The Costa Rican cédula de identidad (national identity card) is processed at the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), in the Registro Civil department, identity documents section. It is valid for 10 years.
First-time application (adults):
- Present a passport if available, or another photo ID document (foreign ID card, driver's license, etc.).
- Present the Tarjeta de Identidad de Menor (TIM) if available, or failing that, a birth certificate issued by the Registro Civil less than 1 year prior.
- Bring a direct family member, or two Costa Rican citizens who personally know the applicant, to attest to their identity.
- Bring two photographs.
Renewal or replacement:
- Accepted due to expiration, loss, theft, or damage to the document.
- Can be processed in person at TSE offices or at consular offices abroad.
- At the central offices (second floor, west side of Parque Nacional, San José), the process takes about 2 hours from the time data is collected.
- Appointments available Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 3:00pm.
Costs (corrected after re-verification — the TSE has changed this policy several times, with suspensions and resumptions of the fee):
- Reimpresión del Documento de Identidad (RDI, first replacement): ₡5,890.
- The TSE resumed charging for cédula replacement on December 1, 2025, after a two-month suspension. The fee for anyone requesting more than one document in the same calendar year is approximately USD 11.92 (about ₡5,900 at the exchange rate at the time) — an amount very close to that of the RDI, not a higher one.
- Given the history of policy changes, confirm the exact amount and validity on tse.go.cr or in the most recent official TSE announcement before paying.
Digital cédula: a digital version exists costing ₡2,600, valid for 4 years, with the same legal validity as the physical card for official procedures — but it CANNOT be used to vote in the 2026 elections.
Free home service: available for people with disabilities, senior citizens, and hospitalized or institutionalized individuals.
Note: the updated cédula design no longer includes the parents' names or the voting address. For naturalized citizens or Costa Ricans abroad, the TSE has specific forms and requirements different from those listed above — confirm on tse.go.cr depending on the case.
COLIBRÍ CR