If you need an appraiser in Costa Rica, whether for a purchase or sale, court case, inheritance, or insurance policy, choosing who to hire can be the difference between a successful process and a rejected report. This guide explains what appraisers in Costa Rica actually do, how to verify that an appraiser is truly licensed by the CFIA, and the criteria to hire with confidence in 2026.
What is an appraiser in Costa Rica and what do they do?
An appraiser in Costa Rica is a technical professional who issues a signed technical expert opinion, under their professional responsibility, on a specialized matter. In real estate and machinery, the appraiser determines the market value of a property, machine, or asset with auditable technical grounding.
Many real estate appraisers are licensed by the Federated Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA), which regulates the professional practice of engineers and architects. Our appraisals are signed by our own appraisers. Díaz Peritajes is a firm of several professionals, founded by Ing. José Alberto Díaz V., CFIA-licensed since 1982 (license ICO-3075). A CFIA-licensed appraiser:
- Issues reports with technical support for insurance claims, court proceedings, and tax and municipal procedures
- Applies International Valuation Standards (IVS) adapted to the Costa Rican market
- Can register on the Judicial Branch expert list to take part in court cases
- Signs each report under professional liability before the CFIA (with disciplinary sanctions for malpractice)
The 6 types of appraisers in Costa Rica
Not all appraisers do the same thing. Knowing the right type for your case saves time and money.
1. Real estate appraiser
Values houses, apartments, lots, farms, commercial spaces, and industrial properties. Most-demanded appraiser, needed for buy-sell, inheritance, insurance, and court cases.
For international buyers, a real estate due diligence appraisal helps verify value before closing.
2. Judicial appraiser
Issues reports for proceedings in civil, family, agrarian, and administrative courts. The report is examined at the hearing. Typically appears as an expert witness.
For family cases, a divorce appraisal supports an equitable property division with an independent value for shared assets.
3. Insurance appraiser
Specialist in determining insurable values (replacement, actual cash) and quantifying post-loss damages (fire, earthquake, flood). The report serves as technical support to set the sum insured and for insurance claims.
A property damage appraisal documents repair costs and any loss in value after a covered event.
4. Tax appraiser
Specialized in valuations for filings with Hacienda and municipalities: inheritance transfer, donations, Solidarity Tax, municipal property tax appeals.
5. Probate appraiser
Values assets in probate proceedings (testate or intestate). Requires knowledge of retrospective valuation (as of date of death).
6. Machinery and equipment appraiser
Specialist in agricultural, industrial, construction machinery and commercial equipment. Determines market, replacement, and forced liquidation values for IFRS accounting, industrial insurance, and equipment sales.
How to verify a CFIA-licensed appraiser: step by step
This is the most important part and where most clients get it wrong. It is advisable to have the appraisal signed by a professional registered with their association (CFIA or Colegio de Ingenieros Agrónomos, the agronomists’ professional body) with valuation experience, so they answer to that association for the report. For property tax, Law 7509 requires it expressly (art. 10 bis). In court proceedings, the judge weighs the report with the other evidence and may appoint their own expert. Verify that your appraiser is licensed by their professional association (for example, the CFIA).
Step 1: Ask for the CFIA registration number
Every licensed appraiser has a CFIA incorporation number (typical format IC-XXXXX for civil engineers). Ask for it before hiring. If the professional doesn’t have one or dodges the question, that’s a red flag.
Step 2: Verify online on the CFIA website
The CFIA maintains a public directory of licensed professionals. Go to cfia.or.cr, search “Professional Directory,” and enter the appraiser’s number or name. It should show:
- Full name
- Incorporation number
- Incorporation date
- Current status: Active (if it says “Suspended” or “Inactive,” don’t hire)
- Specialization area
Step 3: Confirm their specialty matches your case
CFIA licenses engineers from various fields (civil, topographers, agricultural, industrial, etc.). For real estate, the typical qualification is a civil or construction engineer with valuation specialization. For agricultural machinery, look for an agricultural engineer or agronomist.
Step 4: Understand when the Judicial Branch expert list matters (if your case goes to court)
In a civil case, either party can submit a party expert report (Code of Civil Procedure, art. 44.1), and the judge weighs it together with the other evidence. The Judicial Branch expert list is used when the judge appoints their own expert; not every CFIA appraiser is on that list, because it is a separate registration. Ing. José Alberto Díaz V., founder of Díaz Peritajes and a CFIA-licensed judicial appraiser, is registered on it; even so, the court decides which expert to appoint in each case. Also ask whether the appraiser can defend the report at the hearing.
Step 5: Ask for specific references
An experienced appraiser will have verifiable client cases: institutions they’ve worked with, courts where they’ve issued opinions, insurers they have worked with. A serious professional shares references without issue.
When do you need an appraiser? 12 common situations in Costa Rica
- Independent second opinion on a prior appraisal or an offer price
- Property buy-sell: to confirm the price is fair
- Probate proceeding (inheritance): mandatory for valuing the decedent’s assets
- Divorce with marital property liquidation: valuation of community assets
- Taking out or renewing an insurance policy
- Post-loss appraisal after fire, earthquake, flood
- Gift transfer: to calculate the transfer tax
- Solidarity Tax for properties above the annual Hacienda threshold
- Municipal property tax appeal when overestimated
- Machinery purchase, sale, or liquidation (market or realization value)
- IAS 16 accounting revaluation for audited financial statements
- Eminent domain / expropriation by public institution (MOPT, CNE, AyA, ICE, municipality)
How to hire an appraiser: typical process
- Define the purpose of the appraisal (buy-sell, court, insurance, probate): critical, because report format varies
- Request quotes from 2-3 CFIA appraisers with description of your case
- Validate credentials (steps 1-5 above)
- Confirm timeline, cost, and scope in writing before hiring
- Prepare documentation: cadastral plan, registry study, ownership certification, and physical access to the property
- Schedule physical inspection: the appraiser must visit the property (a desk appraisal without inspection does not meet the technical standard and is often rejected or challenged)
- Receive the signed report: check it has CFIA signature + incorporation number + date
Reference pricing in Costa Rica
Fees vary by type and complexity. To see what affects the price by property type, see our complete guide to appraisal pricing in Costa Rica. As quick reference, an appraisal costs from approx. ₡150,000 (USD 300); the final amount is set in the quote, and a judicial appraisal is typically quoted higher due to evidentiary responsibility.
Common mistakes when hiring an appraiser
- Choosing the cheapest without validating their license: a report signed by someone unlicensed may be rejected, which can force you to pay twice
- Not confirming that the appraiser’s specialty matches the asset type (hiring a civil engineer for agricultural machinery, for example)
- Not asking for specific references: relying only on the professional’s personal website
- Accepting “appraisal without inspection”: it does not meet the technical standard and is often rejected or challenged by courts, insurers, or Hacienda
- Not confirming the appraiser can defend the report at the hearing if the case is for court
- Choosing by geographic proximity without considering property-type experience: a GAM appraiser without experience in agricultural farms may deliver a deficient valuation of a farm in Pérez Zeledón
FAQ
How do I verify an appraiser’s CFIA license online?
At cfia.or.cr → “Professional Directory” → enter name or number. Must show as “Active.”
Are all appraisers registered with the Judicial Branch? No. The Judicial Branch expert list is a separate registration from CFIA and is used when the judge appoints their own expert. In a civil case, if you submit a party expert report, the appraiser does not need to be on that list (Code of Civil Procedure, art. 44.1).
What’s the difference between “perito” and “valuador”? In Costa Rica, “perito valuador” refers to the licensed professional who issues appraisals (for example, a CFIA-licensed engineer appraiser). “Tasador” is an imported term (Chile, Spain); in CR the correct term is “perito.”
Do I need an appraiser from my province? Not necessarily. An appraiser with nationwide coverage and experience in your property type is usually better than a nearby one without specific experience. Adjust fees for travel.
Can a Banco Nacional appraiser do my private appraisal? Yes, if they’re CFIA-licensed and accept private cases. But check that the purpose (bank vs private sale) matches the type of report they’ll deliver.
How much do they charge? An appraisal costs from approx. ₡150,000 (USD 300); the final amount is set in the quote. We explain what affects the amount in our appraisal pricing guide.
About the author
José Alberto Díaz V. is a Construction Engineer licensed by the Federated Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) and an appraiser with over 20 years of experience in real estate and machinery valuations in Costa Rica. He has served as appraiser for institutions such as Banco Nacional, Coopealianza, Coopenae, and UncooSur, and founded Díaz Peritajes, a firm with several professionals that prepares reports for insurance claims, notarial procedures, and court cases from its bases in Pérez Zeledón and Curridabat, with nationwide coverage.
Need a CFIA-licensed appraiser for your case? Contact us via WhatsApp at +506 7272-7270 or email info@diazperitajes.com for a no-obligation quote.