To Build in Costa Rica

We bought a pre-loved jetski, with the idea it would get our teen son outside more and off the screens. It didn’t come registered, so we had to embark on the registration process.

Like many things in Costa Rica, there is a process, but who you know and how persistent you are, changes the outcome. We have a friend who is also a lawyer, who also had to get his own watercraft registered. His office generously helped us get an inspection in Flamingo near the marina, by the capitania of Playas del Coco- our nearest office. The inspection went smooth- though we were missing one item- the flash light.

You will need the following items for your jetski inspection:

• Flashlight (waterproof) – un foco
• Mirror – un espejo
• Life-jackets – los chalecos salvavidas
• Radio
• Secondary form of communication
• DUA
• Legal Ownership documents – Escritura

The documents must be printed out- not digital. Even there is a perfectly well-functioning printer in their office, they will not print anything for you.

The inspection with the Playas del Coco office were strict. Something wasn’t right and we ended up with an expired document, so we did this process twice.

We ended up having to do the inspection again, when we moved south to Pavones, this time with the Golfito office.

They have a female Capitana and she was thorough, but not a stickler for all the items.

The Capitanía will give you a document that you then take to your lawyer who will use it to register with the Registro Nacional.

You will then get the registration papers, and will need to purchase the stickers with numbers and letters in the appropriate color for your watercraft (black numbers for a white watercraft, white numbers for a black one). Our jetski is black, so we needed white letters. They don’t give you these, you must buy them yourself. There is no place nearby that sells them, either!

All in all, the Capitania in Golfito was efficient, helpful and educational.