*This post will no longer be updated to reflect current COVID cases. There are no COVID-19 restrictions in Costa Rica at all anymore. In case something does change, we will update this post but as of 2023, there have not been any restrictions.*
Costa Rica COVID Travel Restrictions and Border Opening
Costa Rica closed their borders beginning of March 2020.
On November 1, 2020, Costa Rica opened their borders to all countries in the world via air. On April 5, 2021, Costa Rica opened the land borders between Nicaragua and Panama.
Costa Rica Entry Requirements (COVID-19)
**As of April 1, 2022, all previous COVID entry requirements have been removed.** Costa Rica does not require quarantine, a health pass, travel insurance, QR code or a negative COVID-19 test to enter. There are no COVID-19 sanitary requirements to enter Costa Rica. Entering Costa Rica is exactly how it used to be before the pandemic.
Traveling around Costa Rica is nearly exactly how it used to be before COVID. There are nearly zero restrictions.
Do I have to be vaccinated to go to Costa Rica?
No. You do not have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for Costa Rica. Costa Rica is not requiring tourists to be vaccinated against COVID. Fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated and unvaccinated people can enter Costa Rica. You don’t need to have any booster shots to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica will not ask you for any COVID-19 vaccination information when you enter the country.
Costa Rica COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Tourists Need to Know About
There are no restrictions – no driving restrictions, no curfew, etc. Costa Rican establishments do not require any proof of vaccination to enter.
Please check our post Costa Rica COVID to see details.
Do I Need to Wear a Mask in Costa Rica?
As of May 11, 2022, face masks in public spaces, open spaces and indoors have no longer been mandatory in Costa Rica except for health officials. However, individual establishments may still require them for their guests and people can still wear them if they wish.
Likewise, the face mask mandate may be reinstated at any point, particularly indoors and public transportation settings, so please be aware of this and bring at least one mask with you still.
Where to Get a COVID test in Costa Rica
In case you need to get a COVID test in Costa Rica whether you are feeling sick or if you need one to re-enter your home country, nearly all labs, clinics and hospitals can administer COVID tests.
Please check your home country requirements to see what they require for re-entry. **The United States has removed its COVID test requirement on June 12, 2022. That means that air travelers entering the United States from abroad will no longer need to produce a 24 hour negative COVID test result.***
COVID tests in Costa Rica are done via a nasal swab.
Cost and Turnaround Time
The cost of a COVID test in Costa Rica varies between $55-300 USD per test. Antigen tests have an average of 1-8 hour turnaround time and are cheaper ~$50 USD. A PCR test is around $150 USD with a turnaround time of around 24-72 hours. Some labs may offer same day PCR tests for ~$300 and at home tests are now available. Results will be emailed in English or Spanish.
What Happens If You Test Positive for COVID in Costa Rica?
First, if you are feeling sick or believe you have COVID-19, isolate yourself and go to a clinic or lab to get tested.
If you need hospitalization, Costa Rica will not refuse anyone who requires COVID-19 hospital care regardless of their immigration and vaccination status.
Then if you are taking the test to re-enter your home country, airlines will not let you board with a positive test result. If your home country requires a negative test and you test positive, you will have to quarantine a given amount of days (usually 5- 14), which is determined by the doctor who attended you and the severity of the disease. You will have to comply with the entire duration of your stay at home order – even if you test negative during that period of time.
Tourists won’t be penalized if they overstay their tourist visa due to a stay at home quarantine order.
This is one of the reasons why we highly tourists to purchase a travel insurance, even though it is not mandatory. Many travel insurances will now cover COVID costs and it is especially important now since travel is still very messy with lots of flight delays and cancellations. Check our post for travel insurance recommendations for Costa Rica here.
What Is Open in Costa Rica Right Now During COVID-19?
Everything. It is exactly how it used to be pre-COVID. There are no restrictions at all.
Planning Your Trip to Costa Rica? Here Are Some Helpful Resources
Costa Rica destinations guide (Best places to visit)
Mytanfeet Costa Rica destination map
How to avoid crowds in Costa Rica
Disclaimer: Costa Rica border openings, travel restrictions and entry requirements are ever changing. We do our best to update this post with the latest information as much as possible. Please remember that the decision to travel is up to you and it is your responsibility to stay safe. Make sure to check the recommendations of your country when it comes to international travel.
Anne Theaker says
Hi this is a great article. We are fully vaccinated and will wear masks of course. I read on the government sites that COVID numbers and hospitalizations are quite high.
Can you give me a little feedback on how “safe” it will be to visit in light of the pandemic?
Thanks so much
Annie
Sammi says
Hi Anne, yes it is true that our COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths have increased a lot lately unfortunately for Delta. However everything is open in Costa Rica and at this point, the government is just putting the responsibility on the individual to be safe. Social distancing really doesn’t exist, masks are required for indoors and in public transportation but I think it’s like anywhere else now. Delta is circulating and hospitalizations are at the highest but everything’s open.
Sammi says
Visit Costa Rica tourism board: https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/planning-your-trip/entry-requirements
Tana says
Hi Sammy! Thank you for sharing all of this great information. I do not see ReNu Vitamin Therapy or Clinica Medical Dental Villarreal on the approved labs list. There will be seven of us needing to test, so I want to make sure. We will be staying in Tamarindo. Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Tana, a lot of clinics will take the sample and then sent it to a certified lab somewhere else to get tested since they don’t have their own lab for testing – they just take the sample. If you check the Guanacaste section, you’ll see a row that says Laboratorios
Echandi, Laboratorio Medical Huacas, Clínica dental, centro comercial EL Gollo, Villareal, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste and that’s the Clinica Medical Dental Villarreal clinic (the last test I took I got it there).
Jennifer says
I am sure this has been asked before however can you please confirm that a negative PCR test is not required for entry..I’m flying from Canada..
Cathy says
Will they accept Geoblue Blue Cross & Blue Shield international insurance. Health pass still wants insurance info???
Sammi says
They’ll accept your insurance as long as it fulfills their requirements, the insurance is required for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated tourists
Daniel says
I checked their “Health Pass” website and it says nothing about the requirement being only for the un/partially vacced.
Can you provide a government resource confirming your information?
Thank you in advance.
Sammi says
https://sites.google.com/presidencia.go.cr/alertas/ingreso-de-turistas-al-pa%C3%ADs?authuser=0
Michelle Hennessy says
Hello,
This is a very useful article! Thank you!
Do children have to wear masks in Costa Rica? Is there an age guideline?
Regards,
Shelly.
Sammi says
Above 2 years of age need to wear masks
Sammi says
You can’t because the airline will ask you for your QR code before you board and will make you fill out the health pass in order to board the plane but I have heard that Costa Rica is not updating the health pass until midnight on July 31 so try again on Aug 1 to see if they have updated it.
Sophie says
Hello! I am traveling to Costa Rica tomorrow and am trying to fill out the health pass but it still asks for travel insurance. I am fully vaccinated. How can I upload my vaccine card to bypass this question. Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Sophie, try to use another browser or clear your cookies, they updated it on Aug 1 but it may still have some glitches
Anthony Dorsey says
Hello,
Can I fill out the Health Pass when I land in Costa Rica? I travel there Monday, August 2nd. I’m currently trying to fill out the Health Pass, but it won’t let me complete the questionnaire without the travel insurance info. I’m fully vaccinated, so I don’t need travel insurance.
Ellen says
Hi. Love your blog! Do you know where I can find the official announcement about the insurance requirements changing on August 1st? Everything I see still says it’s required for all visitors. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Ellen, we have already updated our blog post to reflect these changes, please go to the travel insurance requirement section to read more details. Fully vaccinated (14 days after last dose) people can enter Costa Rica without purchasing insurance starting August 1. Minors under the age of 18 too. Vaccines accepted are Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca.
Ellen says
Thanks Sammi I saw it on your blog and also on the Tico Times, but all of the Costa Rican government sites still say it is required, so I was hoping you could include a link to the official government announcement. Thanks!
Sammi says
(Spanish only): https://sites.google.com/presidencia.go.cr/alertas/ingreso-de-turistas-al-pa%C3%ADs
Kevin says
We are three travelers from Colorado US who are fully vaccinated and arrive on 7/31 at 6:45pm. With the cutoff for insurance starting 8/1, is there a way to ask for an exception to not obtain the insurance?
Sammi says
They are going by the date of entry so as you are entering before August 1, you have to purchase insurance for the entirety of your trip, they aren’t making exceptions.
Tracy Weddle says
Hello, after digging further into Trawick, I discovered that they have recently added Safe Travel Explorer for Costa Rica and it was $65 less for our family of 3 than Safe Travels Voyager! It is not on their website though so you have to get the link through the online chat person.
Sammi says
Hi Tracy, The Explorer option actually is on the website when you click on the Costa Rica travel insurance options, the Explorer is their budget option so it is a bit cheaper than the Voyager which gives the highest available benefits.
Sarah says
We had a great trip to osa peninsula in late April 2021 – used Trawick for travel insurance & saved a lot of $ using proctored covid self-test from emed.com – (need wifi connection). Antigen test widely accepted by US airlines. Highly recommend.