When do I need a permit to cut trees on my property (Forest Law)

The Forest Law (Ley N.º 7575, of 1996) regulates when trees may be cut in Costa Rica — even on private property. It is a common mistake to think that, because it is your land, you can cut any tree without consulting anyone.

When you DO need a permit (Article 27): on agricultural lands that are not forest, you may cut up to 3 trees per hectare per year, but you must first request authorization from the corresponding Regional Environmental Council. If the cut exceeds 10 trees in total on the property (not per hectare), authorization from the State Forest Administration (part of SINAC/MINAE) is required instead of the Regional Council.

When you DO NOT need a permit (Article 28): trees that are part of a forest plantation, an agroforestry system, or that were planted individually by the person (they are not natural forest) do not require permission for cutting, transport, industrialization or export. The exception: if those trees are under a forest contract signed with the State (for example to receive a Forest Carbon Credit or a income‑tax deduction), then the approved management plan must be followed.

Other related rules:

• Export of wood in logs or sawn timber that comes from natural forest (Article 26) — that prohibition does not apply to wood from forest plantations.
• A land with forest can be used as collateral for a mortgage loan, but that NOT automatically gives the bank (or anyone executing the guarantee) the right to exploit the forest (Article 25).
• If a landowner voluntarily reforests a denuded plot, they can access tax incentives (exemption from property tax and from tax on uncultivated land, among others — Articles 22, 24 and 29), but that area is registered as a protected affectation in the Public Registry for a minimum of 20 years.

Note: the criterion of what counts as “forest” (which has rules much stricter than a single tree standing in a pasture) is defined by the law itself and its regulations with more technical detail than this fact sheet — before cutting any large tree or in an area with dense canopy, the safest thing is to confirm with the regional office of SINAC/MINAE whether a permit is needed, since cutting without authorization when one was required can result in penalties.