Costa Rica has 11 official public holidays, set by article 148 of the Labour Code. On eight of them, pay is mandatory; on the other three, the day is a holiday but pay is not mandatory. Here is the full list of Costa Rica national holidays with the dates for 2026 and 2027, what each one celebrates, and how they affect banks, government offices and travel.
Costa Rica national holidays: the full list
| Date | Holiday | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year’s Day | Mandatory |
| 11 April | Juan Santamaría Day | Mandatory |
| Thursday and Friday of Holy Week (dates change) | Holy Thursday and Good Friday | Mandatory |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Mandatory |
| 25 July | Annexation of the Partido de Nicoya (Guanacaste Day) | Mandatory |
| 2 August | Day of the Virgin of Los Ángeles | Not mandatory |
| 15 August | Mother’s Day (Feast of the Assumption) | Mandatory |
| 31 August | Day of Black People and Afro-Costa Rican Culture | Not mandatory |
| 15 September | Independence Day | Mandatory |
| 1 December | Abolition of the Army Day | Not mandatory |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Mandatory |
Workers who practise a religion other than Catholicism can also ask their employer for the holy days of their own faith off, under the same article. The employer must grant them, and the two sides agree how the day is made up.
Costa Rica holidays 2026
| Holiday | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday 1 January |
| Holy Thursday | Thursday 2 April |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April |
| Juan Santamaría Day | Saturday 11 April |
| Labour Day | Friday 1 May |
| Guanacaste Day | Saturday 25 July |
| Virgin of Los Ángeles | Sunday 2 August |
| Mother’s Day | Saturday 15 August |
| Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day | Monday 31 August |
| Independence Day | Tuesday 15 September |
| Abolition of the Army Day | Tuesday 1 December |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December |
Costa Rica holidays 2027
| Holiday | 2027 date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Friday 1 January |
| Holy Thursday | Thursday 25 March |
| Good Friday | Friday 26 March |
| Juan Santamaría Day | Sunday 11 April |
| Labour Day | Saturday 1 May |
| Guanacaste Day | Sunday 25 July |
| Virgin of Los Ángeles | Monday 2 August |
| Mother’s Day | Sunday 15 August |
| Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day | Tuesday 31 August |
| Independence Day | Wednesday 15 September |
| Abolition of the Army Day | Wednesday 1 December |
| Christmas Day | Saturday 25 December |
Holidays stay on their own dates. Between 2020 and 2024 a temporary rule moved several of them to the nearest Monday to boost tourism, but that rule has ended, and the law now says 25 July is always celebrated on the day itself.
What each holiday celebrates
Juan Santamaría Day (11 April)
Juan Santamaría is Costa Rica’s national hero, a young soldier from Alajuela who died at the Battle of Rivas on 11 April 1856 during the war against William Walker’s forces. Alajuela, his home town and the site of the international airport named after him, holds parades and civic events.
Holy Week (Semana Santa)
Holy Thursday and Good Friday are the quietest days of the year. Many businesses close, processions fill town centres, and families head to the beach, so coastal hotels and roads are busy for the whole week.
Guanacaste Day (25 July)
This holiday marks the 1824 annexation of the Partido de Nicoya, today’s Guanacaste, to Costa Rica. Guanacaste celebrates with folk dancing, marimba music, rodeos and traditional food.
Virgin of Los Ángeles (2 August)
The Virgin of Los Ángeles is Costa Rica’s patron saint. In the days before 2 August, huge numbers of pilgrims walk to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago in the Romería, many of them through the night.
Mother’s Day (15 August)
Costa Rica celebrates Mother’s Day on the Feast of the Assumption. Restaurants are full, and families gather for lunch.
Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day (31 August)
This day honours Black Costa Ricans and Afro-Costa Rican culture, especially strong on the Caribbean coast in Limón. A 2021 law also declared August the month of Afro-descendant history in Costa Rica.
Independence Day (15 September)
Costa Rica marks its 1821 independence from Spain. On the evening of 14 September, a torch arrives in each town and families walk in lantern parades (faroles). On the 15th, schools and bands march in parades across the country.
Abolition of the Army Day (1 December)
Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948, and this day celebrates a decision that still defines the country.
Christmas (25 December)
The season starts early. San José’s Festival de la Luz parade lights up the city in December, and Christmas Eve dinner with tamales is the main family event.
How holidays affect daily life
- Government offices close, including immigration offices. Plan appointments and document collection around the holiday calendar.
- Banks close on public holidays, and many shops open with reduced hours.
- Holy Week and Christmas are peak travel times. Book hotels, rental cars and buses early.
- Not every celebration is a holiday. 12 October is commemorated in schools but is not a day off, and Halloween is not a holiday either. See our guide to Halloween and the mascarada tradition.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Costa Rica have?
Eleven: eight with mandatory pay and three where the day is a holiday but pay is not mandatory (2 August, 31 August and 1 December).
Are Costa Rica holidays moved to Mondays?
Not any more. The Monday moves applied only from 2020 to 2024. Holidays now fall on their actual dates.
Is 12 October a holiday in Costa Rica?
No. The Labour Code makes it a civic commemoration in schools, not a public holiday.
Are banks open on public holidays?
Generally no. Banks and government offices close on public holidays, so plan any paperwork around them.
What is the Romería?
The pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago in the days before 2 August, the day of Costa Rica’s patron saint.
Holiday rules are based on article 148 of Costa Rica’s Labour Code as currently in force.
Thinking about making the move permanent?
Everything above is easier to live with once your status here is settled rather than renewed every few months.
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