• When drafting the Articles of Incorporation, having an attorney present will assure the legality of all articles and be useful in the general legal advisement of the drafting.

• The Articles of Incorporation must be notarized so again an attorney will be necessary.

• An attorney should check the name of the corporation with the Merchant Registry to be sure it is available and to reserve it.

• One registered agent with power of attorney is mandatory in the case of the "sociedad anonima".

• Both the S.A. and the S.R.L require their book of acts to be notarized.

• Highly educated, skilled, easy to train and productive human resources at a reasonable cost

• Political, economical and social stability.

• Legal protection, predictability and economically liberal.

• Strategic location in the center of the Americas with access to both coasts

• Export-oriented infrastructure, reliable power and advanced telecommunications.

• Many foreign corporations and chambers/associations.

• Attractive tax incentives

Ready-made, or "shelf" companies are Costa Rican Corporations, already incorporated by us and available for immediate purchase.

Shelf companies have not done any business, have not entered into any dealings or obligations whatsoever.

As the name suggests, the incorporation documents of these corporations have been kept "on the shelf" in our office, without any practical usage whatsoever.

By choosing a shelf company over a new incorporation several benefits can be achieved: especially quick delivery times can be achieved, because the incorporation process has already been completed; a company with an older registration date may be acquired, which may be useful by adding a certain "age" and, therefore, respectability to the S.A.; there is no need to go through the frustrating task of thinking-up an original company name, as one can choose from an existing list and perhaps find a suitable name without much thinking.

Contact Us to get your company now!

We provide nominee directors.

An undated letter of resignation is included with your company package.

Nominee Directors are merely nominated and do not have the corporate ability or authority to undertake any acts on behalf of your corporate structure.

They have no ability to access any bank account or stock brokerage account. Should the directors try to add a signatory to the bank account or stock brokerage account without authorization (this is a serious criminal act in Costa Rica), the bank or brokerage company would contact the original signatory for permission. We have never had anything like this happen.

A public document pursuant to the requisites of Article 18 of the Code of Commerce has to be completed by a public notary. Said document must request the issuance of the corporate identification number.

It is the responsibility of the notary who draws up the public document, prior to its preparation or at least before its presentation at the Registry, to:

• Verify that the proposed trade or commercial name for the company is not already registered.
• Prepare a study of the Registry for those cases where contributions of personal property or real estate are registered as part of the capital stock.
• Publish in the official daily newspaper, "La Gaceta" (National Press), the edict with the synthesis of the creation of the company (see more) . It is sufficient to present the paid receipt covering the publication.Pay at the Bank of Costa Rica (Banco de Costa Rica) or at any agency or branch, the revenue stamps or registry rights, pursuant to Article 2 of the Tariff Law of the Public Registry. The revenue stamps represent a tenth of the base salary as defined in the Law N° 7337 of May 5, 1993 , that is approximately $200. The payment of other revenue stamps is executed in agreement to the total Capital stock and the sum of ¢2,000.00 has to be paid for the concept of issuing the corporate identification card. All these payments can be made at any branch of Banco de Costa Rica.

If contributions to the company of personal property or real estate (subject to registration) exist, additional payments in regards to transfer taxes and the fees and revenue stamps in agreement with the fiscal value of the goods must be made. In the case of real estate, the percentage to be paid in transfer tax is 1.51% of the fiscal value; if the process is for personal property, the percentage to be paid is 2.51% of its value. For the payment of the transfer tax, it has to be completed in the pertinent form (F-151 at a cost of ¢90.00) and then paid. Additionally, the fees of the notary public have to be paid.

The requirements a), b), c) and d) have been fulfilled the following documents must be presented at the Mercantile Registry: the public documents, the paid receipt for revenue stamps and the notarial document indicating that the edict was submitted for publication, stating the number of the coupon which the National Press issues as evidence.

Requisites a) and b) have to be carried out by a notary public. Requisites c), d) and e) (in reference to the presentation at the Registry) can be executed by the notary or by the applicant.

Trademarks, collective marks, certification marks, and service marks may be registered in Costa Rica.


Marks may include three-dimensional designs, photographs, paintings, device, design, words, letters, numerals, phrases, configurations of goods, and unique color combinations.

Costa Rica adheres to the International Classification for Goods and Services.

There are 34 different classes of goods and eight different classes of services.

If a trademark is intended for more than one class, a separate application is required for each class.