Overtime and Break Laws in Costa Rica (2026)
Código de Trabajo; Constitución Política art. 58 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
1.5x for hours past the ordinary day (8 day, 7 mixed, 6 night) or the 48-hour week (36 at night).
Breaks and lunch
A continuous shift must include at least 30 minutes of rest, counted and paid as work time. A split shift needs at least 1 hour of unpaid rest.
Overtime in Costa Rica
- 1.5x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 1.5x pay for hours past 48 in a week.
- Jornada acumulativa: non-hazardous day work can run up to 10 hours a day (mixed up to 8) within 48 a week.
- Ordinary plus overtime may not exceed 12 hours a day. Overtime must be paid in money; time off in lieu is not allowed.
- Weekly rest day after each 6 days; work on it is paid double.
- Excluded from hours limits: managers, administrators, unsupervised and trust positions, outside commission agents (max 12 hours a day with a 1.5-hour rest).
Averaging over a pay period: Only within the week (jornada acumulativa, max 10 hours a day, 48 a week)
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 48h in a week, 1.5x after 8h in a day). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.5x) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 80 | 20 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 96 | 12 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 10 |
Breaks and lunch in Costa Rica
- Meal break: 1 × 30 minutes, paid, on any shift.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 6 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 8 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 10 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 12 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
- No hour threshold in the rule, modeled as afterHours 0.
- A break of more than 30 minutes but under 1 hour still counts as continuous, so it must be paid.
- Weekly rest of 24 hours plus 12 from the last workday, 36 hours in total.
Pay by Costa Rica rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Costa Rica: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Costa Rica?
1.5x for hours past the ordinary day (8 day, 7 mixed, 6 night) or the 48-hour week (36 at night).
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Costa Rica?
Only within the week (jornada acumulativa, max 10 hours a day, 48 a week)
What breaks are required in Costa Rica?
A continuous shift must include at least 30 minutes of rest, counted and paid as work time. A split shift needs at least 1 hour of unpaid rest.