Vaping / E-cigs — Costa Rica

You can bring and use a vape in Costa Rica, but not in most places you would want to. Vaping is banned in bars, restaurants, HOTELS, casinos, nightclubs, shopping centres, workplace car parks and ALL areas of ports and airports. The vaping list is wider than the smoking ban - it explicitly names hotels, which the tobacco law does not. An individual caught vaping in a prohibited place is fined 10% of a judicial base salary: about 46,220 colones in 2026, roughly US$90.

Ley 10066 art. 15 a): "multa del diez por ciento (10%) de un salario base, a las personas fisicas que utilicen" the devices in the art. 3 prohibited places. With the base salary set at 462,200 colones for 2026, that is 46,220 colones (about US$90 at prevailing rates). This is identical to the smoker's fine under Ley 9028 art. 36 a). DO NOT APPLY THE HIGHER TIERS TO A TOURIST: the 15% fine falls on those responsible for posting signage, and the 50% fine on managers who PERMIT use and on anyone selling to a minor. Business closure under Ley 9028 art. 36 applies to premises, never to an individual. The USD conversion moves with the exchange rate; the colon figure is the authoritative one.