Clear answers for important legal and notarial questions.

In Costa Rica, a Notary Public is a licensed attorney with authority to perform legally recognized notarial acts, prepare and authorize public instruments, authenticate signatures and documents, and handle registrable legal transactions when applicable.

Yes. A Costa Rican Notary Public must be a licensed attorney who also meets the legal requirements to exercise notarial functions in Costa Rica.

Yes. Services may include legal due diligence, title and registry review, closing documentation, transfer deeds, tax and fee coordination, notarial execution and National Registry filing.

Not always. Depending on the transaction, a properly structured Power of Attorney may allow a representative to complete certain legal or notarial acts on behalf of a buyer, seller or property owner.

Legal due diligence typically involves reviewing ownership, liens, mortgages, easements, registry status, corporate ownership where applicable, transaction documents and other legally relevant matters before closing.

A Power of Attorney is a legal instrument granting another person authority to act on behalf of the principal for specified legal, corporate, real estate or administrative matters.

In many situations, yes. The document may need to be executed before the appropriate authority and may also require an apostille or another authentication procedure before it can be used in Costa Rica.

Document certification is a notarial act through which a Notary Public certifies a copy, signature, document or other legally relevant circumstance according to the applicable legal requirements.

Notarization is a notarial act performed by a Notary Public. An apostille is a form of authentication used for certain documents intended for use between participating jurisdictions. They are different legal formalities.

Whether an apostille is required depends on the destination country, the type of document and the requirements of the receiving authority or institution.

Foreign documents may be used in Costa Rica when the applicable legal, authentication, apostille or other formalities have been completed for their intended use.

Yes. Corporate notarial services may include corporate certifications, Powers of Attorney, signature authentication, company documents, shareholder or representative acts and other legally significant corporate matters.

An affidavit or sworn declaration is a formal statement in which a person declares facts, information or circumstances for a defined legal, administrative, corporate or transactional purpose.

Many matters can be coordinated remotely, especially during document review, transaction preparation and international client communication. Whether remote execution is possible depends on the specific legal act and formalities required.

Yes. Costa Rica Notary provides bilingual legal and notarial assistance in English and Spanish for Costa Rican and international clients.

Yes. Matters may be coordinated throughout Costa Rica, depending on the transaction, documents involved and any location-specific legal or administrative requirements.