Is Hemp Legal in Costa Rica?

Industrial hemp is legal in Costa Rica under Law 10113, which created a licensing framework administered by MAG for cultivation, processing, and commercialization of hemp containing no more than 1% THC by dry weight. This threshold is higher than the 0.3% used in the United States and the 0.2-0.3% common in the EU, giving Costa Rican producers a competitive advantage in genetics selection.

MAG began issuing cultivation licenses in 2023 following publication of Executive Decree 43706-MAG-S. By 2025, licensed hectarage had expanded across Guanacaste, Alajuela, and the Central Valley, with hemp positioned as a high-value alternative crop. Permitted uses include fiber, seed for food (hemp hearts, oil, protein), construction materials, textiles, and extraction of cannabinoids for CBD products.

Hemp food products are regulated as foodstuffs by the Ministerio de Salud and require standard food registration. Hemp-derived cosmetics and topicals follow the same sanitary registration process as other cosmetic products.