Moratorium for Evictions in the Maritime Zone of Costa Rica

President Carlos Alvarado signed today an act of Congress suspending the evictions in the Maritime Zone. The purpose of the law is to create a moratorium for the evictions for a period of 36 months.

Please note that this is only a moratorium. Upon expiration of the 36 months, the government will continue the eviction process for people who are currently possessing maritime zone property without complying with current regulations.

The moratorium is not applicable to eviction processes that already have a court order or for cases that pose an environmental threat. While the law is mainly applicable to maritime zone property, it is also applicable to properties adjacent to international borders or adjacent to government properties such as national parks or natural reserves and that are subject to eviction due to noncompliance with concession regulations.

What Is the Maritime Zone in Costa Rica?

Under the Maritime Zone Law (published in 1977), the Maritime Zone is the strip of land along the coastline 200 meters wide. The 200 meters are counted from the high tide mark.

The 200 meters of maritime zone are divided into two strips of land:

• The first 50 meters are public property, which is basically the beach.

• The remaining 150 meters are the restricted zone, which is the portion that can be granted under concession.

Is It Possible to Own Property in the Maritime Zone?

It is not possible to own property in the Maritime Zone. It is only possible to obtain a concession from the government.

The process requires first obtaining a permit from the local municipality, which must then be approved by the Ministry of Tourism.

Concessions are only granted to:

• Costa Rican nationals

• Foreigners with legal residency

Foreign nationals without residency may only participate through a corporation in which 51% of the shares must be owned by Costa Ricans.

Grandfathered Properties and Titled Land

Since the law was passed in 1977, there are properties that were titled prior to that time and therefore were grandfathered. These properties with title are not at risk of eviction.

Feel free to send us a comment should you have any additional questions regarding the maritime zone.