Costa Rica’s luxury home tax must be paid by January 15, 2026, the Ministry of Finance said.

The tax, formally known as the D-174 Impuesto Solidario para el Fortalecimiento de Programas de Vivienda (or Solidarity Tax for the Strengthening of Housing Programs), applies to residential properties valued at more than 145 million colones, or approximately $286,000, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Property owners who fail to pay by the deadline face fines based on the amount of tax owed.

The levy applies to residential real estate regardless of whether it is used regularly, occasionally or for recreational purposes.

 

Properties under construction, as well as fixed and permanent installations, are also subject to the tax.

Property owners must file an affidavit every three years declaring the updated fiscal value of their real estate. If the declared value exceeds the previously recorded amount, the new figure automatically becomes the tax base for the fiscal period in which it is reported, the ministry said.

For properties with multiple co-owners, the declaration must be filed jointly. Owners of two or more adjoining or overlapping properties are required to combine them into a single declaration for tax purposes.

In condominium developments, each unit owner’s declaration must include their proportional share of the value of common areas.

When a property changes ownership, the new owner becomes jointly responsible for the tax owed for the fiscal period in effect at the time of purchase, including any applicable interest, under current regulations.

The Tax Administration Department (known as Tributación Directa) calculates the tax based on a sliding scale ranging from 0.25% to 0.55%, depending on the property’s declared value.

Payments can be made through the Virtual Tax Office (OVi) platform on the Ministry of Finance’s official website, at any Banco de Costa Rica branch nationwide, or at any Banco BAC branch in the country.

Taxpayers may inquire about their tax amount by calling the Ministry of Finance’s Spanish-language hotline at +506 2539-4000.

The Ministry of Finance is the government agency responsible for regulating fiscal policy and managing public resources, guided by principles of economic efficiency and effectiveness.