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OFFICIAL GUIDE TO SHIP & YACHT REGISTRIES

Costa Rica

Shipowner Eligibility 

Ownership must be held by a Costa Rican citizen or corporation.

About the Flag

Costa Rica is located in Central America bordering on Nicaragua and Panama and the Caribbean Sea and North Pacific Ocean. The capital is San José. It is a Spanish speaking democratic republic with a unicameral legislature and a President. The legal system is based on Spanish civil law. Costa Rica’s economy depends on tourism and the export of coffee and bananas to the United States, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, and the United Kingdom. The currency is the Costa Rican colon.

The Maritime Port Division within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport oversees the Administrative Register of Ships.

Company Formation

For more information, contact:
Ministry of Economics, Industry and Trade
Sabana Sur, 400 m west of the Comptroller General of the Republic
PO Box: 10216-1000
San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel: [506] 2291-2115
Email: informacion@meic.go.cr
Website: http://www.meic.go.cr

Taxation

There is no taxation of corporations, vessels, or income in Costa Rica.

Registration and Documentation

For provisional registration valid for six months, photocopies or faxes of the following documents in the prescribed form must be submitted to a Costa Rican lawyer or lawyer agent outside of Costa Rica:
- Bill of Sale authenticated by the Costa Rican Consul
- Special Power of Attorney in favor of the Costa Rican lawyer authenticated by the Costa Rican Consul
- Application for Costa Rican Corporation
- Tonnage Certificate
- Diagram of the vessel
- Six photographs showing different angles of the vessel
- Registration application
Permanent registration is effected by forwarding the above original documents and Deletion Certificate from the previous registry within 60 days of the date of the provisional registration.

Bareboat Charter Registration

For more information, contact:
Maritime Port Division
Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Tel: [506] (2) 233-5022 Ext. 2580 / 2579
Fax: [506] (2) 223-2697
Email: jchaconl@mopt.go.cr
Website: http://www.mopt.go.cr

Vessel and Yacht Eligibility & Survey Requirements

There is no vessel age requirement for registration. Presently, all statutory certificates are issued "Non-Convention" for and on behalf of the Costa Rican government by one of the following classification societies:
- Det Norske Veritas
- Germanischer Lloyd

Crewing

There are no requirements with regard to minimum manning scales. Certificates of Competency are issued by the Department of Merchant Marine only to Costa Rican citizens.

Mortgages

For more information, contact one of the following:
Maritime Port Division
Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Tel: [506] (2) 233-5022 Ext. 2580 / 2579
Fax: [506] (2) 223-2697
Email: jchaconl@mopt.go.cr
Website: http://www.mopt.go.cr
Ministry of Economics, Industry and Trade
Sabana Sur, 400 m west of the Comptroller General of the Republic
PO Box: 10216-1000
San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel: [506] 2291-2115
Email: informacion@meic.go.cr
Website: http://www.meic.go.cr

Fees

For more information, contact:
Maritime Port Division
Ministry of Public Works and Transport
Tel: [506] (2) 233-5022 Ext. 2580 / 2579
Fax: [506] (2) 223-2697
Email: jchaconl@mopt.go.cr
Website: http://www.mopt.go.cr

Contact

Ministry of Public Woks and Transportation
Mr. Nelson Soto Corrales
Navigation and Safety Director
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes
Plaza González Víquez, edificio anexo al plantel principal, oficina número 64
Calle 9, entre avenidas 22 y República Panamá
San José
San José
10104
Costa Rica
Phone
505 22335022
Email
nelson.soto@mopt.go.cr
Web
https://www.mopt.go.cr/
Fax
506 22336510

Stockholm Agreement 96
IMO Convention 48
* IMO amendments 91 
* IMO amendments 93
SOLAS Convention 74
SOLAS Protocol 78
SOLAS Protocol 88
LOAD LINES Convention 66
LOAD LINES Protocol 88
TONNAGE Convention 69
COLREG  Convention 72
CSC Convention 72
CSC amendments 93
SFV Protocol 93
STCW  Convention 78
STCW-F Convention 95
SAR  Convention 79
STP Agreement 71
STP Protocol 73
IMSO Convention 76
INMARSAT OA 76
INMARSAT amendments 94
INMARSAT amendments 98
IMSO amendments 2006
IMSO amendments 2008
FACILITATION Convention 65
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V)
MARPOL Protocol 97 (Annex VI)
London Convention 72
London Convention Protocol 96
INTERVENTION Convention 69
INTERVENTION Protocol 73
CLC Convention 69
CLC Protocol 76
CLC Protocol 92
FUND Convention 71
FUND Protocol 92
FUND Protocol 2003
NUCLEAR Convention 71
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III)
PAL Protocol 76
PAL Protocol 90
PAL Protocol 02
LLMC Convention 76
LLMC Protocol 96
SUA Convention 2005
SUA Protocol 2005
SALVAGE Convention 89
OPRC  Convention 90
HNS Convention 96
OPRC/HNS 2000
BUNKERS CONVENTION 01
ANTI FOULING 01
BALLASTWATER 2004
NAIROBI WRC 2007
HONG KONG CONVENTION
HNS PROT 2010
Cape Town Agreement 2012
SUA Convention 88
SUA Protocol 88

IMO Conventions

Status of Conventions Costa Rica

IMO Convention 48 x
SOLAS Convention 74 x
SOLAS Protocol 78 x
SOLAS Protocol 88 x
SOLAS Agreement 96
LOAD LINES Convention 66
LOAD LINES Protocol 88
TONNAGE Convention 69 x
COLREG Convention 72
CSC Convention 72
CSC amendments 93
SFV Protocol 93
Cape Town Agreement 2012
STCW Convention 78 x
STCW-F Convention 95
SAR Convention 79 x
STP Agreement 71
Space STP Protocol 73
IMSO Convention 76 x
INMARSAT OA 76 x
IMSO amendments 2006
IMSO amendments 2008
FACILITATION Convention 65 x
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V)
MARPOL Protocol 97 (Annex VI)
London Convention 72 x
London Convention Protocol 96
INTERVENTION Convention 69
INTERVENTION Protocol 73
CLC Convention 69 x
CLC Protocol 76 x
CLC Protocol 92 x
FUND Protocol 76
FUND Protocol 92 x
FUND Protocol 2003
NUCLEAR Convention 71
PAL Convention 74
PAL Protocol 76
PAL Protocol 90
PAL Protocol 02
LLMC Convention 76
LLMC Protocol 96
SUA Convention 88 x
SUA Protocol 88 x
SUA Convention 2005
SUA Protocol 2005
SALVAGE Convention 89
OPRC Convention 90
HNS Convention 96
HNS PROT 2010
OPRC/HNS 2000
BUNKERS CONVENTION 01
ANTI FOULING 2001
BALLASTWATER 2004
NAIROBI WRC 2007
HONG KONG CONVENTION

x: Accession/ratification
d: Denunciation

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