Competition Promotion and Effective Consumer Protection Act – warranties and returns

Law No. 7472, of 20 December 1994 (Law of Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Defense), protects consumer rights in Costa Rica and regulates free competition. It is overseen by the Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Comercio (MEIC), through the Comision Nacional del Consumidor.

Minimum legal warranty: durable goods have a minimum warranty of 30 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) counted from the delivery of the good or the provision of the service, according to article 104 of the regulation to the law. This legal warranty applies EVEN if the seller has not offered an explicit warranty — it is a mandatory minimum, not a commercial favor.

Rights for a defective product: the consumer may, at his/her choice, request repair of the good, its replacement with a new one, or a refund of the amount paid. The consumer must return the good with its accessories, without damage beyond normal use.

Right of withdrawal for home or distance sales (Articulo 40): when the purchase is made outside the commercial establishment (home sale, by phone, or online), the consumer has the right to withdraw from the contract without liability within the 8 days following the purchase.

Claim period (reformed in 2023 by file 22.901, “Access to Justice for Consumer Persons”): the deadline to file a claim with the Comision Nacional del Consumidor was extended from 2 to 6 months, with the possibility of extending it an additional 6 months if the consumer demonstrates that the provider did not resolve the claim satisfactorily.

Right to information: it is a basic consumer right to receive timely, clear, truthful, sufficient and relevant information about anything that affects the purchase decision (price, conditions, warranties, etc.).

Note: this fact sheet summarizes the most consulted rights. To file a formal claim, it is done before the Comision Nacional del Consumidor (MEIC) or on the consumer dispute‑resolution platform — confirm the current procedure at meic.go.cr.