The new initiative known as Approval of Topographic Plans (ATP) has made the process of approving cadastral plans in Costa Rica digital, as from now on the physical presence of surveyors and property owners on the premises of association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) or the Land Registry will no longer be required reported that union.

Nacion.com reports that "... the professionals involved in these procedures can do it anywhere, inside or outside of the country, at any time and on any day of the year because, with digitization, the platform is open 24 hours every day; unlike regular office hours and when these procuedures used to be carried out on weekdays".

"... In two months of work, 519 days have been saved in waiting times, procedures, seals and transfers by carrying out the procedures simultaneously and 21,000 plans have been entered into the system, of which 5,187 came from transactions in coastal areas in Guanacaste, Limon and Puntarenas which would have required people to travel", said Olman Vargas, executive director of the CFIA to La Nacion.

Source: Nacion.com

More on this topic

Costa Rica: Legal Paperwork for Construction Via Internet

September 2014

The web platform the College of Engineers and Architects wil present to the government will allow for all the procedures that are currently carried out in 14 different public institutions to be done in one place.

Olman Vargas, executive director of the Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) told Ameliarueda.com that "...

Costa Rica: Plans for Online Registration Announced

December 2013

A new web platform has been presented to register architectural plans in digital format with the National Registry.

From a press release by the Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA):

The Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA by its initials in Spanish), the College of Engineering Surveyors (CIT in Spanish) and the National Registry office have presented a new electronic digital registry system for surveys and plans to be submitted to the National Registry. The procedure will be carried out through the platform known as ' Administrador de Proyectos de Topografía (APT)' (Project Management for Surveys), belonging to the CFIA, and which enables users across the country to register online, without having to go to the office of the National Registry in Zapote.

Construction Boom in Costa Rica in 2012

January 2013

The Association of Engineers and Architects registered in 2012 more than 8 million square meters of construction, a figure that is 17% higher than that reported last year.

A press release from the Association of Engineers and Architects of Costa Rica (CFIA) reads:

Construction sector reported growth of 17% in 2012

Digital Property Maps

February 2012

The Costa Rican National Registry has started using a modern cadastral map for certifying property deeds which will provide greater security for people buying land.

Deeds will include two aerial views of the property or land, reports The Costa Rica News website.

The new maps include names, plot numbers, and district or cantons divisions, among other features.