Yes, Costa Rican law permits recording phone calls under strict conditions. The Ley General de Telecomunicaciones (Law No. 8642) and Ley de Protección de la Persona frente al Tratamiento de sus Datos Personales (Law No. 8968) govern this practice. Consent from at least one party is mandatory, and recordings must comply with data protection principles. The Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) enforces telecom regulations, while the Agencia de Protección de Datos de los Habitantes (PRODHAB) oversees privacy compliance. Unauthorized recordings may face civil or criminal penalties under Articles 197 and 198 of the Penal Code.
Key Regulations for Recording Phone Calls in Costa Rica
- One-Party Consent Requirement: Recording is legal if at least one participant in the call consents, per Article 22 of Law No. 8968. This aligns with the doctrina de la expectativa razonable de privacidad (reasonable expectation of privacy doctrine).
- Data Minimization & Purpose Limitation: Recordings must be relevant to a legitimate purpose (e.g., business transactions) and stored securely under PRODHAB guidelines. Retention beyond necessity violates Article 8 of Law No. 8968.
- Cross-Border Restrictions: Transmitting recordings containing personal data outside Costa Rica triggers additional scrutiny under the Reglamento General de Protección de Datos (2024), effective January 2026. Explicit consent for international transfers is required.
Penalties for Non-Compliance Violations may result in fines up to 100 salarios base (base salaries) under Law No. 8968 or imprisonment (6 months–3 years) for unlawful interception per Penal Code Article 197. Businesses must document consent and provide clear privacy notices to avoid liability.