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We have received numerous requests for information
about Costa Rica's handgun laws.
The admission of firearms and ammunition into the
territory of Costa Rica is subject to restrictions
and import permits approved by Costa Rican authorities.
Applications to import non-military weapons into the
country may be filed by or through a licensed importer,
authorized dealer or a particular person. The Congress
of Costa Rica strongly restricts the import of any
war weapons into the country; therefore any war weapon
in the hands of a non-authorized individual is illegal.
First check with your airline about its policy on
packing guns in your luggage. If you want to bring
a handgun, revolver, or pistol in to Costa Rica,
you must follow the required procedure:
- Inform the airline that you are traveling with a weapon.
- Once you arrive in Costa Rica, your weapon will remain at the Customs office
until you register the weapon at the Ministry of
Public Security's Department of Firearms and Ammunitions.
There, you must provide the following documents:
- Official registration of the firearm with the corresponding authorities of your
state of residence (Secretary of State and or Police
Department). This document must be duly certified
by the Costa Rican consulate; please follow the authentication
procedure.
- Police record from the pdolice precinct where you have legally reside for the
last six months. This document must be no older than
six months, and must be duly certified by the Costa
Rican consulate; please follow the authentication
procedure.
- Weapon Entrance Proof of Receipt issued by the Customs/airport authorities in
Costa Rica.
- Take a psychological test in Costa Rica to evaluate your personality traits.
- Once you obtain the required permits, bring them to the Customs office and your
weapon will be released.
If you are caught traveling with a weapon without
the appropriate permits and registrations in Costa
Rica, your weapon will be confiscated and you will
be fined, arrested or deported.
In order to legally have a handgun it must be registered
with the Departmamento de Armas y Explosivos (Department
of Weapons and Explosives). If you bring your weapon
from the United States you will have to pay taxes.
They can range sometimes from 50 to 100 percent of
the new value of the weapon.
If you don't have proof or a receipt of ownership
or you want to reduce the taxes on an imported weapon
, you should obtain a sworn statement (declaración
jurada) from a lawyer saying someone gave you your
weapon. This way you will not have to pay the taxes.
However, if you purchase your weapon in Costa Rica,
the taxes are included in the price. Expect to pay
about double for a handgun in Costa Rica. If you fail
to register your gun, there will be serious legal repercussions
if you are caught with an unregistered weapon. To register
your handgun take the proof of purchase/declaration
of ownership papers and your residency cédula to
the Departamento de Armas y Explosivos in
Zapote. Once you have registered a handgun, it is illegal
to carry it unless you have a special permit or Permiso
de Portación de Armas. In order to get a
permit you have to be a legal resident or have a Costa
Rican corporation. You may register the gun through
the latte.
You have to take both the theoretical and practical
exams to get your gun carry permit. The former is a
psychological test in Spanish to see if you are suited
to own a gun. The cost of this exam is about 5,000
to 7,000 colones. If you pass this exam, you
can then take the practical exam. Finally, you take
the practical exam to show a qualified instructor that
you know how to use your gun by shooting at some targets.
You need to score 80 percent (10 rounds fired from
10 meters).
The cost of this exam is 5,000 colones. You
may take shooting lessons from a certified instructor
at the Club de Tiro (220-0188) next to the national
Soccer Stadium at the west end of La Sabana Park. Exams
are held there on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8
a.m. Get there at least an hour early with your ID
(cédula or passport) because they only
accept 40 people per day. The results of both the psychological
and shooting test will be filed with the Departamento
de Armas y Explosivos.
Once you are done, they will give you a document that
you need to save; wait 8 working days and then go to
the Departamento de Armas y Explosivos del Ministerio
de Seguridad Pública in San Pedro, 150
meters south of La Fuente de la Hispanidad or 100 meters
south of the San Pedro Cemetery, right on the highway.
Give them the document you saved and they will give
you your carnet (ID permit).
Once you have your permit, you can go and buy your
gun. In some gun shops they will make you a nice offer
that includes a registration (recommeded).
After you buy your gun, you will need to return to El
Polígono with the gun papers and carry
out the registration. All this is assuming you want
to buy the gun here. It is easier to buy a gun locally
than to bring one from the United States. |
