Laws in Costa Rica
How Costa Rica is classified on 28 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal (limited) Abortion is permitted on limited grounds such as a risk to health.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is not regulated as currency, but holding and trading it is lawful.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban Costa Rica bans smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces with no exceptions.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Illegal Homeschooling is prohibited.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Compulsory (not enforced) Costa Rica has a legal duty to vote, but sanctions are not applied, evidenced by high absenteeism.
- Minimum Working Age
- 16+ Minimum working age: 16.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 14–15 The age of consent is 15.
- Sex Work
- Decriminalized / unregulated Selling sex is not illegal, but facilitating or promoting it is prohibited.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Same-sex couples can jointly petition to adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Permissive Handguns are licensed as of right, and personal protection is an accepted reason on its own.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned Corporal punishment in schools has been banned nationwide since 2008.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Decriminalized Recreational possession is decriminalized — a fine at most, not a criminal offence.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- E-Cigarettes
- Legal / lightly regulated E-cigarettes are legal, subject to an age limit.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.