Drone Laws
in Puerto Rico (2026)

FAA rules apply everywhere in Puerto Rico. The state and local laws on this page add to them.

Recreational Flying Made Easy: 2 hours of video on the rules and airspace for flying your drone.

Welcome to this wiki. The goal of this wiki is to crowd-source drone information. Having said that, information may be inaccurate, out-of-date, and should not be relied upon for legal advice.

Puerto Rico Drone Laws
These laws apply across Puerto Rico.

Ley 68-2021, Drone Images Act

Without a search warrant, no person, business, or government agency may use a drone to conduct surveillance of, collect information about, or photograph or record specific people or private property without their consent.
Images of identifiable people may not be kept or shared unless there is reasonable suspicion they show a crime or relate to an investigation or pending criminal case.
A violation is a misdemeanor, punishable under the Penal Code by up to 6 months in jail or a fine of up to $5,000. A person harmed can also sue for damages and attorney’s fees.
Emergencies that threaten life, search and rescue, and US military operations are exempt. Ley 62-2025 added exemptions for Housing Department disaster-recovery mapping and for CRIM property measurement, provided CRIM notifies the property owner.

Ref Ley 68-2021, as amended by Ley 62-2025

Puerto Rico has no territory law on flying drones over prisons, airports, or critical infrastructure. FAA rules apply, including airspace authorization near Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) and the island’s other airports.

Know a state law we missed? Suggest an edit.

City and Federal Land
Drone Laws

These laws apply in some areas.

We have not found any municipal drone ordinances in force in Puerto Rico. The rules below apply on federal land.

San Juan National Historic Site

Launching, landing, or operating a drone in the San Juan National Historic Site, which includes El Morro, San Cristóbal, and the city walls, is prohibited unless the superintendent approves it in writing.
Drones may never fly over or inside the fort structures. A violation is a federal petty offense carrying a fine and up to 6 months in jail.

Ref 36 CFR 1.5, San Juan National Historic Site Compendium

El Yunque National Forest

Recreational drone flying is generally allowed in El Yunque under FAA rules. The Forest Service asks pilots to stay away from campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, and visitor centers.
Drones may not take off from, land in, or be operated from the El Toro Wilderness, about 10,000 acres on the western side of the forest. Commercial filming needs a Forest Service permit.

Ref US Forest Service, Recreational Drone Use

National Wildlife Refuges

On the Vieques, Culebra, Cabo Rojo, Laguna Cartagena, and Desecheo national wildlife refuges, taking off or landing a drone without authorization, or flying low enough to disturb wildlife, is prohibited.
Vieques National Wildlife Refuge prohibits drone use outright, and much of eastern Vieques is closed to the public because of unexploded ordnance.

Ref 50 CFR 27.34, Vieques National Wildlife Refuge

Know a local law we missed? Suggest an edit.