Permits

Scientific research may require a permit from two different institutions of MINAE:

CONAGEBIO: The National Commission for the Management of Biodiversity (CONAGEBIO) specifically regulates any work involving genetic or biochemical methods. See additional information on the CONAGEBIO website.

SINAC: The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) generally regulates research in Costa Rica not related to CONAGEBIO. It is the most common permit to be required. See additional information on the SINAC website.

According to SINAC, a Scientific Research Permit is an administrative act by which a person is authorized to carry out research activities that may or may not involve collecting wild organisms (but it does not authorize genetic and biochemical research methods). Costa Rica is organized into eleven Conservation Areas managed by SINAC; the permit will be submitted to each Conservation Area where the research will be conducted.

Please allow approximately 30 business days for processing time once all requirements are completed.

SINAC permits include several components that may be required depending on the project methods. In addition to the research permit, researchers may also need a collecting license, and export permit.

By law, SINAC requires all documents in Spanish.

In Costa Rica, biochemical and genetic resources and elements (components) of biodiversity are public domain assets; the government authorizes access to these components through the National Commission for the Management of Biodiversity (CONAGEBIO).

If your scientific research includes any of the following methods, among others, you must apply for a CONAGEBIO permit:

• Genetics: DNA barcoding, DNA/RNA sequencing, molecular markers, PCR, electrophoresis, genomics and proteomics, genetic improvement, molecular phylogeny, molecular taxonomy
• Biochemistry: Chromatography, mass spectrometry, extractions, compounds purification, primary and secondary metabolites, distillation, ELISA and hormonal analyzes

Please allow approximately 90 days for processing time once all requirements are completed and if the collecting areas only include La Selva and Las Cruces Research Stations.

If your project includes National Parks or several private properties, the processing time could increase. Please estimate one to three additional months for processing all of the requirements for non-OTS properties. It is the researcher´s responsibility to locate private property owners and work with them to gain access to their properties and acquire all of the required signed documents.

A CONAGEBIO permit is valid for up 36 months (renewable). In addition, this permit allows the export of samples with no need for an additional permit.

By law, CONAGEBIO requires all documents in Spanish.

MINAE also requires permits for academic courses that will conduct field activities involving biodiversity. The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) will issue the permit for academic research. Costa Rica is organized into eleven Conservation Areas managed by SINAC; the course permit will be submitted to each Conservation Area where the academic research will be conducted.

Please see the following table to determine which permits your course will need. The required permits vary by course and are determined by whether your course will conduct activities on private or public lands and whether the activities include biodiversity collection, and/or habitat manipulation:

*Note: If your course intends to export samples and/or perform genetic or biochemical methods, you must apply for Scientific Research Permits.

**Note: You must still have the property owner´s permission (i.e. OTS approval).

OTS can assist throughout the academic permit process. OTS facilitation of your academic course permit or licenses has associated fees.

Please allow approximately 30 business days for processing time once all requirements are completed.

Please read the following sections about course permits. To begin the permit process, please send an email to Enrique Castro outlining your proposed field activities. OTS will review your proposal and evaluate your need for a SINAC permit, as well as make recommendations to minimize impact to biodiversity.