Costa Rica’s National Registry provides recorded information about property, legal entities and other registered rights. It is separate from the Civil Registry and DGME. CRIE means Costa Rica Immigration Experts; it is not a government registry or identification agency.
Use the official service portal
The National Registry service portal links to consultations, certification purchases and geographic information. Start there to reach the relevant service rather than relying on an old screenshot or a third-party login page.
Know which record you need
For real estate, gather the property registration number and cadastral-plan reference. For a company, obtain its legal-entity identification number and ask which certification establishes the representation you need to verify. The registry’s Legal Entities section explains its role in recording existence, validity and representation.
Ask the recipient which document it requires. A screen consultation, a digital certification and an authenticated transaction document are not necessarily interchangeable.
Checking a digital certification
The registry’s frequently asked questions explains account and certification-verification services. Retain the original digital document and its verification number. Confirm the receiving institution’s validity requirements before ordering another copy.
A title search is one part of due diligence
Ask an independent Costa Rican notary or lawyer to interpret ownership, liens, annotations and representation. Match the property record with the plan and the actual site. A registry search alone should not be presented as proof that every boundary, building permit, tax obligation, land-use condition or physical defect has been cleared.
For a purchase, put unresolved questions in writing before committing funds. Ask who will check municipal information, access, utilities, survey issues and any special land regime relevant to the property.
Budget for the correct service
Check the current fee on the official service before paying. Separate registry charges from professional advice or a transaction fee, and retain receipts. Avoid sharing account passwords or allowing an unexplained charge simply because a person says it is a government requirement.
For assistance with a registry service, use the official contacts. Residency eligibility is a separate question for DGME; owning a registered asset does not itself establish immigration approval.
Official sources reviewed September 7, 2026. Use the linked authority’s current requirements for your case. Images are illustrations, not official documents, offices or approvals.