Connectivity — Costa Rica
What travelers need to know about connectivity in Costa Rica. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Connectivity in Costa Rica: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
Never bring a signal jammer into Costa Rica. Making, buying, installing, CARRYING, IMPORTING, transporting, distributing, selling, using or operating any device that interferes with, disables, blocks, degrades or disrupts radio communication signals is a crime carrying one to six years in prison - importing or simply carrying one is enough. The only carve-out is authorised blocking inside prisons and similar facilities.
One to six years' imprisonment (Código Penal art. 259 bis, added by Ley 10415 of 29 November 2023). If committed by a public servant, the penalty is increased by one third.
§ SINALEVI - Ley 10415 "Reforma Ley General de Telecomunicaciones, Código Penal", texto completo, "Versión de la Norma: 1 de 1"; cross-checked against Ley 8642 "Ley General de Telecomunicaciones" texto completo "Versión de la Norma: 6 de 6" (art. 6 inc. 31 and Transitorio VIII)Verified Aug 30, 2026