Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR Costa Rica

The Good Samaritan: compassion and protection

Drawn from the Bible (Luke 10:25-37), the parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a traveller left for dead who is rescued by a stranger that tends to him and sees to his care. Beyond its religious context, it carries a universal message: the moral duty to help others in danger, through compassion and altruism.

Inspired by this principle, many so-called Good Samaritan laws have been enacted around the world to protect those who assist in good faith during an emergency from legal action. The exact scope of that protection, however, varies from one jurisdiction to another: here is what the law applicable to your region provides.

Statute citation

Governing act Art. 144 of the Costa Rican Criminal Code (Law No. 4573) — "omisión de auxilio" (failure to render aid), as reformed by Law 7600 of 1996.
Scope of protection Any person who finds a lost or helpless child under ten, or an injured, disabled or endangered person, and fails to render the necessary aid according to the circumstances — only when able to do so without personal risk.
Duty to rescue Yes
Penalty for failure to assist Fine equal to one half of the base salary (Law 7337); the judge may increase it up to double based on the offender's personal and economic conditions and the severity of the act. No imprisonment for the base offence.
AED liability protection No
Legal duty to rescue applies

Your protection under the law

Costa Rica places rescue among the basic duties of life in society. Article 144 of the Criminal Code (Law No. 4573), "omisión de auxilio," as reformed by Law 7600 of 1996, applies to anyone who finds a lost or helpless child under ten, or an injured, disabled or endangered person, and fails to render the aid required by the circumstances — only when able to do so without personal risk. The law never asks you to expose yourself, but it does expect a response from the person who can give one.

Duty to rescue

In Costa Rica, the law expects you to respond: failing to help when you could have done so without risk is an omission punished with a fine equal to half the base salary, which the judge may raise up to double depending on the severity, with no imprisonment for the base offence. More than a penalty, it is a reminder of a value: in a society built on solidarity, turning away is not neutral. And the best way to meet that expectation is not fear, but preparation.

Why training matters

In a cardiac arrest, the chances of survival fall by about 10% per minute without resuscitation. In Costa Rica, where life is spread across cities, coasts and rural regions sometimes far from health centres, it is almost always a bystander — a family member, a colleague, a neighbour — who opens the chain of survival. Learning CPR and first aid gives you the right actions and the confidence to fill that role without hesitation. An afternoon of training today can become the difference between a loss and a return to life.