Turrialba reforms its liquor regulations and prohibits live music

The Municipality of Turrialba reformed its Regulation on the Regulation and Commercialization of Beverages with Alcoholic Content (Law 9047) to redefine what is considered a supermarket and a mini-market, establish a mandatory proportion of basic products, and prohibit dancing activities and live music. The change was approved by the Turrialba Municipal Council in Ordinary Session No. 124-2026 on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and was published in La Gaceta No. 203 on October 27, 2026, with the official reference IN202601135061.

The text reforms the cantonal regulation that has been in effect since its original publication in La Gaceta on Thursday, November 2, 2017, and which develops Law 9047, the national framework regulating the production, trade, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The reform is limited to four points: the definitions of subsections J) and q) of Article 2, the repeal of subsections h) and k) of Article 21, a new paragraph in Article 23, and the effectiveness rule. The agreement was signed in Turrialba on October 21, 2026, by the acting municipal mayor, Iveth Cerdas Sojo.

Two categories by square meters

The reform establishes a metric boundary between businesses that can sell liquor as a secondary activity:

• Supermarket: establishment with a sales and warehouse area exceeding 250 square meters.
• Mini-market: minimum area of 40 square meters and maximum of 249, with internal aisles for customer traffic and areas designated for the display and sale of daily consumption products and foods.

The definition requires that the primary activity be the sale of merchandise, food, and daily consumption products. The commercialization of beverages with alcoholic content may only be authorized as a secondary activity, in closed containers for takeout.

80% rule and consumption prohibition

The new text mandates that, in premises where liquor is sold, “the proportion of basic products must be at least 80% of the area where merchandise is displayed and a maximum of 20% of products with alcoholic content,” arguing that the primary activity is the sale of basic products. Additionally, consumption within the establishment is prohibited, including the surroundings that are part of the property where the license was authorized.

No dancing, live music, or karaoke

The reform incorporates an explicit entertainment restriction: “Dancing activities of any kind, live music, or Karaoke are not permitted.” The text adds that the sound from these establishments may in no case exceed the decibel limits established by the Ministry of Health, thereby referring acoustic oversight to current sanitary parameters.

Procedure and entry into force

Regarding procedural matters, subsections h) and k) of Article 21 are repealed, and a paragraph is added to Article 23 ordering the application, as the case may be, of a procedure of an ordinary or summary nature in accordance with the General Law of Public Administration (Law 6227). According to Article 43 of the Municipal Code (Law 7794), the reform will take effect from its second publication in La Gaceta; therefore, the insertion on this October 27 is the first notice and the regulation is not yet in application.

The adjustment changes the rules of the game for suppliers, mini-marts, supermarkets, and liquor stores in the canton, which must review the physical distribution of their displays and the type of activity they offer if they wish to maintain or renew their license. It also provides the residents of Turrialba with a concrete regulatory tool against establishments that combine the sale of liquor with music and dancing, by moving the restriction from the level of neighbor complaints to the text of the municipal regulation.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 203, Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Regulations, p. 81 (official reference: IN202601135061).