Titled vs. Concession Beachfront in Costa Rica: The Maritime Zone Explained

Quick answer: Costa Rica's first 200 meters of coastline is the Maritime Terrestrial Zone: the first 50 meters from high tide is public and can never be owned, and the next 150 meters is concession land — a renewable municipal lease, not full ownership, with restrictions for non-resident foreigners. Titled (fee simple) property, which exists in parts of Tamarindo, Flamingo, and beyond the zone, gives full ownership rights and is usually the safer, more liquid choice for foreign buyers.

If you are dreaming of a place near the water in Costa Rica, this is the one article you cannot skip. The difference between titled and concession land is the thing that separates a clean, secure purchase from a deal that can go sideways.

The 200-Meter Rule

Costa Rica protects its coastline through the Maritime Terrestrial Zone — the Zona Marítimo Terrestre, or ZMT. It covers the first 200 meters of land measured inland from the high-tide line, and it is split into two parts.

The first 50 meters is public. This strip, measured from the mean high-tide line, belongs to everyone. No one can own it, fence it, or build on it. This is why beaches in Costa Rica are public and why you will never see a private beach blocking access.

The next 150 meters is the restricted (concession) zone. Here you do not own the land outright. Instead, the local municipality grants a concesión — essentially a long-term lease, often 20 years and renewable. You can build and use the property under the terms of that concession, but the underlying land remains public.

Why This Matters for Foreign Buyers

Concession land carries a restriction that catches many foreigners off guard: a non-resident foreigner, or a company majority-owned by foreigners, generally cannot hold more than 50 percent of a concession unless they have been a legal resident of Costa Rica for at least five years. Structures exist to work within this, but they require careful, honest legal setup — not a workaround sold to you by someone with an interest in the deal.

Titled Property Is Different — and Usually What You Want

Not all coastal property is concession. In certain areas — including parts of Tamarindo, Flamingo, and other established towns — there is genuine titled (fee simple) property, sometimes even within the 200-meter band due to historical titles granted before the current law, or simply because the property sits just beyond the zone.

Titled property is recorded in your name (or your corporation's) at the National Registry, with the same full ownership rights I describe in my general buying guide. For most foreign buyers, titled property is the cleaner, simpler, and more liquid choice. It is easier to finance, easier to insure, and far easier to resell.

How to Protect Yourself

Confirm the legal status in writing. Your attorney's title study will tell you definitively whether a property is titled or concession, and exactly what you are buying. Never take a seller's or listing's word for it.

Be skeptical of beachfront priced too good to be true. Sometimes the low price reflects concession status, an expiring or contested concession, or boundary issues. None of these are automatically deal-breakers, but you must know about them and price them in.

Work with an agent who explains this upfront. If someone is showing you beachfront and has not mentioned the ZMT, that tells you something.

The coastline rules are not a reason to avoid buying near the beach — plenty of excellent, fully titled coastal property exists in Guanacaste. They are simply the reason to do it with eyes open and the right attorney at your side. If you want, I will tell you the status of any property you are considering before you fall in love with it.