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Costa Rica

Costa Rica's freedom of panorama is non-commercial only, so you cannot freely sell images of copyrighted public works; the draw is its protected nature anyway.

Verified Jun 28, 2026 2 official sources
Permit: conditionalPanorama: Restricted (non-commercial only)

Guidance, not legal advice

Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: SINAC and the Costa Rica Film Commission for commercial shoots in protected areas; no permit for personal photography

Cost: No permit for personal photography; commercial film or photo inside SINAC protected areas needs authorization and a per-day fee

Personal photography needs no permit. Commercial drone operations need DGAC certification.

Drone / airspace

Regulated by the DGAC; fly below 120m in daylight and 30m from people; commercial use needs certification

Flights over reserves count as commercial use. For detail, see Drone Authority.

Street / public space

Yes to photograph, but publishing or commercializing a recognizable person's image needs consent under the Civil Code

Exceptions for public events and genuine public interest; get model releases for commercial use.

Freedom of panorama

Restricted (non-commercial only)

Under Ley 6683, photographing statues, monuments, and public artworks is lawful only without commercial purpose, so you may not freely sell images of copyrighted public works. Public-domain works are unaffected.

Practical notes

  • Commercial film or photo inside SINAC protected areas needs advance authorization and a per-day fee via the Film Commission.
  • Drone flights over reserves count as commercial use requiring DGAC certification; respect the 30m wildlife distance rule.

Sources

Keep shooting

Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side:

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