Prostitution in Costa Rica

Prostitution in Costa Rica is legal. Costa Rica's legal system is based on Roman law rather than common law, and so for prostitution to be illegal it would have to be explicitly stated as such in a penal code, and it is not. Nevertheless, many of the activities surrounding it are illegal, as the law forbids promoting or facilitating the prostitution of another, and therefore pimping, brothels, or prostitution rings are illegal. Prostitution is common and is practiced openly throughout the country, particularly in popular tourism destinations.

The large growth in sex tourism prompted the Government of Costa Rica to introduce a voluntary registration scheme for prostitutes. Prostitutes who register with the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) carry an ID card and are entitled to a free health check every 15 days, as well as being able to receive support and assistance. There are estimated to be 15,000 prostitutes in the country. Many of them are from Colombia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries.

There is a red-light district in the capital, San José, known as Gringo Gulch.

Sex trafficking, child prostitution and HIV are problems in the country.

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