the vehicle.
The sticker process is a municipal tax written into the traffic law. It gives the Traffic Police the authority to enforce the compliance (see legal reference at the foot of this article).
Nicaragua has one of the cheapest rates of road tax of any country in the world.
The municipal road tax must be paid in the municipality where the vehicle is registered. The decal will specify the name of the municipality where it was paid.
All you need in order to purchase the sticker is your identity card (Cedula) and the vehicle’s registration card (Circulación).
Those with private vehicles that are not yet registered to them in their own name (i.e. during the 60 day period they have for the change of ownership) may be asked for the “Escritura” as proof of ownership.
Note: The Rodamiento Sticker is free to (national) retirees (and those nationals registered with a disability) who present their INSS card and the circulación of the vehicle registered to them.
The amount of the tax depends on the type of vehicle you have and rates range from 50 Córdobas for a motorbike up to 1,000 Córdobas for truck between 7 and 12 metric tons. The decal will specify the type of vehicle.
The fine or “multa” for not having the sticker is 100 Córdobas.
Before you can carry out any transactions with the Tránsito Nacional you will need to prove you have the current year’s Road Tax Sticker (by physical inspection or by original receipt).
Where to Pay?
Municipalities – In the municipalities you can pay at your municipal office (Alcaldía) where you normally pay your local taxes or related fees.
In Managua – Payment can be made at any of the 3 citizen service centers (at Plaza Cuba, at Avenida de Bolívar a Chávez and at the new center at the National Baseball Denis Martínez) or any of the 7 district council (Alcaldía) offices, or at the SERVIGOB location and also at the Tránsito Nacional office.
Road Tax – Tariffs
Motorcycles for private and state use – 50 Córdobas.
Tractors and agricultural machinery – 75 Córdobas.
Cars, trucks and jeeps for private and state use – 100 Córdobas.
Taxis, trucks and vans for commercial use – 125 Córdobas.
Microbuses (minivans) for commercial use – 150 Córdobas
Trailers with more than two axles – 250 Córdobas.
Buses for commercial use – 300 Córdobas.
Trucks, less than 7 metric tons capacity – 400 Córdobas.
Forklifts – 500 Córdobas
Trucks from 7 to 12 metric tons – 600 Córdobas.
Heads (18 wheelers) – 600 Córdobas.
Tractor cranes, tanks, mixers, compactors and other heavy construction equipment – 800 Córdobas.
Trucks over 12 metric – 1,000 Córdobas.
Tarifas en español
Footnote: Legal Authority (click on this link to see full copy of the law. Including all fines)
Article 11. LEY No. 856, LEY DE REFORMAS Y ADICIONES A LA LEY N°. 431, “LEY PARA EL RÉGIMEN DE CIRCULACIÓN VEHICULAR E INFRACCIONES DE TRÁNSITO”
LEY N°. 856, Aprobada el 13 de Febrero del 2014
Publicada en La Gaceta, Diario Oficial N°. 66 del 7 de Abril del 2014
