Mike R. Says:
I’m thinking about visiting Costa Rica, and I know you can’t bring a firearm into the country. Are you allowed to carry a stun gun legally in Costa Rica?
IL Costa Rica Correspondent Bekah Bottone Says:
Hi Mike,
Stun guns are widely available for purchase by the general public in Costa Rica, and you can legally carry one with no issue.
What you need to pay attention to regarding personal defense items is the gas content. The law in Costa Rica states, “devices intended for personal defense with a content of no more than 30 g of tear gas” are allowed. So if you’re purchasing anything like that here, be sure to check the gas content to stay on the right side of the law.
If you chose to move here, you can also own a firearm if you buy it from a registered gun store.
Only people with permanent residency and a digital signature card are eligible to register a firearm in Costa Rica—so as a tourist or temporary resident this will not be an option.
You may want to discuss the law with a lawyer if you want more details. I love to share the contact information of my lawyer, Rosa, at Themis Legal.
Read more about the gun laws in the countries IL covers here.
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