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MoreThis guide compiles Costa Rica customs regulations for importing and exporting household goods and personal effects. It applies to shipments by sea or air, and is compiled from the latest FIDI and IAM guides. For reference only - please confirm details with your Seapoe consultant before shipping.
Importing Personal Effects into Costa Rica: Documents & Customs Rules
Removal Goods
Documents Required- Original or copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Packing List or inventory.
- Translation of the packing list in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Detailed packing list indicating brand, serial number and model of all electric appliances and electronics.
- One probative document in order to opt for the personal household goods and merchandise modality. This document may be no more than six months old and, will be related with the importer’s category. Types:
- Consular Certification of Residency Abroad or supplementary document (house rental, lease, or purchase agreement), evidencing the place of residence and the period of time spent abroad (at least 6 months), in the case of Costa Rican students or legal age workers returning to live in Costa Rica.
- Work Permit issued by the General Immigration and Alienage General Direction when it is a foreigner coming to work in Costa Rica or copy of the authorization permit request before Immigration and Foreign Service, besides the copy of the labour agreement from
- the contracting company.
- Residence I.D. in force, when it is a foreigner who was granted the status of permanent resident in the country, reckoned from the date the residence is granted.
- Consular Certification of Resident Abroad or supplementary document, (rent, lease, or purchase housing agreement), evidencing the place of residency and the time he was abroad, in the case of those who were permanent residents outside the country for at least 6 months. Important note: If transferee is a Costa Rican resident who has not lived outside of Costa Rica for longer than 12 months, they cannot import any household goods into the country.
- Property registration certificate of property acquired in Costa Rica or copy of lease or rent agreement in Costa Rica, authenticated by a lawyer.
- Foreigners will have to pay for import duties. All customers have to pay for duties and taxes.
- Costa Rican citizens who have lived abroad a minimum of 6 months may apply for partial tax exemption. This applies only for one item per type, example: 1 microwave, 1 laundry machine, 1 bed, 1 table, chairs, etc.
- Returning Costa Ricans wanting to apply for partial tax exemption need to bring a certification from the Costa Rican consulate at the origin country, indicating number of years lived abroad.
- Other formalities for this status must be made in Costa Rica.
- Customs clearance will take approximately 22 working days once shipment has arrived at the bonded warehouse in San José.
- A physical inspection, to verify that there will be no differences between the quantities and weights declared on the shipping documents and the real ones is mandatory by Costa Rican customs authorities.
- It is a requirement that the number of pieces and weight reported on the B/L matches with the real number of pieces and weight; otherwise, Customs will apply a fine of 500 USD and there will be a delay in Customs process from 4 to 6 weeks.
Diplomats Removals
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) and diplomatic ID.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Packing List or inventory.
- Translation of the packing list in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Detailed packing list indicating brand, serial number and model of all electric appliances and electronics.
- Tax exemption.
- Duty free entry.
- Shipper must be registered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Tax exemption process must be done directly by the shipper’s entity.
- Import of Wine and Alcohol is permitted:
- Quantity will depend on the annual allowance agreed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and each Embassy.
- Each Embassy must ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to check how much bottles or quantity they can bring; this process must be done directly by the shipper’s entity.
Wedding trousseaux
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to taxes payment.
Inheritance
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to taxes payment.
New Furniture and Household Goods
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to taxes payment.
Works of Art & Antiques (More than 100 years)
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to taxes payment.
Wooden goods (furniture, ornaments)
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”.
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of Agriculture. Needed only for wooden crates.
- Wooden ornaments and hangers are not allowed.
- Subject to taxes payment.
- According to Customs’ law (RGLA) wicker and ratan baskets or any product made of those, are not allowed in the country (furniture made with wicker and ratan are
- allowed).
- Costa Rica Government adopted ISPM-15 (International standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication 15) Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (aka NIFM-15) to standardise the treatment of wood packing materials used for the transport of goods.
Machines, appliance, spare parts
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to taxes payment.
Wine, Alcohol
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of Health.
- Subject to taxes payment.
- Prohibited for air and LCL shipments.
- For FCL shipments, a maximum of 5 litres is permitted.
Tins and Food
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of Health.
Arms, ammunitions, dangerous objects
Customs Prescriptions- Importation prohibited.
Medicines, narcotics, drugs, soaps, perfumes, shampoo, creams, cosmetics, and other personal hygiene articles
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of Health.
Plants
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original Bill of Lading, A.W.B. or “Carta de Porte”
- Original commercial invoices.
- Translation of the invoice in Spanish (Art. 317 according to Customs’ law (RGLA)).
- Subject to permits from the Ministry of ECA.
Domestic pets (Cats and Dogs)
Documents Required- Copy of shipper’s passport (front page) or ID for Costa Rican citizen.
- Rated original A.W.B.
- Subject to mandatory quarantine.
- Subject to permits from the National Animal Health Service.
- Health Certificate.
- Up to date vaccination cards.
- Invoice or affidavit indicating animal’s value and characteristics.
- Exportation veterinary health certificate.
- Subject to payment of taxes.
- Documentation required before animal’s arrival.
Pornographic material, subversive material, drugs, item not being part of the normal household
Customs Prescriptions- Importation prohibited.
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