Lift and Elevator Codes and Standards in Costa Rica
Lift requirements in Costa Rica sit in building and accessibility rules, not in a lift safety regulation. The INVU Reglamento de Construcciones (published Alcance 62, La Gaceta 54, 22 March 2018; an INVU 2022 record still calls it the one in force) requires at least one lift where users must climb more than 4 storeys or habitable rooms are 12 m or more above access (art. 131), lift capacity to move 12% of the building population in 5 minutes (art. 132), minimum car sizes (art. 133: 1.10 x 1.40 m, 1.10 x 2.00 m for health buildings; door 0.80-0.90 m), a lift in educational buildings of two or more storeys (art. 302) and safety features for platform lifts limited to one storey (art. 303). Art. 131 also makes lifts subject to Ley 7600 and its Reglamento (Decreto 26831-MP) and to the fire service's requirements under Decreto 37615-MP. Ley 7600 art. 44 requires lifts to have accessible controls, visual/audible/tactile signals and emergency mechanisms; Decreto 26831-MP art. 151 sets levelling accuracy 0.02 m, door 0.90 m, car 1.10 x 1.40 m, buttons at most 1.20 m, and art. 152 requires stops at every floor. No lift-specific safety standard, periodic inspection regime or installer licensing was found; practice cites UNE-EN 81-1 and ASME A17.1.
Who regulates lifts
INVU (Reglamento de Construcciones, applied by municipalities where their own rules are silent) with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos for fire requirements; no dedicated lift regulator found
Periodic inspection
Not found.
Installer and maintenance licensing
Not found.
Laws, codes and standards
- Ley 7600 — Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities ActMandatory · Law No. 7600 of 29 May 1996; art. 44 'Ascensores' · Asamblea Legislativa
- Decreto Ejecutivo 26831-MP — Regulation to the Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (Ley 7600)Mandatory · Executive decree under Ley 7600, published in La Gaceta 20 April 1998; arts. 150-152 · Presidencia de la República / Ministerio de la Presidencia
- Decreto Ejecutivo 37615-MP — Regulation to Law 8228 of the Costa Rica Fire ServiceReferenced by law · Cited by INVU Reglamento de Construcciones art. 131 for lift requirements · Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica
- Reglamento de Construcciones (INVU) (2018) — Construction RegulationMandatory · INVU Board agreement, session 6306 of 15 March 2018, under art. 21 of Ley de Planificación Urbana 4240; published Alcance 62, La Gaceta 54, 22 March 2018 · Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo (INVU)
Lift associations and bodies
- Costa Rica Fire Service (BCBCR)
- National Institute of Housing and Urbanism (INVU)
Last verified 2026-10-20. Standards are copyrighted: we list which one applies and its legal status, not its text.