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* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.
Registration Requirements Details
Procedure 1.
Check the availability of the proposed company name and reserve the name in the Public Registry
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
USD 25 cost + $50 fee, included in incorporation costs
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Companies can also be registered by number, in which case the name would not have to be verified. However, companies that plan to commercialize their name must first verify the availability of the company name.
Procedure 2.
A notary public drafts and notarizes a public deeds of the incorporation charter for registration before the Mercantile Section of the Public Registry
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
about 1.25% of the registered capital, included in incorporation costs with a minimum of CRC 100,000
Name of Agency:
Comment:
According to the fee structure established by the Costa Rican Bar Association, though the notary public can negotiate fees, the minimum fee is CRC 100,000 for any corporation. Registered capital is not a factor.
Procedure 3.
Send the notice of the constitution of the company for publication in Costa Rica's official newspaper "La Gaceta" and obtain a receipt
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
CRC 4220
Name of Agency:
Comment:
The receipt must simply evidence that the notice of constitution was sent to the official newspaper (La Gaceta), that all publication expenses have been paid, and that publication of the notice is pending.
The payment for the official newspaper publication is CRC 3,870.
Procedure 4.
Deposit capital in the bank account
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:
As a prerequisite for registering the company, 25% of the capital stock indicated in the incorporation charter (if paid in cash) must be deposited in a national bank. The amount deposited may be withdrawn once the company has been duly recorded. The founders may also opt to sign a promissory note at the notary public and deposit the capital into the bank account later.
Procedure 5.
Register the incorporation charter in the mercantile section of the public registry
Time to complete:
3-4 weeks
Cost to complete:
see comment
Name of Agency:
Comment:
The incorporation charter is registered by the notary public who granted the deed in his protocol book. The approval process takes 3–4 weeks. Once registered, the Registry issues the company a federal tax number (cédula de persona jurídica), which serves as the corporate tax identification number. The registration fees are partly fixed, partly based on the company capital.
For a company with capital of about CRC 25 million, the fees are as follows: - Stamp duties: Archivo Nacional, CRC 20; Colegio de Abogados, CRC 3,000; Educación y Cultura, CRC 750 and Fiscal, CRC 625 - Registration fees: Registro Nacional, CRC 15,335; Municipal 0.2% of capital
Procedure 6.
File Form D-140 with the before the Tax Department to register the firm as a taxpayer
Time to complete:
2 days
Cost to complete:
see total
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Digitalization of the tax registration, if you are a Costa Rican citizen or corporation with a Costa Rica legal representative can register as taxpayer at the internet address https://www.haciendadigital.go.cr/inscriptipopersona.jsp.
Procedure 7.
Legalize the company’s books
Time to complete:
2 days
Cost to complete:
USD 35
Name of Agency:
Comment:
A set of three accounting books (diario, mayor, and inventarios y balances) and three corporate books (shareholders record, shareholders assembly minutes, and board of directors meetings minutes) must be filed before the Ministry of Property (Ministerio de Hacienda), Tax Department, for their initial authorization by the Book Legalization Department. Once duly legalized, these books must evidence all company internal affairs (including, but not limited to, stock transfers) and are kept privately by the shareholders.
Procedure 8.
Apply for the business license (patente municipale) from the municipality
Time to complete:
18 days
Cost to complete:
USD 200
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Procedure 9.
Apply for sanitary permit
Time to complete:
2-3 weeks (simultaneous with previous procedure)
Cost to complete:
USD 30
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Fees depend of the company risk classification and vary from USD 30 to USD 100.
Procedure 10.
Register the company as an employer with Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS, Social Security Institution)
Time to complete:
7 days
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Procedure 11.
CCSS conducts an inspection at the company’s facilities
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Procedure 12.
Register for labor risk insurance with the National Insurance Institute (Instituto Nacional de Seguros)
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Comment:
Run as a state monopoly, the National Insurance Institute is the only insurance provider in Costa Rica. The annual premium for this type of insurance is about 2.17% of reported payroll.
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