Looking for a survey map or plano catastrado of your property? Then you’ve arrived at the right place. I will show you how to get a survey map of your property online. You just need to follow the steps.
In exchange for this FREE information, I have a great deal for you: do business with us!
Bad copies
Unfortunately, 90% of the time, sellers give their agents a bad copy. Taking a photo or making a scan of a bad copy makes a survey map unreadable. Most property owners can’t even find a map because they never had one. Save yourself and your real estate agent the headache and just get one online. You will need it before the closing anyway.
In person
You can go to the National Registry in person for a survey map copy. You will have to go to the Catastro department, fill out the request form, pay the fees and stick the stamps you receive on the form. Stand in line (bring a book), and request the required survey map or plano catastrado.
You can either request a certified copy (A4 or letter size) or a plano en tamaño real (real size, which is huge).
The National Registry main location is in Zapote see on Google Map and they also have offices on Paseo Colon, San Jose, Pérez Zeledón, Puntarenas, Limón, Ciudad Quesada, Liberia, and Alajuela.
Where to start
For starters, you will need the survey map number. Without it, you can’t buy the survey map online (or even get it in person).
Don’t you have the map or plano catastrado number? Then you will need to first do a title search. You don’t know how to? We can also help with that.
In other blogs, I have already shown you how to search the title of your property by property title number or by name.
You don’t know what a survey map is used for? Then you need to read this blog first.
Title search
So, if you don’t have the survey map number, it is important you first do a title search. Once you have been able to do a title check, you can see what the map number is. Only in case of a condominium that was constituted before it was built, you will find “NO INDICADO” instead of a survey number. In that case, you will have to go to the National Registry yourself or ask your lawyer.
What does a survey map number look like?
The survey map number looks like this: SJ-067489-1982
This particular map shows a property in the province of San Jose. The number will always first show the name of the province first. This is followed by the survey number and then the year that the survey map was registered in the Cadaster (Catastro) of Costa Rica.
Now that you have the survey map number or número del plano catastrado, I will show you how to get a survey map of your property.
Get Survey Map now
Step 1
Register first at the National Registry website so you can get a survey map copy or plano catastrado. Registration on the National Registry site is totally FREE of any cost.
To be able to search on the National Registry system, you first have to register with them. Go to the registration page (See Image) and see where I registered my email address and password (see red arrow). Fill out your name and email address at “Registrarse por Primera Vez”, which means “Register for the First Time”.
You will receive an email with the login so you can go back to the same page again. Now you will be able to enter your search.
Step 2
Once you are able to enter the website by using your password, go to “carrito de compras” which is the shopping cart, on the left side of your screen.
Then go to “tipo de producto” or product type. There you have two choices that say Catastro. Do not pay any attention to the other options.
1. Catastro – Planos a Escala – ¢3,500 (2019)
2. Catastro – Certificaciones – ¢2,800 (2019)
Step 3
If you need a large size survey map, purchase a Planos a Escala. This option will not give your purchased “product” immediately, but they will send you an email later in the day or the next day.
If you are looking for an A4 size survey map copy, choose Certificaciones.
Once you have put the amount of survey map(s) needed in your shopping cart (maybe you want maps of different properties), click Comprar at the bottom.
Step 4
Once you click Comprar, you’ll get a new screen to pay for your purchase.
Step 5
Once you have paid, you’ll receive a new screen with a text. The word aqui is linked. By clicking it, you can then download the survey map(s) requested. You will receive the survey map in PDF form. If your computer doesn’t recognize it, you can find the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software here.
If you can’t figure it out, don’t worry. You will also receive an email from the National Registry that will give you the same link.
You can download it only once. So make sure you save the survey map or plano catastrado on your computer for later reference.
This document is usually three pages, the front, the back, and a third page. Banks and attorneys will require all three pages, the real estate agent only the front page.
Do business
In return for this FREE information, we hope to get your future Costa Rica real estate business. Want to purchase or sell a property in Costa Rica? Contact us now. Feel free to leave your comments on this blog. If you like this article, please feel free to share it on your social media.
