How to renew your vehicle registration (marbete) in Puerto Rico

The marbete is the proof that you paid your vehicle’s annual registration fees and that it is authorized to drive on Puerto Rico’s public roads. It is renewed once a year, based on your vehicle’s expiration month. In recent years the government introduced the digital marbete, an electronic seal that replaces the traditional sticker on eligible vehicles.

This applies to anyone with a motor vehicle registered in Puerto Rico. The registration must be in your name, or you must be authorized to handle it. Not every vehicle type is eligible for the digital marbete; check your vehicle’s eligibility on the official site.

• Have current compulsory liability insurance on the vehicle.
• Have no outstanding fines or debts tied to the vehicle or owner, which typically block renewal.
• Have a current vehicle inspection when one applies to your vehicle type.
• Know the license plate number and the vehicle’s registration information.

• Current photo identification.
• Proof of compulsory liability insurance.
• A payment method accepted by the location where you renew.

1. 1

   Step 1: Confirm when your marbete expires

   The expiration date depends on your vehicle, not the calendar year. Check it on your registration or in the government’s online systems before you start.

2. 2

   Step 2: Check that you have no outstanding fines or debts

   Outstanding fines tied to the vehicle usually prevent renewal. Resolving them first keeps the payment from failing halfway through.

3. 3

   Step 3: Make sure your compulsory insurance is current

   Compulsory liability insurance must be active. If you pay it together with the marbete, confirm which option applies to your case on the official site.

4. 4

   Step 4: Choose where to renew

   According to the official site, renewal can be done online or through authorized centers and points of sale, which include inspection stations, banks, collection offices and credit unions. Confirm which are available for your vehicle.

5. 5

   Step 5: Pay and keep the proof

   Keep the receipt or digital confirmation. If you get a physical marbete, place it where the agency instructs; if it is digital, confirm in the system that it is active.

Online through Puerto Rico’s official government systems, or in person at authorized centers and points of sale. The official site keeps the current list of places where you can renew.

• Waiting until the last day of the expiration month, when centers and systems are busiest.
• Assuming your insurance is active without confirming it with the insurer.
• Using third-party sites that charge extra fees for something you can do directly with the government.
• Not clearing outstanding fines before trying to renew.
• Assuming your vehicle is eligible for the digital marbete without checking.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Directoría de Servicios al Conductor (CESCO)

  CESCO

  www.smarttransportation.pr.gov

• Marbete renewal alternatives

  DTOP

  www.marbetedigital.pr.gov

• Digital marbete frequently asked questions

  DTOP

  www.smarttransportation.pr.gov

• CESCO — official site

  CESCO

  www.cesco.pr.gov