Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:  While you are traveling in Costa Rica, you are subject to their laws and regulations even if you are a U.S. citizen.  Some laws in Costa Rica differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.  Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.  Persons violating Costa Rica’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.  The law permits pre-trial detention of persons accused of serious crimes.  Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking illegal drugs into Costa Rica are severe, and if convicted, offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.  Engaging in sexual conduct with minors or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime and also prosecutable in the United States.  Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.  Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could land you immediately in jail.

You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.  If you break local laws in Costa Rica, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution.  It is very important to know what is legal and what is not where you are going. 

If you are arrested in Costa Rica, authorities are required to notify the U.S. Embassy of your arrest.  If you are concerned that the Department of State may not be aware of your situation, you should request the police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy of your arrest. 

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:  U.S. citizens are urged to use extreme caution when making real estate purchases or investments, to consult with reputable legal counsel, and to investigate thoroughly all aspects before entering into a contract.  Civil archives recording land title are at times incomplete or contradictory.  Check the Embassy’s website for a list of local lawyers. You also are encouraged to review the Investment Climate Statement for Costa Rica on the State Department’s website.  Coastal land within 50 meters of the high tide line is open to the public and therefore closed to development, and construction on the next 150 meters inland is possible only with the approval of the local municipality.  Expropriation of private land by the government without compensation considered adequate or prompt has hurt some U.S. investors. 

Squatters: Organized squatter groups have invaded properties in various parts of the country. 

These squatter groups take advantage of legal provisions that allow people without land to gain title to unused property.  The Costa Rican police and judicial system have at times failed to deter or to peacefully resolve such invasions.  Victims of squatters have reported threats, harassment, and violence. There is very little that the U.S. Embassy can do to assist U.S. citizens who enter into land or business disputes in Costa Rica; you must be prepared to take your case to the local courts, which is often a very long and expensive process.

Delays in Judicial Process: The legal system in Costa Rica is backlogged, and civil suits on average take over five years to resolve. Some U.S. firms and citizens have satisfactorily resolved their cases through the courts, while others have seen proceedings drawn out over a decade without a final ruling. 

Documentation Requirements: Visitors are required to carry appropriate documentation at all times.  However, due to the high incidence of passport theft, Costa Rican immigration authorities permit tourists to carry photocopies of the data page and entry stamp from the passport, leaving the passport in a hotel safe or other secure place.  However, as noted under the CRIME section of this report, Costa Rican immigration authorities conduct routine checks for illegal immigrants, especially in bars located in downtown San Jose and in beach communities.  A U.S. citizen questioned during one of these checks and carrying only the copy of the passport will be required to produce the original passport.  In addition, tourists should carry their actual passports when taking domestic air flights, when driving, when planning to use a credit card, when traveling overnight, when traveling a considerable distance from their hotel, or when they would otherwise be unable to quickly retrieve the actual passport.  Local authorities have the right to detain U.S. citizens until their identity and immigration status have been verified.  Tourists who carry passports are urged to place them securely in an inside pocket.

Exit Procedures for Costa Rican citizens and legal residents: All children born in Costa Rica acquire Costa Rican citizenship at birth, and may only depart the country upon presentation of an exit permit issued by immigration authorities.  This includes children born in Costa Rica to U.S. citizens.  Unless the child is traveling with both parents, legal documentation is required to demonstrate that both parents grant permission for the child to leave the country.  This policy, designed to prevent international child abduction, applies to dual national U.S./Costa Rican citizens as well as U.S. citizens who are legal residents in Costa Rica.  Parents of minors who obtained Costa Rican citizenship through a parent or through birth in Costa Rica are advised to consult with appropriate Costa Rican authorities prior to travel to Costa Rica, especially if one (or both) parent(s) is not accompanying the child.

Disaster Preparedness: Costa Rica is located in an active earthquake and volcanic zone.  When planning travel to the area, you should consider that such a disaster might strike without warning.  Tsunamis may result from significant earthquakes occurring nearby or across the ocean.  Serious flooding occurs annually in the Caribbean Province of Limon and the Pacific Province of Puntarenas, and flash floods and severe landslides occur in many parts of Costa Rica, depending on the time of year and rainfall. 

In the case of disaster, the U.S. Embassy will pass emergency information via e-mail, text, and/or via Radio Dos (FM 99.5) or Radio Columbia (FM 98.7).  General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips on the Women Travelers page.

LGBT RIGHTS: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals enjoy full rights in Costa Rica.  The LGBT community is protected by anti-discrimination laws, and there are no legal or governmental impediments to the organization of LGBT events.  For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our Information for LGBT Travelers page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Costa Rica, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation limited.  Costa Rica has legislation that mandates access to transportation, communication and public buildings for persons with disabilities, but the government does not effectively enforce these laws.  Many buildings, including hotels, restaurants, and bars, remain inaccessible, and the Costa Rican Ombudsman’s Office has received several reports of noncompliance with accessibility requirements or malfunctioning of hydraulic wheelchair lifts for public transportation.  We are not aware of any special currency or customs circumstances for Costa Rica.