Foreign property ownership in Costa Rica, explained: titled land yes, the coast by concession.

Can a foreigner own property in Costa Rica?

Yes. Article 19 of the Constitution gives foreigners the same individual and social rights as Costa Ricans, within the limits of the Constitution and the laws. No statute barring foreigners from owning titled land in general was found. The limits found apply to the maritime zone and to state land.

According to AEGIS Legal Partners (July 2026), outside the maritime zone a foreign national can buy titled property directly and needs no residency. For the whole purchase, start here: buying property in Costa Rica as a foreigner.

Which land in Costa Rica can nobody own privately?

Three kinds. The public zone of the coast, the first 50 metres from ordinary high tide plus land uncovered at low tide. All mangroves, whatever their width. And a 2,000 metre strip along the borders with Nicaragua and Panama, which is inalienable state land under the Land and Colonisation Law.

The whole 200 metre maritime zone belongs to the State and is inalienable (Law 6043, Art. 1). The public zone cannot be occupied under any title, except where the municipality and the tourism board, the ICT, authorise development of sections the public cannot use, and even those cannot be sold.

Can a foreigner hold a maritime zone concession?

Only after at least five years' residence in Costa Rica. Article 47 of Law 6043 bars concessions to foreigners who have not resided in the country for five years, and the regulation requires that residence to be continuous, shown by a certificate from the migration authorities.

A concession is not ownership. It gives use and enjoyment for 5 to 20 years, is granted only by the municipality, and in tourist areas needs approval from the ICT. It can be renewed if the holder is current on the annual fee. How a concession works: Costa Rica property title and the maritime zone.

Can a foreigner hold a concession through a company?

Not through a foreign-controlled one. Law 6043 bars concessions to companies with bearer shares, to companies domiciled abroad, to entities constituted in Costa Rica by foreigners, and to entities whose capital belongs more than 50% to foreigners. Shares in a concession-holding entity cannot be transferred to foreigners.

The statute says more than 50% foreign capital is barred. It also bars entities constituted in the country by foreigners, which is wider than the shorthand often quoted. GLC Legal (March 2026) reports that some municipalities read the rule more strictly. A local lawyer should confirm how the municipality in question applies it.

What does owning Costa Rican property through a company cost each year?

The legal-entities tax, due each January, set as a percentage of one base salary: 15% for an inactive company and 25% to 50% for an active one, depending on its gross income. In 2024 that came to CRC 69,330 for an inactive company. Companies also file an annual beneficial-ownership return.

The 2026 base salary and amounts were not verified for this page. The beneficial-ownership return (RTBF) is filed through the central bank's Central Directo system. More on holding taxes: Costa Rica property tax for foreigners.

Does buying property in Costa Rica give you residency?

It can support an investor residency application, but the amount was unsettled as of September 2026. Law 9996 of 2021 set the investor threshold at USD 150,000, as reported by La República and Investing Costa Rica, with real estate among qualifying assets. Whether that amount still applies after 14 July 2026 is unclear.

The law's incentive window closed on 14 July 2026, five years after the law took effect. Mora & Iglesias (August 2026) report that no authority has clarified whether USD 150,000 or the earlier USD 200,000 now applies to new applications, and advise asking the migration authority, DGME, formally. Do not plan a purchase around either figure until DGME confirms it.

Header photo: Tico73, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.