Costa Rica real estate glossary
Key legal and technical terms you will meet when buying property in Costa Rica – short and clear.
- Registro Nacional
- National Registry – the state record of real estate and companies. An extract shows the owner, liens, easements and other entries and is the basis of title review.
- Plano Catastrado
- Cadastral survey – the official surveyed plan of a parcel with area and boundaries. It should match both the registry entry and the land on site.
- Uso de Suelo
- Municipal land-use certificate stating the permitted use (residential, commercial, tourism) and what can be built.
- Plan Regulador
- Zoning plan of a municipality or coastal section. Without a valid plan no new ZMT concessions can be granted.
- ZMT – Zona Marítimo Terrestre
- Coastal strip of 200 m from mean high tide: a 50 m public zone and 150 m usable only under a municipal concession.
- ASADA / AyA
- Water providers: AyA is the national water institute, ASADA a local community water association. A water availability letter is essential for building.
- SETENA
- National Environmental Technical Secretariat; reviews and approves the environmental impact of projects.
- CFIA
- Federated Association of Engineers and Architects; registers building projects and responsible professionals before the municipal permit.
- Escrow
- Holding of the purchase price by a licensed institution; funds are released to the seller only after conditions are met and the transfer is recorded.
- Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) / S.R.L.
- Costa Rican companies often used to hold property; subject to annual fees and beneficial-ownership reporting.
- Impuesto solidario
- Annual luxury home tax on residences whose value exceeds a legal threshold updated each year.