What a Notary Public Is, How Much They Charge, and How to Claim If They Misbehaved (Código Notarial)

The Código Notarial (Ley N.º 7764, del 17 de abril de 1998) regulates who can be a notary public in Costa Rica and how their work is overseen.

What a notary is (Artículos 1 y 2): the public notary is a public function exercised privately — the notary advises on the correct legal formation of a person’s will in contracts and legal acts, and certifies that the facts he/she witnessed actually occurred. To become one you must be a lawyer incorporated into the Colegio de Abogados, with a postgraduate degree in Derecho Notarial y Registral, and at least 2 years of prior incorporation (Artículo 3).

On fees (what they charge): notarial fees are the same as those charged by a lawyer for similar procedures (Artículo 137) — it is a tariff set by executive decree (the “arancel de honorarios de abogacía y notariado”), not something the notary can simply invent. This tariff has a public‑order nature: neither the notary nor the client may agree to charge less than the minimum established, although they may charge more if both parties accept. **The exact amount is updated by decree fairly often — confirm the current tariff before assuming a cost, do not rely on an outdated figure.**

Stamp of the Colegio de Abogados on public instruments (deeds, transfers, companies) — this DOES have a fixed table and does not change often, according to the amount of the act:

Hasta ₡250.000: exento.
De ₡250.000 a ₡1.000.000: ₡1.100.
De ₡1.000.000 a ₡5.000.000: ₡2.200.
De ₡5.000.000 a ₡25.000.000: ₡5.500.
De ₡25.000.000 a ₡50.000.000: ₡11.000.
De ₡50.000.000 a ₡100.000.000: ₡16.500.
De ₡100.000.000 a ₡500.000.000: ₡27.500.
Más de ₡500.000.000: ₡55.000.

This stamp is separate from the notary’s fees — it is a mandatory contribution to the Colegio de Abogados, not something that can be avoided.

If a notary acted improperly — who to complain to (Artículos 138‑141): it depends on the severity.

Offenses related to the requirements to practice, or failure to comply with directives of the Dirección Nacional de Notariado (for example, not filing the notarial indexes), are sanctioned directly by that Dirección (reprimand, censure or suspension).
Everything else — including when the notary’s conduct harmed the parties, third parties, or public faith (serious offense, with suspension) — is resolved by the Poder Judicial, which also enforces the notary’s civil liability for their errors.

Note: this sheet summarizes the most consulted parts of an extensive law (more than 200 articles, including the full detailed notarial procedure). For a specific case — especially if money is at stake — it is advisable to consult directly with the Dirección Nacional de Notariado (dnn.go.cr) or a lawyer.