Car Inspection / New License Plates

[Marcelyn]

This is my first time being involved in getting car inspection (revisado) and car license plates (placa) for our vehicle. I learned there are various stations in David for car inspections (most work Monday - Friday only and charge $15 to $17. One station soon in Boquete located across from Banco Nacional.) Now open?

The revisado is valid for 5 calendar days from the the day it is issued. Since our inspection in David was last Saturday, it was already day 3 when we paid a bit less than $40 to the tesoraria and walked away with new license plates. Always the same numbers on the plates year after year of new issues.

Transactions must be done in person yearly. If you miss this 5 day window, the inspection must be repeated plus re-payment of course.

Failure to complete this process each year (during the same month car was purchased and not before or after this one month opening) nets a fine for the car owner.

Hope this may be useful to folks new to the area.

[Keith Woolford]

Marcelyn,

The Revisado inspection certificate you receive is valid until the end of the due month in the following year.

For example, if the vehicle's renewal month is November, the Revisado obtained in November 2015 will be 'vigente' or valid until November 30th, 2016.

The annual fee for the Plate would be due by November 30th to the Municipality where the vehicle is registered.

Cost of Plates vary depending on the number of passengers the car is rated for and/or whether it's a truck or motorcycle. Current range is from $31 to $47.

Taller QuickFix across from Plaza Los Establos now provides the 'inspection' service, saving a trip to David.

There is no five day window anywhere in the process and third parties can do any of these steps.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Keith Woolford

[Marcelyn]

OK.  Many thanks for the correction and quick reply.

You certainly are the "car guy" and trustworthy.

[Bud]

Keith,

Thanks for the updated information. While we were in town just a few minutes ago for errands, we drove by the auto place across from Banco Nacional. We quickly concluded that the information provided earlier today (while I was renewing our plates) was not correct, probably misunderstood on my part. And so we drove straight through the intersection and checked out the auto place across from Plaza Los Establos. Yupper, there was the "revisado" sign and I asked a guy there and he confirmed that they do the revisados. Next year it will be a bit less painful than our two trips to David. Wish I had known this 72 hours earlier.

[Pederhaney]

Transactions do not have to be done personally.  I've had friends do my revisados and placa pick-ups in David and Dolega for me.  Never a problem.  The just need the proof of insurance and $$.

[Pantah]

For those who are still registered in David (like I was), you can transfer your registration to Boquete if you wish. A small fee, 15 balboas I think and proof of ownership and Boquete residency. Boquete will now get the registration fees, not David. Much less hassle when selling your vehicle here in Boquete to local residents. No need to ever go to David for your annual revised and placas.

[Ken and Becky]

Walk us through the transfer. Do you start in Boquete, then go to David?

[Pantah]

I did it when I renewed my plates in David. I had everything needed except proof of being a Boquete resident. I remembered that my insurance policy showed a Boquete address and that worked (with some hesitation). Better to take a utility bill.

Next year I just went to the Boquete Tesoraria and they had my plates there.

Oh, photocopy your title, insurance doc, and revisado just in case. They need a copy of one of these, can't remember which one.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Pantah
addition

[Marcelyn]

7 hours ago, Ken and Becky said:

Walk us through the transfer. Do you start in Boquete, then go to David?

I think you are talking about the transfer of the registration of a vehicle from one city to another. 

Have no experience in this transaction, so I'm no help. Perhaps Keith Woolford can answer your question. 

[Ken and Becky]

On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2015‎ ‎11‎:‎23‎:‎23‎, Pantah said:

For those who are still registered in David (like I was), you can transfer your registration to Boquete if you wish. A small fee, 15 balboas I think and proof of ownership and Boquete residency. Boquete will now get the registration fees, not David. Much less hassle when selling your vehicle here in Boquete to local residents. No need to ever go to David for your annual revised and placas.

Thanks!! It's the office upstairs at the Municipo...right?

[Bud]

52 minutes ago, Ken and Becky said:

Thanks!! It's the office upstairs at the Municipo...right?

I believe all paperwork related to placas in Boquete is taken care of in the treasurer's office, which is downstairs, facing the square, at the northernmost corner of the building.

[Keith Woolford]

Correcto.

This procedure is (generally) only permitted during the month of renewal.

[JudyS]

19 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

Correcto.

This procedure is (generally) only permitted during the month of renewal.

Keith, are you saying if my renewal is due in July, and I want to change the registration from Dolega to Boquete, I have to do it in July?  I went in July 2015 to do that.  I had all the paperwork, except I had not done the registration for that year yet (I wanted to do it in Boquete).  They told me I had to do the registration first, then come back to do the change.  So will I have to wait until next year, register again in Dolega, then go to the Boquete office to make the change for the following year?

[Keith Woolford]

19 minutes ago, JudyS said:

Keith, are you saying if my renewal is due in July, and I want to change the registration from Dolega to Boquete, I have to do it in July?  I went in July 2015 to do that.  I had all the paperwork, except I had not done the registration for that year yet (I wanted to do it in Boquete).  They told me I had to do the registration first, then come back to do the change.  So will I have to wait until next year, register again in Dolega, then go to the Boquete office to make the change for the following year?

Yes. It is because Dolega will have (or should have) ordered your Plate already. You could have moved it this year at the same time you paid the Registration, but you will now have to wait until next year. There is a $50 fee.

[Pederhaney]

So it is possible for me to go to Dolega now to change my place of registration to Boquete for renewal in July 2016?

Edited November 19, 2015 by Pederhaney

[Keith Woolford]

31 minutes ago, Pederhaney said:

So it is possible for me to go to Dolega now to change my place of registration to Boquete for renewal in July 2016?

Nope, next year.

[Pederhaney]

Thanks.  

[JudyS]

2 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

Yes. It is because Dolega will have (or should have) ordered your Plate already. You could have moved it this year at the same time you paid the Registration, but you will now have to wait until next year. There is a $50 fee.

$50?  Somebody else said it was $15.  Earlier information I had said $10.  Are you sure about that fee?

[Keith Woolford]

Yes, I'm sure.

The fee in Dolega for Certificacion Larga has been increased to $50.

You will need to supply proof of residence in Boquete with an original factura for electric or water service.

If your electric or water bill is not in your personal name, you will need to get a verification of residence from the Corregedoria.

You will also have to take the vehicle to the DIJ in David to have the VIN and Engine number checked before re-registering the vehicle in the target Municipality, in this case Boquete.

If you want your Title and future Revisados to reflect the change of Municipality, you will need to have the Title replaced, after completing the above steps, at the ATTT office in Dolega.

Prior to going there, you'll need to stop at Banco Nacional in Boquete and make a deposit to their account for $20.

The phone number is if 776-0092 if you want to check yourself.

No es vale la pena, imo.

[JudyS]

Well I guess this is one thing I'm going to forget about.  I'll keep it in Dolega.  No problem.

[CEPage1Ca]

Hi Everyone, could someone please let me know where I go in David to pick up my new license plate? Thank you.

[JohnF13]

We are just going through this process now to move a car from Panama City to Dolega.  I seem to remember that the last time we did this ( courtesy of Keith Woolford) it wasn't nearly as complicated.  The only steps we have left to do is the DIJ inspection, then wait a few days for the official paperwork then go back to Dolega and get the revised title for the car.  A friend of mine doing the same thing appears to be caught in some kind of black hole, he cannot get his plates even though he went theough the steps at the right time.  He figures he has around 35 hours invested in the exercise.  Moral of the story, if you don't have to do it, just don't.  We have fun with this kind of thing, others may see it as a huge irritant.

[Woody]

48 minutes ago, JohnF13 said:

We have fun with this kind of thing, others may see it as a huge irritant.

Great response!  Dealing with the bureaucracies of Panama is always an exercise in frustration and angst.  But, finding the entertainment value in all of it may be the biggest step toward a successful transition to living here.

[Keith Woolford]

A Revisado inspection certificate can be obtained at QuickFix in Boquete, which is across the street from Plaza Los Establos, or at any one of a number of authorized garages in David.

If the car is registered in David, the Plate would be at the Treasurer's office in the Municipio de David building, which is near the Bomberos fire station and Hotel Nacional.

[Marcelyn]

Thanks, Keith, aka The Car Guy.  Always provides good vehicle information.