Traveling to Costa Rica with young kids takes a little extra planning. You have to think about what to pack, how best to get around, and other important logistics. One of those things that often leaves parents perplexed is what to do about car seats.
We live in Costa Rica with our kids and have been helping families arrange travel here for several years now. In this post, we will give you an idea of what to expect when it comes to car seats in Costa Rica. We’ll let you know about the car seat laws, types of seats available, and how it will work with a rental car, and on tours or shuttles.
Car Seats in Costa Rica
Legal Requirements
By law in Costa Rica, car seats or booster seats are mandatory for children 12 and under, up to 57 inches/145 cm or 79 pounds/36 kg. Here are the specific laws:
Infants up to one year (up to 28.5 pounds/13 kg or 29.5 inches/75 cm) – Rear facing in the middle seat.
Babies and children ages 1-4 (20-40 pounds/9-18 kg or up to 43 inches/110 cm) – Front facing in the middle seat.
If you have more than one child, the one who weighs less should be in the middle and the other behind the passenger seat.
Children ages 4-6 (33-55 pounds/15-25 kg or up to 57 inches/145 cm) – Booster seat with a back.
Children ages 6-12 (48.5-79 pounds/22-36 kg or up to 57 inches/145 cm) – Booster seat without a back.
These requirements can be found in La Nacion newspaper. Or find a translated version here.
Practical Considerations
Although these are the car seat requirements in Costa Rica, they are not always followed. In rural areas, it is common to see young children, including babies, sitting on their mom’s lap in the back seat. Sometimes you will even see kids sandwiched between their parents on a motorcycle, cruising down the road!
The fines for non-compliance with car seat laws are hefty, though. So we highly recommend getting whatever seat your child is required to have. We have heard of people getting fined by Transito (Costa Rica’s transit police) for not having their kids in seats. Keep in mind too that Costa Rica is not the safest place for driving, so it is good to have the kids properly restrained.
What Car Seats Are Available in Costa Rica?
Rental Cars
Overview
If you’re renting a car, which is what we usually recommend for families, the rental car company will have car seats available. The types of seats vary depending on the company you use. But generally, they all have convertible seats for babies and toddlers, booster seats with a back, and backless booster seats for older children. Some will have infant bucket seats as well for smaller babies.
The brands/models vary considerably. Reputable companies usually have name brands that you will recognize, like Graco, Evenflo, Safety First, etc.
Typically, there is an extra daily charge for car seats of around $6 per day.
Car Seats Through Adobe Rent a Car
If you’re thinking of renting a car, check out our Rental Car Discount through Adobe Rent a Car. They are a reputable company with reliable cars. Adobe has been around for 20 years and has offices all around the country.
A big plus for families is that Adobe gives Two Weeks in Costa Rica readers free car seats when booked through our website. You can use the widget on our Rental Car Discount page to check availability and rates for your dates.
Adobe Rent a Car has three types of car seats available: convertible seats, boosters with a back, and boosters without a back. The exact inventory will vary by office, but they are currently phasing out all other seats and have those three types available.
Here is more information on Adobe Rent a Car’s most common car seats. When you go to reserve, just indicate in the notes section which car seat(s) you’ll need.
Evenflo Sonus 65 Convertible Seat
This seat is for babies and children ranging from 5 to 65 lbs. It has a 5-point harness and 6 shoulder positions for adjusting the harness height. The seat goes rear facing up to 40 lbs and front facing up to 65 lbs. Maximum height: 50 inches.
*Because this seat goes up to 65 lbs front facing, it can be used for kids in the ages 3-5 range (depending on size) who you want to keep in a 5-point harness.
Evenflo Big Kid LX Booster with a Back
This seat is for children from 40 to 110 lbs, 40-57 inches, and at least 4 years of age. It uses the seat belt (no 5-point harness) as the restraint.
Evenflo Big Kid LX No Back Booster
See above for specifications. They use the base only for the no-back booster.
Shuttle Vans
If you’re planning to take shuttle transfers between destinations, the shuttle companies will provide car seats for free. Again, the exact types of car seats vary by company, but they will have similar kinds of seats. Just be sure to verify in advance when you reserve about the type of seat you’ll get.
When the van arrives, you will usually need to adjust and install the car seat yourself. If you need a convertible seat, an important thing to keep in mind is that the straps may not be adjusted to the correct height. This can be tough since you probably won’t be familiar with the exact type of car seat in front of you.
For a shuttle we booked once, the company showed up with a fantastic Britax bucket seat for our baby. The problem was, however, that the straps were way too high and we didn’t want to take the ten or more minutes to adjust it while everyone else was waiting in the van. We ended up just bringing our own seat because it was easier. This wasn’t that convenient but saved us a lot of trouble.
Note: It can be difficult to ensure the exact type of car seat you will get when the shuttle van arrives. Car seats are not taken as seriously in Costa Rica in general, and you are relying on the driver to make sure they get the correct seat. If you have any concerns, your best option is to bring your own seat. See the section below for more information.
Alternatively, there are certain shuttle companies in Costa Rica that work hard to ensure that they are providing the correct type of car seat. In our experience booking shuttles for people, we have learned which companies are best. If you would like help arranging a shuttle, please contact us through our Shuttle Booking page.
Transportation for Tours
Tourism vans that are licensed to bring people from their hotel to a tour are not legally required to provide car seats. So your children will not be provided with a seat for a tour transfer. You are welcome to install your own, though, if you bring one.
Sometimes drive times to get to a tour can be 30 minutes or more, on busy roads, so keep this in mind.
Another good option is to skip the included transportation and just drive yourself to the starting location in a rental car. This is what a lot of families do so that they can avoid the car seat issue.
Bringing Your Own Car Seat
If after reading this, you’re concerned about the exact type of car seat you’ll get when you arrive, it may be best to just bring your own. As we said, brands and styles vary, so for some people, it’s worth the peace of mind.
For getting the car seat to Costa Rica, car seat experts don’t recommend checking the seat as luggage at the airport or gate checking it. Gate checking is preferred if you have to, but still not recommended. This is because of damage that could happen when the seat is handled.
So your best bet if you can is to bring the seat onto the plane and have your child sit in in. This is said to be the safest option for kids from birth to 40 lbs. The seat will need to be FAA approved for use on aircrafts (look for the sticker on the side of the seat).
Since you’ll be lugging the seat around the airport with you, it’s also a good idea to have something lighter. We have this inexpensive convertible seat that we use for travel. It’s much less heavy than the one we normally use at home, but still works well.
You can also get a handy carrier to help get the seat (and your kids) around the airport. Here’s a link to some travel carts to give you an idea.
Final Tips and Helpful Car Seat Reminders for Travel
- Plan for extra time to install and adjust the seat in your rental vehicle before getting on the road.
- If you rent a car seat and are not happy with the brand or model, ask the rental company if they have any others available. They may have more in storage.
- If you bring your own seat and are taking a shuttle or taxi, inform the driver that you need an extra 5 minutes to get it installed. Costa Ricans are generally very patient and will likely help in any way they can.
- Most car seats have stickers on either side with simplified installation instructions. This can be really helpful if you don’t have the manual.
- It’s a good idea to carry an extra seat belt clip for situations where a vehicle’s seatbelts may not lock properly. This has happened to us in taxis/Ubers. The small and inexpensive metal clip can be a lifesaver.
We hope this post helped explain how car seats work in Costa Rica. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us below.
Some of the links in this post are connected to affiliate programs we have joined. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Looking for more information to plan your family’s visit to Costa Rica? Check out these posts:
Family Travel: Check out our Family Travel articles to learn about some fun family activities and get general information about traveling with kids in Costa Rica.
Packing List for Traveling with a Baby in Costa Rica: If you’re traveling with a baby, this post will help with those specific questions on what to bring.
Virtual Field Trip to Costa Rica: Get the kids excited for the trip with these exciting activities you can do from home!
Hi guys, first of, thanks all these awesome tips, it helps a lot!
I’ve got a question: do you know where we can buy baby seats..? With 2 kids, and staying for several weeks, it makes a total of 300 USD minimum which is absurd… I tried WallMart, but they didn’t have boosters. The best would be used ones, like classifieds? What do you think?
Cheers!
O.
Hi Olivier, Bebemundo has many different types of car seats, including boosters. Here’s a link to their website. I think right now some of the locations are closed due to Covid, but the one at City Mall in Alajuela and in Zapote are open. They are also offering delivery and possibly curbside pickup. Otherwise, you could look on the Facebook classifieds for something used. A lot of people post things for sale on there.
Hi you two! Thanks for providing such up to date information! My husband and I will be coming with our 9 month old and 3 year old to Costa Rica this February (2021). I’m wondering about taking the public bus around San Jose and the public bus from San Jose to Costa Viejo. Do public buses require car seats? We aren’t interested in paying for shuttles (public or private) and don’t mind the extra time of the public bus. I’m just wondering about the car seat situation because we aren’t bringing them — it’s too difficult to lug around a toddler car seat! Thanks for any information you can give me! I appreciate it!
Hi Katherine, No, car seats are not required on the public bus. Parents just hold their kids in their laps.
Just a traveler hint: if you lift your child into the bus, it won’t have to pay. But if tour 3 year old walks independently into the bus, some bus drivers will let you know he has to pay. It has to do with a underlying counting system in the entrance of the bus.
Thank you for the info! We are visiting Manuel Antonio in a few weeks with my 17 month old. We are bringing our own carseat (cosco scenera next) and plan to install it in our rental van. In your experience, do the rental cars/vans in CR come equipped with the LATCH/isofix system, and if not, do the seatbelts typically lock? I will bring a locking clip with us just in case, but wanted to get some insight as to what to expect. Thanks!
Hi Lindsay, Rental cars in Costa Rica do usually have LATCH. If you’re getting a larger van, I’m not sure about that. The middle seat may have just a lap belt that would work, but definitely bring the lock clip just in case.
Hi we are in the uk where the recommendation is to keep kids rear facing until at least 4, 6 is best. Our car seat only rear faces. I’m really uncomfortable about forward facing him at 18 months, is there anyway I can rear face him? Thanks
Hi Lucy, These are the minimum requirements. You can choose to keep rear facing longer if you like. We rear faced our oldest until he was 4 or so and didn’t have any problems with the police when we went through check points and things.
We are planning a trip with little ones to Costa Rica soon, so this website has been SUPER helpful!
We were thinking of renting our car seats once we got to CR, but since we also need to GET to the airport with the little ones, we have decided to take our own car seats with us. My one question is: do car seats count as “valuables”? Meaning do thieves see car seats as valuable items to steal? Because we would want to install our car seats upon receiving our rental and keep the seats there the entire time. I know you can’t guarantee that someone won’t steal them, but is “car seat stealing” a thing or a rare occurrence? Thanks!
Hi Rose, Your car seats should be fine. We’ve never heard of them being stolen. We’ve lived here for eight years and keep our kids’ seats installed in the car all the time. We’ve never had any problems.
Hello!
Thanks for all of your helpful tips. We’re heading to CR for the first time in a few weeks with our 11-month-old. We’ve rented a car through Adobe (again, thanks!) but are bringing our own car seat. Could you please explain what you mean by bringing an extra “seat belt clip”? When I click the link, it just takes me to a page with a bunch of different seat belt-related items (maybe because I’m in Canada?) so I’m not sure exactly which piece you’re referring to.
Appreciate your help!
Hi Justeen, We’re talking about a locking clip that you use to make the seat belt lock in case you have to install the car seat using the seatbelt because the car does not have LATCH. Or if a seatbelt does not lock property. Here’s a link to an article that explains this more.
When traveling with a guide in a turismo van in Cost Rica, they often have lap and shoulder straps only in the front seat and the back rows are all lap only belts. Those lap only belts aren’t approved for any seat only booster seats or high back booster seats so what do families do in that situation for the 5-7 year olds? Or older kids since CR requires boosters for up to age 12. Or are boosters not required in those vans?
Thanks!
Hi Jenny, We checked with one of the shuttle van companies we use, and they said most of their vans only have lap belts, but they do have two vans with shoulder straps in the back seats. We are able to request them so that you would get one of those particular vans. Feel free to contact us through our Shuttle Booking page if you’d like help.
Hi! Thank you for such an informative website! We are travelling with our 4yo and 6yo to Costa Rica in April, in and out of San Jose. We’ve tentatively planned 4 nights each in La Fortuna/Arenal and Manuel Antonio. We are a bit intimidated about renting a car/driving and are considering taking shuttles for the long legs and then getting a car for part of the time- which part of the trip do you think having a rental car would be most beneficial? Maybe La Fortuna? Do you recommend a particular car company for La Fortuna? Seems like Manuel Antonio is a bit more compact and has more local transport options, so maybe we could get away without one there. Would love to know your thoughts- thanks!
Hi Izzy, Your thoughts are right on. La Fortuna is more spread out so it’s nice to have a car there, especially with younger kids. The rental car company we recommend, Adobe, has an office nearby in Ciuded Quesada and can deliver a car to your hotel/vacation rental in La Fortuna. Here’s the link to our rental car discount page so you can check pricing.
Manuel Antonio is definitely easier without a car. We’d recommend find accommodations near the main road so that you’ll be walking distance or a short taxi ride to restaurants. Here’s a link to our Manuel Antonio Hotel Guide in case it is helpful.
Can you clarify. If I have a 10 year old who is over 80 pounds do they have to be in a booster? Do they have to meet all 3 requirements (age, height and weight) or if the weight is over then no seat needed?
Hi Jason, If your 10-year old is over the 79 pound weight limit, they don’t need a booster.
Hello! I’ve read that there’s no guarantee that taxis or rental cars will be able to accommodate a car seat requiring the top tether for installation. Have you found this? I’m trying to figure out what car seat to bring that could work for my newly 4 year old who still needs to be harnessed.
Hi Eva, Yes, you can’t assume a taxi will have LATCH. Almost all rental cars do but we have heard of them not having it sometimes. If you rent a car, you can specifically request a car that has LATCH and they should be able to accommodate you without a problem. I would rent a car so you don’t have to worry.
Hi there, thank you so much for all your helpful information! I’m travelling with my baby (5months) to Costa Rica next month. We’re not renting a car or bringing our own car seat. Do you know if she can sit on my lap if we take an Uber (for example from the Airport to our hostel)?
Hi Hanna, Babies are supposed to be in a car seat by law and I highly recommend it as driving here isn’t the safest. The airlines will let you bring a car seat on for free. You can gate check it or check it with your baggage.
Hi Jen and Matt, thanks for the useful information. Just to be sure, do i need car seats for my kids while driving in CR? my youngest is 9 years old, weighs about 38-42kg and is 145cm tall. My oldest is 10 years old, weighs about 39-45kg and is 150 cm tall. i would rather not bring the seats from home (the have not used them in years), but the ones i can rent are insanely expensive. also i would rather avoid fines.
thanks for your help. have a good day, greetings Olaf
Hi Olaf, It looks like your kids are above the weight and height range for needing a car seat so I think you’re all set.
One thing to note for people who need one – the rental car company that we recommend, Adobe Rent a Car, provides car seats for free.
Hi thanks so much for this excellent website! Bebemundo seems to have somewhat pricey options for a car seat. Any suggestions for where we can buy a cheap one? We just want to buy something for our weeklong trip that we can give away at the end of it. Thanks!
Hi Rose, Car seats in Costa Rica are expensive due to import taxes. You could try looking at Walmart. They always have some options but they’re not always great.
Another option if you travel a lot is to bring a ride safer vest. We have been using them for our kids when we travel to the US and they’re supposed to be as safe as regular car seats and pack up really small.