In Costa Rica, the first 200 metres inland from the high-tide line is the Maritime Terrestrial Zone — public land. The first 50 metres is fully public and can never be built on or held privately. The next 150 metres can only be used under a concession granted by the local municipality, not owned outright, and foreigners cannot hold a majority concession in their own name.
“Beachfront” often means a concession, not a title. Before you buy near the sand, confirm exactly what you would be holding — and for how long.
A concession is real and can be valuable; many wonderful properties are held this way. But it comes with rules: a set term, renewal conditions, an approved zoning plan (plan regulador), and limits on who can hold it. Buying a concession as if it were fee-simple title is one of the most expensive mistakes we see foreign buyers make.
What we check
- Whether the property is titled land or concession — and where the 50m / 150m lines actually fall
- The concession’s term, status, and renewal outlook
- The municipality’s zoning plan for that stretch of coast
- Whether your intended ownership structure is legally allowed to hold it
If it is concession land, we tell you plainly — and how to hold it properly — before a colón changes hands.