Permits, Procedures, and Forms
The general procedures for applying for a research permit in Costa Rica is presented here. The Soltis Center can assist you upon your requests to fill out all the paperwork and follow up with national authorities. We strongly recommend contacting us in advance since depending on the permit type, a legal representation is required by local authorities and the Soltis Center could assist by representing legally the researchers in Costa Rica.
Everyone who captures, handles, or transports plants, animals, or microorganisms in Costa Rica for scientific study must register their project, obtain government wildlife service research permits, and submit reports to the government. Anyone collecting plant samples or capturing wild animals for teaching purposes or scientific research (pollinia or scat samples, re-capture, among others) must pay an additional fee for a collecting license, even if specimens are later released. Collecting permits must be obtained even for purely observational research if it is to be carried out in a National Park. Research and the related collecting permits (if needed) are valid for six months and can be renewed. The export of wildlife from Costa Rica for scientific purposes also requires one or more government export permits.
The Official Guidelines and Procedures of the National Conservation Service of Costa Rica for Conducting Research in Costa Rica here CONAGEBIO RESEARCH PROCEDURES CONAGEBIO RESEARCH PROCEDURES. Remember to log in in the virtual platform of CONAGEBIO
The Official Guidelines and Procedures of the National Conservation Service of Costa Rica for Conducting Research in Costa Rica here CONAGEBIO RESEARCH PROCEDURES CONAGEBIO RESEARCH PROCEDURES. Remember to log in in the virtual platform of CONAGEBIO
Requirements for First-Time Project Approval of the Government
- Curriculum vitae of Principal Investigator (3 pages maximum).
- MINAET permit application form completed.
- The Soltis Center permit application form completed.
- Project proposal. A brief (1 to 6 pages) Spanish summary of the research proposed. Specify the nature and purpose of the project; the collecting to be done (tax, numbers, locations, etc.); the persons and institutions involved; the use(s) to which the specimens will be put and the eventual disposition of them; and a description of the techniques that will be used for capture, preservation, and/or study of live organisms. Include Title, Introduction, Objectives and Methods. It is extremely important to include a chronogram (time schedule).
- Digital passport-size photo.
- Copy of your passport: First pages, with personal data and photo.
- Official letter of endorsement from the institution with which you are affiliated (It has to be on letterhead, digital signed, and should bear the institution's seal if available)
- Written authorization signed by the landowner(s) when collecting from private property. If the project will be developed at the Center property, the Director of the Center must approve it.
- Your payment of $75 for research permit alone and $35 if collecting (for a total of $85 if you are collecting)
- Research assistants need also to send a digital passport size photo, a copy of the photo page of their passports, and pay $35.
- Once these requirements have been completed and all documents received, it takes a minimum of 30 natural days to obtain a permit. A research permit is valid for six months and is renewable.
- Additional charges that may apply (see Soltis Center Fee Rates)
- Proposal translation, permit delivery if not at the Soltis Center, weighing, packing and shipping material for exportation, transport of equipment and materials, among others. Please directly contact the Center Director or Manager to obtain an estimate of these expenses.
Requirements for Renewal
- A newly completed form: "Solicitud de Permiso para Realizar Investigaciones" (in Spanish)
- Digital passport size photo only if you are collecting (for new collecting carnet/license).
- Payment of $75 for project and collecting license renewal.
- New permission letters from landowners if new sites are involved.
- New version of any original requirement if your status has changed. For example, occasional updates in your resume, new letter from your institution if you have changed institutions, among others.
- Research Assistants need to send two passport size photos, a copy of the photo page of their passports, and pay $35.
- Once these requirements have been completed and all documents received, it takes a minimum of 30 natural days to obtain a permit. A renewed research permit is valid for 6 months and is again renewable.
A single permit authorization can cover all the participants of a course or a research project, as long as the principal investigator or course coordinator is willing to assume responsibility for the actions of the associated researchers. Many foreign researchers study in Costa Rica under the auspices of permits obtained by local collaborators, either individual or institutional, for joint projects. Please review page 13 in the official document.
Research regarding access to Genetic and Biochemical Elements and Resources of the Biodiversity must follow the specific regulations stated in the Costa Rican Government Decree 31514-MINAE. Please click on the links below:
CONAGEBIO-procedures (2023)
CONAGEBIO-General Requirements (2023)
Research regarding access to Genetic and Biochemical Elements and Resources of the Biodiversity must follow the specific regulations stated in the Costa Rican Government Decree 31514-MINAE. Please click on the links below:
CONAGEBIO-procedures (2023)
CONAGEBIO-General Requirements (2023)
Researchers must follow the procedures, policies, and rules for research, collecting and export permits of The Soltis Center for Research and Education of Texas A&M University in Costa Rica, the Texas A&M University Systems, and the Costa Rica Authorities. All research projects must have been screened by the Research Compliance and Biosafety of Texas A&M University and their home institution.
Any researcher the Soltis Center assists in obtaining government research permits must agree that The Soltis Center reserves the right to refuse service to projects which it feels may undermine its relationship with the Costa Rican authorities or scientific community, or to withdraw at any time. The burdens of proof and of timely application are on the applicant. The Soltis Center will not take responsibility for delays caused by late application or incomplete documentation. The Soltis Center will charge a service fee for assisting the researchers to obtain the permits.
Any researcher the Soltis Center assists in obtaining government research permits must agree that The Soltis Center reserves the right to refuse service to projects which it feels may undermine its relationship with the Costa Rican authorities or scientific community, or to withdraw at any time. The burdens of proof and of timely application are on the applicant. The Soltis Center will not take responsibility for delays caused by late application or incomplete documentation. The Soltis Center will charge a service fee for assisting the researchers to obtain the permits.
Research reports to the Ministerio del Ambiente, Energia y Telecomunicaciones (MINAE) are required for all investigators registered in the government permit system. These should include a statement of progress (with reference to the project proposal originally submitted), and an account of the collections made. These reporting obligations must be written in Spanish. Research permits are not renewable unless reports are received by the government.
Researchers are required to send copies of the publications originating from research done in Costa Rica to the National Library and MINAET. The Soltis Center also requests that all reports and publications be forwarded through its office in Costa Rica if the Center assisted the permit application, along with two copies for the Center library.
- A letter from the Natural History department at the National Museum or from a scientific contact at the University of Costa Rica stating one of the following:
- Agreed to return your specimens at a later date.
- Due to nature of your collection, leaving duplicates is not necessary.
- Payment fee of $75
- Arrival port (city, state, country).
- Name, address, phone and institution where the collection will be housed.
- All those requirements are the responsibility of the Researcher. If the Center assistance is needed to obtain the letter (Requirement 1), leave duplicate specimens with local scientists on your behalf, or if the specimens are alive and require additional sanitary inspections, some extra fees will be charged.
- Name or description, number and net weight of specimens that are going to be exported.
- Total gross weight of each box, bag or bottle to be exported.
- Numbers of boxes, bags, bottles to be exported.
- The exact date you wish to export, carrier, and port of export.
- For exporting living organisms or green materials, please contact the Center Director for specific regulations.
- Copy of Research and Collecting Permits
- Project report/update in Spanish.
In order to assist in processing research/collecting and exporting permits, there is a series of forms and procedures to follow, so please be sure to follow them:
- Fill out and submit the Research & Collecting Permit Application Form through the Soltis Center
- Fill out and submit to the Soltis Center the Research and Collecting Permit Application Form
- Fill out the government application form and submit all documents requested
- Fill out the Reservation Form
Submit all signed forms, electronically (scanned and emailed) or physically, including any supporting documents to:
The Soltis Center for Research and Education in Costa Rica
Texas A&M University
San Isidro de Penas Blancas
P.O. Box 80-4417 La Fortuna
San Carlos, Costa Rica.
Tel +979.458.5568 (In USA)
Tel +506.2461.9890 (Office)
Email: soltis@tamu.edu