Costa Rica Companies Require an Email by June 2026

Beginning in 2026, every active and inactive company formed under Costa Rica’s Commercial Code—new or existing—must register an official email address with the Registro de Personas Jurídicas. This email will serve as the company’s formal channel for receiving legal and administrative notifications.

This requirement comes from Ley 10.597, which amended the Código de Comercio and the Ley de Notificaciones Judiciales. Although implementation began in 2024–2025, many companies have not yet complied. By June 2026, the update will be mandatory for all.

Here is what company owners need to know.

Who Must Comply — and Who Is Excluded

This requirement applies to sociedades mercantiles, which includes most companies formed under the Commercial Code (S.A., S.R.L., E.I.R.L., etc.). Both active and inactive commercial companies must comply.

The following do NOT need to register an email:

• Civil societies (sociedades civiles)
• Asociaciones Solidaristas
• Foundations (fundaciones)
• Cooperatives
• Non-profit associations

These entities fall outside the scope of Ley 10.597.

Why This Change Matters

Costa Rica is modernizing its notification system. By requiring a verified corporate email:

• Notifications become faster and more reliable
• Administrative and judicial communication is centralized
• Notices sent to that email are presumed received

It’s a modernization that still respects the long-standing notarial structure of corporate administration.

Is a Notary Required? Yes.

Updating or adding the corporate email must be done by a notary through an escritura pública, then filed with the Registro Nacional. Because the original law did not list a specific fee for this act, the Colegio de Abogados issued an official clarification. On June 24, 2025, the Board of Directors approved Agreement 2025-25-008, confirming that:

Registering the company’s email is legally considered a modification of bylaws (estatutos). Therefore, Article 95(e) of the Arancel applies.

Official Notary Fee (Arancel)

₡90,750 + 13% IVA = ₡102,547.50

(ciento dos mil quinientos cuarenta y siete colones con cincuenta céntimos)
≈ USD $205 (using ₡500 = $1)

This is the standard minimum fee for:

• Bylaw modifications
• Appointment or substitution of officers
• Other changes to corporate records

Multiple Companies = Multiple Fees

If one representative updates several companies during the same appointment, each company is charged individually. This follows Article 71 of the Arancel, which states that when a deed contains multiple operations, each must be billed separately.

Are There Stamp Duties or Taxes?

Not if the email update is the only act in the deed.

Under the transitory provisions of Ley 10.597, this update is exempt from:

• Timbres
• Derechos registrales
• Protocolization fees
• Any other taxes

Can a Company Register More Than One Email?

No. The law contemplates one single official email address per corporation. If the company has joint representation (representación conjunta), notifying one representative at the single registered email is legally valid.

Will Courts Send Notifications to This Email?

Yes—when applicable. With the reform to Article 20 of the Ley de Notificaciones Judiciales, judicial notifications may be issued to the registered email. If the company fails to register or update the email:

• Notificación automática applies
• Deadlines begin running whether the notice is seen or not

This underscores the importance of using an email that is monitored daily.

Publication Requirement in La Gaceta

Even though the act is simple, the traditional procedure still applies.

The notary must:

• Request publication of an edict in La Gaceta
• Review the receipt from the Imprenta Nacional

For inscription, it is enough for the notary to certify that the publication request is in process.

What Happens If a Company Misses the June 2026 Deadline?

Companies that do not register their email by the deadline will be marked as “frozen” in the system. A frozen company cannot:

• Register new documents
• Update or change officers
• Modify capital
• File mergers, dissolutions, or transformations
• Transfer property
• Renew or update corporate data

In practice, the company becomes blocked from operating until the email is properly registered and inscribed. This can delay sales, loans, compliance processes, and notarial transactions.

What Companies Should Do Before June 2026

1. Choose a permanent, stable email
   Avoid personal accounts or addresses that may be abandoned.
2. Ensure someone monitors it daily
   Judicial timelines can begin immediately upon delivery.
3. Contact your notary
   Schedule the modification early to avoid last-minute backlogs.
4. Verify inscription in the Registro Nacional
   Anyone can confirm the registered email through a certificación literal at rnpdigital.com.

Why This Matters for Owners

This update modernizes Costa Rica’s notification system while maintaining traditional safeguards. Completing the email registration keeps your corporation active, compliant, and free of administrative obstacles—avoiding freezes, delays, and costly legal complications.