Legal and
Financial
Information
Blue Water
Properties of
Costa Rica is
looking forward
to help you with
everything you
need to purchase
property in
paradise! Here
you will find
important legal
information
regarding the
purchase process
in Costa Rica,
including, and
not limited to:
Laws of
possession for
foreigners,
property taxes,
capital gains
taxes, marine
areas, ambient
regulations,
concession, and
island
possession.
POSSESSION
LAWS FOR
FOREIGNERS
If you are
considering
buying a
property in
Costa Rica you
should be
familiar with
general legal
aspects
beforehand. The
acquisition of
real estate is
one of the most
significant
investments a
person makes
during his or
her lifetime,
and should not
be taken
lightly.
In Costa Rica
foreigners have
the same rights
to own
properties as
citizens do.
Many countries
have
restrictions on
foreign
ownership of
real estate but
luckily that is
not the case in
Costa Rica.
TAXES
Currently
property taxes
are ¼ of 1%.
Based on today’s
tax percentages,
a $300,000
property would
cost $750 in
annual taxes
paid to the
municipality the
property is
located in.
BEACH FRONT
PROPERTY LAW
Regarding
Beach Front
Property; the
law concerning
“zona marítima
terrestre” or
the shore line
zone, states
that the first
fifty meters
above the high
tide line is
public property
and nothing can
be build within
those first 50
meters.
The next one
hundred and
fifty meters can
be leased for
private use by
the government.
All leasing is
done trough the
respective
municipality and
the construction
in this zone is
permitted. In
rare cases,
there are beach
areas that are
fully titled and
not concession,
although this is
not the norm in
our country. All
beaches are
considered
“public”,
therefore anyone
has the right to
access all beach
areas in the
country.
However, that
does not allow
one to access a
public beach via
private
property.
AMBIENT
REGULATIONS
The Law
concerning the
Shore line –
Terrestre or
Shoreline Zone
Law states that
the first 50
meters above the
high tide line
is public
property and
nothing can be
built on it. The
next 150 meters
can be leased
for private use.
All leasing is
done through the
municipality.
Certain
construction is
allowed in this
zone but at the
termination of
the lease
ownership of any
improvements
reverts to the
municipality. |
