Driving guides
Driving in Nicaragua as a tourist: licence, speed limits and rulesWhether your licence is valid, the 50 km/h police speed limit, alcohol limits, seat belts, child seats and phone rules, from Law 431 and official advice.Traffic fines in Nicaragua: amounts, licence retention and how to payWhat happens when police stop you: the ticket, the 30-day provisional permit, paying at a bank, and the main fines in Law 431.Car rental insurance and deposits in Nicaragua: what is mandatoryThe legal minimum insurance, the liability cover rental desks make mandatory, typical credit-card holds and age limits, from the companies’ own terms.What to do after a car accident in NicaraguaYour legal duties under Law 431, why you should not leave the scene, the accident certificate and what foreign governments warn about detention.Fuel prices in Nicaragua (November 2026)Average pump prices in Managua per litre for super, regular and diesel from INE’s weekly survey, and why they have not changed since 2022.Taking a car to Ometepe: the San Jorge–Moyogalpa ferryHow the ferry to Ometepe works, how long it takes, how cars cross, and why many visitors rent on the island instead.Can you take a rental car from Nicaragua to Costa Rica or Honduras?Which rental companies allow border crossings, the car-swap system at the Costa Rica border, and the official land border posts.Renting a scooter, motorbike or ATV in Nicaragua: the rulesHelmets, the 40 km/h motorcycle limit, where quads are allowed, children as passengers and the licence you need.Road conditions and night driving in NicaraguaWhat the UK and Canada advise about night driving, common road hazards, and when most fatal accidents happen according to the police.Renting a car at Managua airport (MGA): companies, desks and pricesWhich rental companies have desks at Managua airport, where to find them, and what published price benchmarks say, with their dates.Best time to drive in Nicaragua: dry and rainy season by regionWhen the dry and rainy seasons fall in each region, what changes on the roads, and when to choose a 4x4.Road trip bases in Nicaragua: what is within two hours of eachPick a base and see which beaches, volcanoes and towns are within one or two hours by car, with distances and drive times.