How Folio verifies a property
"Verified" is a word a lot of products use loosely. Here is exactly what it means when Folio says it, step by step.
What "verified" means
Verified means matched to the official record. Folio does not give an opinion on whether a property is a good buy. It confirms the specific parcel against Costa Rica's government registries and gathers what those official sources say about it, so a claim in a Folio report can always be traced back to a public authority, not to us.
The process
A location, an address, or a listing. Folio locates the parcel it points to.
The cadastre/parcel, the 200 m maritime-zone boundary, SINAC protected areas, CNE flood and risk mapping, and water-district context are read from official sources and shown as flags.
For the verified report, the parcel is matched to its finca and folio real at the Registro Nacional, pulling the registered owner and any liens or annotations, and the official documents that describe the property.
Folio hands you and your lawyer the official-data picture so their time goes to judgment, not to gathering records. The human professional still confirms the legal and physical findings.
Where every layer comes from
| Layer | Official source |
|---|---|
| Owner, liens, folio real | Registro Nacional (rnpdigital.com) |
| Parcel geometry / plano | National Cadastre (Catastro Nacional) |
| Maritime zone (ZMT) | ICT / Ley 6043 |
| Protected areas | SINAC |
| Flood and risk | CNE |
| Water context | SENARA / AyA / ASADA |
| Environmental limits | SETENA |
Folio reads these public records and gathers them. It is independent, and not affiliated with any of these agencies. See the full list on Our data sources.
What Folio does NOT do
Folio does not certify a property as safe, clean or clear. It does not give legal advice, run the on-the-ground boundary survey, read a specific contract, or replace a lawyer or notary. Government records can lag reality, so a report reflects what the official sources show at the time it is run, which is why every report carries its date.
The free check shows the flags. The $29 report gathers the confirmed, parcel-specific official picture for you and your lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
What does "verified" mean in a Folio report?
The parcel is matched to the official registry and the report gathers what the public sources say about that finca. Verified means sourced to the official record, not a guarantee the property is problem-free.
Does Folio replace a lawyer or surveyor?
No. It gathers the official-data picture fast and cheap so professionals spend time on judgment, not data-gathering. A licensed professional still confirms the findings before you close.
How current is the data?
Folio reads live public records at the time of the check. Records can lag reality, so a report reflects what the sources show when it is run, and carries its date.
Is Folio affiliated with the government?
No. Folio reads public official records and is independent of every agency it sources from. It surfaces government data; it is not a government service.