CURRENCY

The local currency is the United States dollar (USD), which is broken down into 100 cents. Coins come in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and $1 pieces, while notes are issued in 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar denominations. As such, U.S. currency is accepted virtually everywhere.

TAX

There's no sales tax in Puerto Rico. However, most hotels charge 9%, hotels with casinos 11%, and government-approved paradores charge 7% in addition to the 5% to 12% service charge required by all hotels. For current exchange rate, see the see the currency converter under the Trip Planning section on the Caribbean home page.

TIPPING

15% to 20% tip is customary in restaurants, although some add a service charge to the bill, making the additional tip optional. Taxi drivers have come to expect around 15%. Hotel staff like porters and bellmen generally recieve $1 per bag, maids $1 or $2 per day. All-inclusive resorts don't expect to be tipped.

TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES

Traveler's cheques are accepted throughout the country.

CREDIT CARDS

Most major credit cards are accepted everywhere. Many can be used to obtain cash advances at banks and ATMs.

BANKING HOURS AND AUTOMATED TELLERS

Banks hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 4:00pm and a few branches are open Saturday from 9:00am to 12:00pm.