Cannabis plants in Costa Rica fall under different legal rules depending on their use. Medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp have regulated licensing frameworks. That does not create a general recreational retail market, and personal consumption should not be confused with permission to sell or import cannabis.
Medicinal cannabis and hemp have a regulated framework
Law 10113, dated March 2, 2022, established the framework for medicinal and therapeutic cannabis and hemp for food and industrial uses. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) publishes cultivation authorization and licensing procedures. The Ministry of Health regulates the activities and products within its remit.
A business planning cultivation, processing or commercialization should identify the relevant activity and obtain the corresponding authorization. A product offered online or in a shop is not, by itself, evidence that its production and sale comply with those requirements.
Medicinal-product registration is operating
The Health Ministry now provides a registration process for cannabis-based medicinal products under Decree 44917-S, RTCR 515:2024. Its current guidance lists product specifications, manufacturing documentation, analytical methods and labeling among the requirements. Applications are handled through Regístrelo.
This is more than a regulation announced in 2025: the ministry publishes the actual registration procedure and a 2026 technical circular. Registration rules do not establish that every advertised medicine is registered or available. Ask a qualified clinician and pharmacist about the specific product and its appropriate use.
Personal consumption and home cultivation are different from a legal market
The article previously stated that any home cultivation automatically fell within a trafficking offence. That was too broad. In its April 28, 2025 opinion PGR-OJ-070-2025, the Procuraduría General de la República discusses the absence of criminal punishment for possession and cultivation exclusively for personal consumption, while also examining restrictions in the wider legal framework.
That document is a non-binding opinion on a proposed bill, not a new cultivation licence or an enacted recreational-use law. The proposal’s reference to 20 flowering plants must not be presented as an established legal allowance.
Personal use and commercial supply are legally distinct. A brief online guide cannot determine the purpose attributed to a particular activity or resolve an individual case. Do not treat the absence of a fixed personal-use quantity as a guaranteed safe threshold. Obtain Costa Rican legal advice before relying on a claim about home cultivation, possession or supply.
CBD and hemp products have published rules
It is also incorrect to say that no published regulation sets limits for consumer CBD products. Decree 44844, RTCR 511:2023, covers hemp derivatives and specified health-regulated products, including foods, supplements and cosmetics. It contains registration, labeling, quality and cannabinoid-limit provisions.
The regulation defines hemp using a total THC concentration below 1% by dry weight. That plant definition is not a universal finished-product allowance. Limits and other conditions depend on the product category. For example, foods and cosmetics are addressed separately. A manufacturer or importer needs to use the provisions applicable to the actual product.
For more detail, see our guide to CBD regulations in Costa Rica and the official regulation linked below.
What to check before buying or importing a product
- Identify whether it is a medicine, food, supplement, cosmetic or another regulated product.
- Check its labeling and applicable sanitary registration rather than relying only on the word “CBD.”
- Confirm the current import requirements before ordering internationally or carrying a product across a border.
- Discuss intended medicinal use with a qualified healthcare professional.
For a proposed commercial activity, start with MAG and the Health Ministry. For a personal legal question, have a Costa Rican lawyer assess the circumstances. This article does not predict immigration consequences from an allegation or charge.
Official sources
Legal distinctions and regulatory references checked September 6, 2026.