1. Title and ownership (Registro Nacional) Pull a certified registry report (certificación literal). The official extract of owner, boundaries and encumbrances. Get it yourself, not a copy from the seller. Confirm the seller's ID matches the registered owner. Forged identity / power of attorney is the most common fraud. Check for liens, mortgages and annotations. Encumbrances travel with the title to you. Review the full ownership history. Several quick transfers between corporations is a red flag.
2. The survey (plano catastrado) Match the plano number to the folio real. They must link cleanly in the registry. Confirm boundaries on the map match the land. Walk it; check the mojones (markers).
3. The coast (if beachfront) Check the 200m maritime zone (ZMT). The first 50m is public; the next 150m is concession, not title. Confirm titled vs concession status. Foreigners need 5 years of residence, and a company holding one may not be over 50% foreign-owned (Ley 6043, art. 47).
4. Restrictions Check protected areas (SINAC) and wetlands. Building can be limited or banned. Check flood and landslide risk (CNE). Affects insurability and buildability. Confirm uso de suelo (land use / zoning). From the municipality, for your intended use.
5. Water and access Get a water availability letter (carta de agua). No water letter usually means no building permit. Verify registered legal access (servidumbre). Not just a road people use informally.
6. Money and legal Confirm property taxes are current. With the municipalidad, which collects property tax. If held in an S.A., review the company. You buy the company's debts too. Use your OWN independent attorney and notary. Never the seller's. Never wire to a personal account. Never pay a deposit before the records check. The deposit should be refundable during due diligence. Let Folio do the records side for you
Folio pulls the cadastre, maritime zone, protected areas and water for any finca free, and a $29 verified report covers owner, liens, taxes and the exact maritime line.
Check a property free This checklist is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with a licensed Costa Rican attorney, notary or surveyor.