Thread: License plates

I know there's a topic where this is discussed, but i can't find it anymore. After reading all the horrid about getting license plates in Panama i was prepared for the worse when i had to get em the other day. Yet to my surprise i had them in my hands $75 and 1,5 hours later!

I went to a garage to do the "revisado". They shot 3 pics of my car and asked for $15 and i was off with my paper. Then to the municipal. I went in San Miguelito because i had heard this was a bit calmer then other places. Still quite full but the line seemed to move. Waited about 45 minutes for my turn, handed over all the paperwork and paid $60. 20 minutes later i got my plates!

I had heard that yesterday the police would start an operation pulling over and fining all the cars that didnt have plates or stickers! Thats why i finally went and got it done. No idea why some people here had to go to different places 10 times and wait for weeks or even months, but my experience was quite pleasant! Well pleasant maybe is a big word, but it was faster then getting it done in the Netherlands so that should count for something! Panama rocks

2011 has been ok once they got started. In 2010 they did not make any plates at all forcing people to get temp permits for almost a year.

How you managed to go to a "random" municipio and get your plates there sounds incredible.

I love to hear these kinds of stories it gives hope the the bureaucracy is getting better. Thanks for the San Miguelito tip!!!

Originally Posted by fleeted

I love to hear these kinds of stories it gives hope the the bureaucracy is getting better. Thanks for the San Miguelito tip!!!

Hey yr welcome! Well not sure if its getting better, but i just never felt like there is little bureaucracy in europe, and probably usa isnt much better. Its just that the western institutions SEEM more organized, and you feel taken slightly more serious. In the netherlands lots of things are now online and automated, but it now takes 2 weeks to get a passport, while it took 30 minutes when they were still handwriting them Our bank offices have machines all over the place. The ppl working there before behind the counters are now kinda aimlessly wandering around, and when a machine breaks they tell you that you have to come back next day when the machine is fixed cause they cant do anything :S Most ppl dont even notice, but i just cant call that progress! Swanky at best, but just as inefficient as these 3rd world countries!

Originally Posted by EdBowers

2011 has been ok once they got started. In 2010 they did not make any plates at all forcing people to get temp permits for almost a year.

How you managed to go to a "random" municipio and get your plates there sounds incredible.

Nobody asked a thing and nobody ever mentioned my address. I think the only place in the paperwork its in, is in my insurance papers, but nobody reads anything. Long as its a nice big stack of paper they seem happy and i am also not sure if it actually is not allowed, because my friend told me that his brother, who actually lives in san miguelito, went into the office in center and spend the whole day there and got sent away because they closed before the line was finished :O

So which office are you talking about?

Municipio de Panam

Originally Posted by EdBowers

So which office are you talking about?

Municipio de Panam

I truly have no idea i was with someone who knew the way, but there was quite a big police station next to it! If u want i can take the coordinates out of my gps cause i saved it for next year

Well, if you know the first 2 digits for your plate you would know.

Originally Posted by janl

I truly have no idea i was with someone who knew the way, but there was quite a big police station next to it! If u want i can take the coordinates out of my gps cause i saved it for next year

hmm well for both ill need to go to the parking garage lol so i'll let you know a bit later!

Keep a copy of your title in the car instead and the original at home!

Originally Posted by janl

hmm well for both ill need to go to the parking garage lol so i'll let you know a bit later!

We went to get our new plates in January......they gave us another temporary paper and asked us to come back in March.

hmm ed this si weird but it starts with 38 which i dont see in the list :S

These are the coordinates from my gps:
N 09° 02'33.2"
W 079° 30'06.9"

And yes i do keep a copy only in the car of all the papers. I also carry that damage reportform around, because i heard they are starting to give fines for not having this on you as well.

Ok, well, now you know why you went to San Miguelito then!

You cannot recommend a place as per above - one has to go to the correct place based on the license plate number.

Originally Posted by janl

hmm ed this si weird but it starts with 38 which i dont see in the list :S

These are the coordinates from my gps:
N 09° 02'33.2"
W 079° 30'06.9"

And yes i do keep a copy only in the car of all the papers. I also carry that damage reportform around, because i heard they are starting to give fines for not having this on you as well.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

Ok, well, now you know why you went to San Miguelito then!

You cannot recommend a place as per above - one has to go to the correct place based on the license plate number.

Ehmm but i didnt have a license plate before i went :S

The number is right on your title where it says: No. DE PLACA UNICA. I assume you had a title at least?

Originally Posted by janl

Ehmm but i didnt have a license plate before i went :S

Originally Posted by EdBowers

The number is right on your title where it says: No. DE PLACA UNICA. I assume you had a title at least?

Hmm so u didnt just mean the first 2 digits of the 6-digit license plate number?

It doesn't matter if you did not have a plate before you went there if you have a title with a 6-digit license plate number. Then you already have a plate number assigned. The first two digits of the license plate number tells you where to go - I guess the guy who took you there was a aware of that.....

Originally Posted by janl

Hmm so u didnt just mean the first 2 digits of the 6-digit license plate number?

Originally Posted by EdBowers

It doesn't matter if you did not have a plate before you went there if you have a title with a 6-digit license plate number. Then you already have a plate number assigned. The first two digits of the license plate number tells you where to go - I guess the guy who took you there was a aware of that.....

But he didnt see any paperwork before we went and i was driving without plates.. Also, nr 38 isnt even on that list you sent..

"He" as in the magical mystery man? San Miguelito is not part of Panama City apparently.

Originally Posted by janl

But he didnt see any paperwork before we went and i was driving without plates.. Also, nr 38 isnt even on that list you sent..

Originally Posted by EdBowers

"He" as in the magical mystery man? San Miguelito is not part of Panama City apparently.

Well what u want his name and phonenumber? :S Is just a friend of mine who helps me out with stuff like that, but i dont see how this is relevant. All im saying is that he didnt know the license plate number, and that he said we should go do it there because it would be less busy. If u prefer to spend more time getting yr plates, by all means go ahead. But i thought the information would be worth sharing, because maybe some forum-readers do do have better things to do then standing in line in some municipal.

I recommend that people go to the place where the license plate is.

If they want to stand in two lines, then your advice seems great.

You didn't go to San Miguelito because it was calmer, you went there because your plate was there. There is no such thing as a choice in this matter.

Also for the renewal the cost is $29, not $60, but maybe you had a brand new car.

The revisado is not $15 either, but $10.25.

Nice friend you must have!

Originally Posted by janl

Well what u want his name and phonenumber? :S Is just a friend of mine who helps me out with stuff like that, but i dont see how this is relevant. All im saying is that he didnt know the license plate number, and that he said we should go do it there because it would be less busy. If u prefer to spend more time getting yr plates, by all means go ahead. But i thought the information would be worth sharing, because maybe some forum-readers do do have better things to do then standing in line in some municipal.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

I recommend that people go to the place where the license plate is.

If they want to stand in two lines, then your advice seems great.

You didn't go to San Miguelito because it was calmer, you went there because your plate was there. There is no such thing as a choice in this matter.

Also for the renewal the cost is $29, not $60, but maybe you had a brand new car.

The revisado is not $15 either, but $10.25.

Nice friend you must have!

So if a license plate is registered in panama city, and someone buys the car used in lets say las tablas, they need to drive down to the city every year to get this done?

The $60(59,25 or so) was charged by the lady inside the municipal with receipt, so i dont think my friend had much role in this.

The $15 he told me beforehand, but said those guys were superfast, and they were. Had the paper within 3 minutes, so well worth the $4.

And ed, you sour little grape, you can think what you want, but nobody knew where my last plate was made. We just went there, papers in MY bag, and 1,5 later, in total, i had my license plate, so im over the moon If my friend was lucky enough to guess the right municipal then we were very lucky i guess.. Have fun with yr own struggles! Btw im also receiving ALL my mail and parcels in panama so far. Maybe there really is such a thing as karma

So you registered a car for the first time that was registered in Las Tablas before - and you did not even have a title yet? If you live in Los Santos you would have a plate from there. If you move to Panama City you need to pay about $100 to transfer the car to Panama City.

San Miguelito is probably one of the worst places you can go to (if you have a choice). If you live close to Av Balboa, then the office in Plaza Cinco de Mayo is much more efficient (and safer) and closer.

Originally Posted by janl

So if a license plate is registered in panama city, and someone buys the car used in lets say las tablas, they need to drive down to the city every year to get this done?

The $60(59,25 or so) was charged by the lady inside the municipal with receipt, so i dont think my friend had much role in this.

The $15 he told me beforehand, but said those guys were superfast, and they were. Had the paper within 3 minutes, so well worth the $4.

And ed, you sour little grape, you can think what you want, but nobody knew where my last plate was made. We just went there, papers in MY bag, and 1,5 later, in total, i had my license plate, so im over the moon If my friend was lucky enough to guess the right municipal then we were very lucky i guess.. Have fun with yr own struggles! Btw im also receiving ALL my mail and parcels in panama so far. Maybe there really is such a thing as karma

I have switched to Earth Class mail: Online mail management for online postal mail, package and mail forwarding, virtual mail rooms and more | Earth Class Mail so now things appear to be working (cost about $1000 per year).

I get about 50 packages a year and maybe around 250 envelops (for about 4 years). That's statistically significant as far as calculating a loss percentage. The loss rate does not relate to ANY eastern philosophies. It does relate to how many Panamanians touch my mail and how present the owner is for the business when such touching takes place. With the service referenced above, no such touching is possible anymore.

Originally Posted by janl

Btw im also receiving ALL my mail and parcels in panama so far. Maybe there really is such a thing as karma

You did not actually DO a revisado, you bribed them (maybe without your knowledge) with $4 so they would just take the pictures.

Originally Posted by janl

The $15 he told me beforehand, but said those guys were superfast, and they were. Had the paper within 3 minutes, so well worth the $4.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

So you registered a car for the first time that was registered in Las Tablas before - and you did not even have a title yet? If you live in Los Santos you would have a plate from there. If you move to Panama City you need to pay about $100 to transfer the car to Panama City.

San Miguelito is probably one of the worst places you can go to (if you have a choice). If you live close to Av Balboa, then the office in Plaza Cinco de Mayo is much more efficient (and safer) and closer.

This is so funny. I actually posted my experience to share with you, because i remember i heard u cry and complain about how hard it was for you to get yr plates. I, on the other hand, got mine in no-time and with only 1 visit and no hassle whatsoever. And now you come tell me what would be more efficient? Ok ed nvm i got mine and it was a very good experience, so ill go to the same one again next year if you dont mind.

Originally Posted by EdBowers

You did not actually DO a revisado, you bribed them (maybe without your knowledge) with $4 so they would just take the pictures.

And? Who cares? All i needed was the document to get my plate right?

Originally Posted by EdBowers

I have switched to Earth Class mail: Online mail management for online postal mail, package and mail forwarding, virtual mail rooms and more | Earth Class Mail so now things appear to be working (cost about $1000 per year).

I got about 50 packages a year and maybe around 250 envelops (for about 4 years). That's statistically significant as far as calculating a loss percentage. The loss rate does not relate to ANY eastern philosophies. It does relate to how many Panamanians touch my mail and how present the owner is for the business when such touching takes place. With the service referenced above, no such touching is possible anymore.

Ok well i dont have high numbers yet but so far all regular mail, ups, dhl, tnt, and maybe some others have arrived and smoothly! All delivered by those evil panamanians too btw.. its karma eddie im telling you

I got mine in 45 mins this year after they started it and I actually did do a REAL revisado.

Originally Posted by janl

This is so funny. I actually posted my experience to share with you, because i remember i heard u cry and complain about how hard it was for you to get yr plates. I, on the other hand, got mine in no-time and with only 1 visit and no hassle whatsoever. And now you come tell me what would be more efficient? Ok ed nvm i got mine and it was a very good experience, so ill go to the same one again next year if you dont mind.

You bribed for a revisado. Paid stuff without knowing the costs. Ended up at various places without knowing why.

The only lesson from your story is GET A GUIDE, like you did.

Originally Posted by janl

I, on the other hand, got mine in no-time and with only 1 visit and no hassle whatsoever.