Before you sign anything, retain anyone, or send money to Costa Rica, run three checks. Confirm the attorney is registered with the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica. Confirm separately that the notary handling your deed is authorized by the Dirección Nacional de Notariado and that their professional liability insurance is current. Confirm your funds will be held by an escrow agent registered with SUGEF, not in the firm's own account. It is prohibited for lawyers without a SUGEF registration to handle third party funds.
All three checks are free, public, and take about ten minutes.
How do I check that a lawyer is licensed?
The Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica (bar association) maintains a public search of registered members by name, carné number, or identity document number. Ask the attorney for their carné number directly or search using his or her full name. A licensed attorney gives it without hesitation. Use this link for consultation, under “Consulta de Agremiado (a)” at the Colegio’s website: https://v1.abogados.or.cr/The Colegio also publishes suspensions which can be verified using the Colegio’s website under “Consulta de Agremiado (a)”.
How do I check the notary, and why is that a separate step?
In Costa Rica, property transfers, wills, powers of attorney, sworn statements, company incorporations are executed by a notario público. Notaries are authorized and supervised by the Dirección Nacional de Notariado (DNN), which is a different body from the bar association. Not every attorney is an authorized notary, and a notary can be suspended from notarial practice while remaining a registered attorney. Use this link for consultation, under “Consulta de Notarios” at DNN’s website: consulta.dnn.go.cr/ The Dirección Nacional de Notariado operates a public lookup where anyone can search a notary by carné number, identity document, or full name, and the agency urges the public to confirm both that the notary is authorized and that their insurance policy is in force before hiring them.
Two things are worth knowing about that insurance. Professional liability insurance is a prerequisite for notarial authorization, and so is a postgraduate qualification in notarial and registry law. A lapsed policy is therefore not a paperwork detail. It is the difference between having recourse and not having it.
The notary, not the attorney, is the person whose signature transfers your title. Verify them separately.
How do I know my money is safe for a real estate transaction?
Purchase funds should move through an escrow agent registered with SUGEF, Costa Rica's financial regulator. A law firm that is not itself SUGEF-licensed cannot legally hold third-party transaction funds.
Ask these four questions in writing before wiring anything:
- Which registered escrow agent will hold the funds, and what is its registration?
- What written conditions trigger each release?
- Will I receive written confirmation of every movement?
- What does the release process look like?
A firm that cannot answer these in writing is a firm you should not wire money to.
What should I ask before I engage an immigration or real estate process?
| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| What is your carné number? | Given immediately, without qualification |
| Who is the notary on this transaction? | A name and their carné, so you can verify them yourself |
| Is that notary's policy current? | Yes, and they invite you to confirm it |
| What is the fee range, will I receive a preliminary closing statement and what is excluded? | A range, with third-party costs itemized separately |
| Which costs are yours, and which go to the Registry, stamps, or translators? | A clear split |
| How long does each stage take, and what widens it? | Ranges with causes, not "it depends" |
| Who is my day-to-day contact? | A named person, not "the team" |
| How often will I receive updates, and in what form? | A stated frequency, in writing |
| Will I get the due diligence findings in writing before closing? | Yes, as a document |
| What happens if a title problem appears mid-transaction? | A described procedure, not reassurance |
| What is your experience with similar transactions? | Comparable transactions and stage |
| How many residency procedures do you manage? | Number of cases over the last 6-months |
What are the warning signs?
- Pressure to wire funds before a written due diligence report exists and outside an escrow
- Funds requested to a personal account, or to an account outside Costa Rica, without explanation
- Refusal to put a fee range in writing without a proper explanation of calculation
- Inability to provide a services agreement, engagement letter or clear quote detailing the services scope and costs
- No single named person responsible for your file or clear explanation for your immigration or real estate process
- A verbal "everything is fine" with no written title report behind it
- Reluctance to give you the notary's name before closing
- Discouraging you from verifying anything independently or using technical consultants for specific parts of your process
Can I check the property myself?
Yes, you can check the property yourself. Title and lien information at the Registro Nacional is public, and so is the registered survey plan, the plano catastrado. Independent checking does not replace professional due diligence: reading a title record correctly requires knowing what an annotation, a lien, or a boundary discrepancy means in practice. But the point is not whether you can do it alone. It is that a firm which discourages you from looking is telling you something.
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Last updated: September 11, 2026. Written by Gonzalo Rojas Benavides, founding partner, Colegio de Abogados de Costa Rica No. 17310. E-mail: grb@quatro.legal
This page describes public verification procedures in Costa Rica and is not legal advice. Agency procedures and requirements change. Confirm current requirements directly with the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica and the Dirección Nacional de Notariado before relying on anything here.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this resource is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the content, laws and regulations are subject to change. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please contact our office directly. Some images may be AI generated.
