What to Do When Someone Dies in Costa Rica

Your spouse collapsed at the rental in Guanacaste. Your father drowned at a beach in Manuel Antonio. Your friend had a cardiac event at a hospital in San José. Whatever brought you here, you need a clear sequence of steps — not sympathy paragraphs.

Costa Rica's death administration system works differently from the US, Canada, or UK. The next 24 to 48 hours will determine whether you spend weeks or months untangling paperwork. Here's exactly what to do.

Call 9-1-1 and Secure the Scene

If the death happened outside a hospital, dial 9-1-1 immediately. Costa Rica's emergency dispatch coordinates local police and the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) — the judicial police who investigate all non-hospital deaths.

For sudden, accidental, or suspicious deaths (drowning, car accident, fall, violent crime), the OIJ will take custody of the body and transport it to the central Judicial Morgue in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia. A mandatory forensic autopsy follows — there is no way to skip this step.

For a natural death in a hospital, the attending physician issues a medical certificate of death, and the body can be released directly to a licensed funeral home.

Do not move the body yourself. Do not let hotel staff or bystanders move it. Wait for emergency services.

Contact Your Embassy (Hours 4–12)

Your embassy cannot pay for anything — no funeral costs, no repatriation flights, no legal fees. But they provide critical administrative support you cannot get elsewhere.

US citizens: Call American Citizen Services at +506 2519-2000. You'll need to complete Form DS-5501 (Affidavit of Next of Kin) and a Next of Kin Authorization form. The embassy eventually issues a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA, Form DS-2060), which US courts and insurance companies accept as a legal death certificate.

British citizens: Contact the British Embassy in San José. They'll connect you with their bereavement support team and help coordinate with the OIJ.

Canadian citizens: Call the Embassy of Canada at +506 2242-4400. Emergency consular assistance is available 24/7 through Ottawa at +1-613-996-8885.

Retain a Bilingual Funeral Director (Hours 12–24)

This is the single most important early decision. A licensed, English-speaking funeral director experienced in international cases will navigate the OIJ, Ministry of Health, and Civil Registry on your behalf.

The next of kin must sign a formal written authorization allowing the funeral director to act before these agencies. Without this signed authorization, the funeral home cannot collect the remains from the judicial morgue.

Ask the funeral director three questions immediately: What is the total cost for your chosen disposition (local burial, cremation, or repatriation)? What documents do you need from us today? When will the body be released from the OIJ?

Understand the 48-Hour Pressure

Costa Rica's tropical climate creates a hard logistical constraint. If the family opts for local burial without embalming, municipal sanitary regulations typically require interment within 24 to 48 hours.

If you haven't decided between burial, cremation, or repatriation by then, the funeral home may need to begin embalming (US$1,800–$2,200) to preserve the remains while you coordinate with family abroad.

The Judicial Morgue in Heredia can store remains for up to two months. After that, unclaimed remains are buried in a common grave or donated to a medical institution. If you are managing this from overseas, you must have a local representative actively coordinating to prevent the state from taking custody.

Protect Bank Accounts and Assets

If the deceased held bank accounts in Costa Rica, those accounts will be frozen the moment the bank learns of the death — through formal notification, TSE publication, or even local news. Costa Rica does not recognize "right of survivorship" the way the US or UK does. Joint accounts get frozen too, unless they are specifically structured as solidary ("O") accounts.

Do not attempt to withdraw money using the deceased's debit card or online banking after they've died. Using a dead person's accounts can result in civil lawsuits from other heirs and criminal charges for unauthorized asset use.

For the complete step-by-step system covering death registration, document requirements, the probate process, and asset protection strategies, the Someone Died in Costa Rica: English Speaker's Emergency Guide walks you through every agency, form, and timeline.

What Happens Next (Days 3–30)

The first week involves the autopsy release (if applicable), choosing a disposition strategy, and filing with the Civil Registry (TSE) for the official death certificate. The TSE typically processes the registration within 8 business days.

The first month involves securing the deceased's rental or property, formally notifying banks, and beginning to gather documents for insurance claims and probate.

If the deceased owned real estate, vehicles, or corporate shares in Costa Rica, expect the estate settlement process to take 3 to 6 months for an uncontested notarial probate, or 1 to 4 years if it goes to civil court.

The complete expat emergency guide includes bilingual notification templates for banks, landlords, and employers — ready to fill in and deliver.

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