Cash / Currency 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Cash / Currency is restricted for travelers entering Costa Rica; declare above the personal allowance.
Can I bring Cash / Currency into Costa Rica?
Cash / Currency is restricted for travelers entering Costa Rica; declare above the personal allowance.
Required at the destination customs authority
Full details
Cash / Currency requires declaration at customs (and in some cases an import permit) when carried by travelers into Costa Rica. Dirección General de Aduanas applies a personal-allowance threshold per item category; quantities above attract duty + the destination's VAT/GST rate (13%) plus, for select categories, an additional excise tax. Pacific Alliance / Mercosur / CAFTA-DR / USMCA / Andean Community preferential treatment for member-state goods. Travelers should consult Dirección General de Aduanas for the current quantity threshold + documentation requirement before departure.
PENALTIES
- Fine: 500–500000 CRC
- Civil penalty only
Leaving Costa Rica with cash / currency
Travellers departing from Costa Rica carrying cash, banker's cheques, bearer bonds, or other bearer-form negotiable instruments totalling USD 10,000 equivalent or more must complete the DGA currency declaration at customs before boarding. This threshold aggregates all currencies at exchange-rate parity. Failure to declare is grounds for seizure of the entire cash amount under Ley 8204 plus criminal prosecution for aggravated cases. Source-of-funds documentation may be requested. Legitimate declared movements are not restricted; the requirement is transparency-based to combat money laundering and tax evasion.
Values at or above this threshold must be declared (USD).
Carry Cash / Currency in carry-on where applicable (medication / lithium battery / valuables). On arrival, walk the Red Channel and declare on the customs form. Dirección General de Aduanas computes duty + VAT at the published rate. Have the purchase receipt + (for medication) the original prescription available.
This page covers destination customs rules in Costa Rica. Whether you can carry cash / currency through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.
Cash / Currency rules in other countries
Cash / Currency
🇺🇸 United States
Must declare cash or monetary instruments over USD 10,000 on arrival and departure.
Cash / Currency
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Must declare cash of GBP 10,000 or more when entering or leaving Great Britain.
Cash / Currency
🇩🇪 Germany
EU rule: declare EUR 10,000 or more when entering or leaving the EU.
Cash / Currency
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Must declare cash of AED 60,000 or more (approx. USD 16,300) on arrival.
Cash / Currency
🇵🇭 Philippines
PHP 50,000 limit; foreign currency over USD 10,000 must be declared
Cash / Currency
🇻🇳 Vietnam
VND 15 million limit; USD 5,000 foreign currency