The Costa Rican Constitution protects private ownership of real property. Foreigners enjoy the same property rights as citizens of Costa Rica. There are no requirements for citizenship, residency, or even a presence in the country.

Costa Rica has a safe, modern form of land registration. It is centered in the Registro de la Propiedad (Property Registry), where both title documents and survey maps are recorded. Any lien or claim against a property must be registered.

Any competent attorney can quickly perform a title search to verify ownership, and check for any outstanding claims.

Note: Costa Rica has special laws protecting ocean front property. Most ocean frontage is reserved for the public. The small amount of frontage held in private hands falls under special regulations. The purchase of beach property should never be considered without a competent attorney specializing in beach properties.