Currency to display:

At the border

Correct as of: February 2010

Required Paperwork

Passport of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
Drivers license of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
Vehicle registration (original and 1 copy).

Process at border

The owner of the vehicle gains entry at immigration (migración), including a stamp in their Passport. This costs $7.00 USD, and can only be paid in $US Dollars. Be sure to get a receipt.
The owner must show the new Passport stamp (including a copy), Drivers license, the original Vehicle registration and the immigration entry receipt to customs (aduana).
The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.

NOTE: You will encounter locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See Central America Border Crossings for advice.

Cost of entry

Free for the vehicle, $7.00 USD for people.

Permitted length of stay

90 days.

Extension of stay

Unknown.
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country

(unknown)
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle

Ironically, this is much harder than entering the country with a vehicle, and is known to be one of the more difficult "exits" in Central America. The exact process will vary depending on which border you are at.

Get sign-off on your paperwork from both a customs officer and a police officer.
Take your temporary import permit and the signatures gained above to customs, where they will sign more things, and cancel the permit.
The registered owner is stamped out of Nicaragua at immigration.
When actually driving out, present the small peice of paper with signatures, and you are free to leave.

Overland Essentials

Vehicle Insurance

Insurance requirements

Apparently not mandatory.

Cost of insurance

N/A

Where to purchase insurance

Driving license

Technically an International Driving Permit is required.
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.

Driving side of road

Right.
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.

Mandatory items in vehicle

None.

Roads

General Road quality

Roads in Nicaragua are generally of good quality. Lesser roads are gravel and can be very bumpy and rutted, especially near the coast. All roads on Isla De Ometepe are extremely rough gravel.

Road signs

Road signs are mostly common and clear.

Toll roads

None.

Bribery

Police bribery is common in Nicaragua, where they actually are trying to enforce road rules like speeding.
See the bribery tips page for advice.

Checkpoints

Police checkpoints are not common in Nicaragua, though you may encounter them on the Pan American highway. You'll be asked to show your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license, and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border.

Traveling with pets

Unknown.
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gasoline / Petrol / Diesel

Last updated: Jan 2010

Price

Currency and unit to display:

Gasoline Grade	Price
Regular	??
Super (90)	??
Premium (95)	??
Ultra (97)	??
Normal Diesel	$0.91 USD per Liter^[1]
Diesel (low sulfur)	??

Gasoline Availability / Frequency

Gasoline shortages in Nicaragua are not a problem. If you are going to Isla De Ometepe, fill up before getting on the ferry to avoid the high prices on the island.
Typically gas stations are not more than 100 - 200km apart.

Gasoline Quality

Accepted to be good quality.
Sulfur content of diesel is unknown.

External information about gasoline

Price Information: gasoline-germany.com - International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Nicaragua (not updated since 2007)

Safety / Security Considerations

Driving at night

Driving at night is not considered a huge problem in Nicaragua, though it's not recommended due to safety concerns and road hazards that can not be seen in the dark.

Vehicle parking

Parking vehicles on the street in smaller towns during the day is typically OK. Find a secure parking lot in big cities and at night. Secure parking will cost around $2.00 USD per night.

Special driving considerations

Police enforce road rules more strictly than other Central American countries, so try to obey the road rules where possible. Speeding and crossing double lines are a sure-fire way to get pulled over, where you will almost certainly have to deal with bribery.

Security advisories and information

Camping

Camping is not very popular in Nicaragua, though campgrounds can be found wherever there are backpackers. Organized camping is $2.00 USD to $4.00 USD per person, per night.
Being far away from major roads is preferable for wild camping.

Camping guide books

No specific book exists, though the usual backpacker guide books mention a campground in virtually every town and city, especially near the beach.

Drinking water

Tap water in Nicaragua is not safe to drink. Every corner store sells 1 and 2 liter bottles, and 20 liter bottles can be bought at most large grocery stores.

Navigation

Paper maps

Purchase maps before arriving in Costa Rica.

DAN HERE

GPS

Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.^[2]
Garmin: Apparently no map of Costa Rica.
TomTom: No map of Costa Rica. ^[3]

Directions and GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc.

Camping Sites: CostaRica - Detailed list of campsites and propane filling with description, directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
Central America Camping Locations - List of campsites, with basic directions and GPS co-ordinates. Mostly free sites.
Camping Log 1: Central America - List of campsites, shopping, fuel, propane and border crossings with excellent descriptions and GPS co-ordinates.
White Acorn camping log page - GPS co-ordinates and excellent description of campsites]