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City Hall opens weekend hours for plate pickup

Panama City Hall will keep its plate centre open this Saturday and Sunday so vehicle owners can collect pending 2026 plates for January through August. Special hours are Saturday 17 October from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 18 October from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the plate centre in Parque Francisco Arias Paredes (between Avenida Cuba and Avenida Perú, diagonal to City Hall). This is a special City Hall window for 17-18 October only. The standing MUPA Atención schedule still lists weekday hours and Saturdays closed. Extra parking opens at the MEF lot beside the park and in the underground garage at the Centro de Atención al Contribuyente in Calidonia, with one free hour when you validate the ticket. You still need municipal paz y salvo, the circulation tax paid, and a valid vehicle inspection (revisado).

How to pick up this weekend

  • Hours: Sat 17 Oct 07:00-18:00; Sun 18 Oct 08:00-16:00 (Telemetro 16 Oct; La Prensa 15 Oct; Alcaldía posts).
  • Place: Centro de Placas / edificio Francisco Arias Paredes, Parque Francisco Arias Paredes (La Prensa; MUPA Atención Ciudadana).
  • Which plates: January through August 2026 (Telemetro; La Prensa).
  • Requirements: municipal paz y salvo; circulation tax paid; revisado vigente (Telemetro; MUPA). Foreign owners: valid passport (MUPA). Third-party pickup needs an authorisation letter plus owner ID copy (MUPA).
  • Check first: plate status (Alcaldía) (Telemetro).
  • Parking: MEF lot beside Parque Francisco Arias Paredes; underground CAC Calidonia with one free hour on validated ticket (Telemetro).

What it means for expats

  • If your Panama City plate for any month from January to August 2026 is still waiting, this weekend is the easy window without taking weekday leave.
  • Bring passport (not only cédula) if you are a foreign owner, plus proof you are paz y salvo and that revisado and circulation tax are current.
  • Paying online or clearing a municipal debt first saves a wasted trip; use the plate-status link before you queue.
  • This is City of Panama only. Other districts keep their own plate offices and hours.

Sources

  • Telemetro - Plate pickup hours and parking Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October - 16 Oct 2026
  • La Prensa - City Hall opens weekend plate pickup, know the hours - 15 Oct 2026
  • Alcaldía de Panamá / Atención Ciudadana - Retiro de placa (requirements and address)