Para ordenar al Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas, en coordinación con el “Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service”, a actualizar la aplicación de CESCO Digital para integrar permanentemente en esta el permiso de vehículos de motor, arrastres o semiarrastres, luego de que se haya satisfecho el pago de los derechos correspondientes; enmendar el Artículo 2.13 y el inciso (c) Artículo 2.49 de la Ley Núm. 22-2000, según enmendada, conocida como “Ley de Vehículos y Tránsito de Puerto Rico”, a fin de establecer que el permiso de vehículos de motor, arrastres o semiarrastres integrado permanentemente en la aplicación CESCO Digital, podrá ser utilizado por los conductores como una herramienta suplementaria o sustitutiva válida de autorización para transitar por las vías públicas de Puerto Rico.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico law would recognize digital vehicle permits in CESCO Digital app as valid proof of registration, replacing or supplementing physical documents for driving authorization.

Referido a Comisión(es)

Legislative bill overview

Bill PC 835 orders Puerto Rico's Department of Transportation and Public Works to integrate vehicle registration permits permanently into the CESCO Digital mobile application, allowing drivers to use digital permits instead of or alongside physical documents. The bill amends the Vehicle and Transit Law to recognize the digital permit as a valid, legally equivalent authorization for operating vehicles on Puerto Rico's public roads.

Why is this important

This modernizes vehicle registration and law enforcement by enabling digital-only compliance, reducing bureaucratic friction for drivers and administrative costs for the government. It aligns Puerto Rico with digital governance trends adopted by multiple U.S. jurisdictions and could streamline traffic stops and vehicle inspections through immediate digital verification.

Potential points of contention

Digital access inequality: Low-income or elderly drivers without smartphones or reliable internet access may face practical barriers to compliance, potentially creating two-tiered enforcement

Cybersecurity and data privacy: Storing vehicle and driver information in a mobile app raises questions about data protection, breach liability, and government oversight of sensitive personal information

Enforcement complications: Police and inspectors need training and equipment upgrades to verify digital permits; ambiguity exists about whether physical permits become entirely optional or remain required as backup

Technical reliability: System outages or bugs could leave compliant drivers unable to prove registration, creating legal exposure for drivers and enforcement inconsistency