The Costa Rica Property Due-Diligence Checklist
The exact checks to run before you wire a dollar. Tick them off as you go, then download the printable version for your file.
What "due diligence" means in Costa Rica
Due diligence is the set of checks that prove a property is what the seller says it is, before your money leaves escrow. In Costa Rica that means confirming clean registered title, a survey that matches the ground, no hidden liens or occupants, legal water, allowed use, and no surprise protected-area or maritime-zone status.
Nationality is not what sinks Costa Rica deals, skipped verification is. The good news: most of it is checkable against public records, and the highest-risk layers can be pulled in minutes. Work through the seven groups below.
Enter a property and Folio pulls the official data layers behind this checklist, then flags what needs a human. Start free, upgrade to the full $29 report when you're serious.
The interactive checklist
Seven groups. Each item links to the deeper Academy page. Your ticks are just for this session, nothing is stored.
1, Title & registry
- Finca number & folio real confirmedThe property has a registered title in the Registro Nacional, not just a "derecho" or promise. Learn about title →
- Seller matches the registered ownerThe person or company signing is the recorded owner (or holds a valid, current power of attorney).
- Ownership history looks cleanNo rushed recent transfers, no chain that doesn't add up.
2, Plano catastrado & boundaries
- Registered plano catastrado existsA surveyed cadastral map is filed and its number matches the finca.
- Survey matches the groundArea and boundaries on the plano match what you're actually being sold. A surveyor confirms this on the ground. Access & easements →
- Legal access confirmedThere is a registered public road or a recorded easement (servidumbre), not just a neighbour's goodwill.
3, Liens & encumbrances
- No mortgages or liensThe registry shows no hipoteca, gravamen or embargo against the finca.
- No annotations or pending disputesNo anotaciones flagging litigation or a pending claim on the property.
- Property taxes & HOA currentMunicipal tax and any condo/HOA fees are paid up; unpaid amounts can follow the property.
4, Occupancy & squatters
- No one is occupying the landVacant land with no fence, use or caretaker can attract possession claims. Verify on site.
- No possession claim in progressLong-term occupants can acquire rights over time; confirm none exist.
5, Water
- Legal water source confirmedAn available-water letter from the local ASADA or AyA, or a registered, permitted well. No water letter can mean no building permit.
6, Zoning & permitted use
- Plan regulador & use allow your plansThe municipal zoning permits what you intend (home, rental, commercial). Building permits →
- Setbacks & density understoodConfirm buildable area after setbacks, not just lot size.
7, Environmental & maritime zone
- Not inside an unexpected protected areaCheck SINAC protected areas and SETENA environmental limits. SETENA →
- Maritime-zone status knownIf near the coast, confirm whether the parcel touches the 200 m maritime zone (ZMT), titled vs concession changes everything.
- Flood / risk exposure checkedCNE risk mapping and obvious drainage/flood exposure reviewed.
What Folio verifies automatically vs what needs a person
Folio checks from official data
- Finca / folio real & registered owner
- Registered plano and parcel geometry
- Maritime-zone (ZMT) contact
- SINAC protected areas & overlaps
- CNE flood / risk layers
- Water-district (ASADA/AyA) context
Still needs a professional
- On-the-ground boundary survey
- Legal opinion on title defects
- Reading a specific mortgage / dispute
- Negotiating the purchase agreement
- Notarising and registering the transfer
Folio is the layer that makes the lawyer's and surveyor's job faster and cheaper, it is not a replacement for them. It tells you, in minutes, whether a property is worth their time at all.
Red flags that should stop a deal
Seller is not the registered owner and has no clear POA, a lien or lawsuit annotation on the finca, the plano area doesn't match the ground, no legal access, no water letter where you plan to build, "beachfront titled" that's actually maritime-zone concession, pressure to skip the due-diligence period or wire outside escrow.
Download the printable checklist
Get the one-page printable version to bring to viewings and hand to your attorney. No spam, just the PDF and the occasional Folio update.
No spam. One email with the checklist, and the occasional Costa Rica buyer tip.
Frequently asked questions
What does due diligence mean when buying in Costa Rica?
The checks that prove a property is what the seller claims, clean registered title, a survey that matches the ground, no liens or occupants, legal water and use, and no surprise protected or maritime-zone status, done before your money leaves escrow.
How long does due diligence take?
Purchase agreements typically allow a 30–60 day due-diligence window. The registry and data layers can be pulled in minutes; a survey and water/municipal confirmations take longer.
Can I do it myself?
You can verify a lot from public records, and Folio automates the registry, cadastre, maritime-zone and protected-area layers. A licensed attorney (and a surveyor where boundaries matter) should still confirm the legal and physical findings before closing.
What's the single most important check?
Title and liens, that the seller is the registered owner of a clean finca. Everything else protects value; this protects whether you own anything at all.
Does a Folio report replace my lawyer?
No. It gives you and your lawyer the official-data picture fast and cheap, so their time goes to judgment calls, not data-gathering. You still need counsel to close.