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

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

Ratified

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