What is a coastal concession?
A coastal concession is a government-granted right to occupy, use and build on public coastal land for a fixed term, under conditions set by the grant. It is not ownership: the land stays public, and the concession can be lost if its conditions are broken.
Last updated · Buying & ownership glossary
About Coastal concession
Several surf countries keep the land closest to the sea in public hands and let private parties use it only under concession — Costa Rica's Maritime Terrestrial Zone is the best-known example, and buyers on Nicaragua's Pacific coast also meet concession property.
A concession usually carries a term, an annual fee (canon), approved uses and building limits, and rules on who may hold or take over the concession. Transferring one often needs the granting authority's approval.
Because a concession is a different thing from titled ownership, buyers usually have a local lawyer confirm its status, term, fees and transferability before agreeing a price.
- Also called
- concession property, beach concession
- Where it applies
- Costa Rica, Nicaragua
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with a licensed local attorney before you buy.
Related terms
- Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZMT)
- Costa Rica's Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZMT) is the 200-metre strip of coast measured inland from the mean high-tide line. The first 50 metres are public and cannot be owned or built on; most of the remaining 150 metres can only be held under a municipal concession, not owned outright.
- Titled property
- Titled (fee-simple) property is land held in full private ownership and recorded in the country's public property registry in the owner's name. It can be sold, mortgaged, leased or inherited without a government grant behind it.
- Due diligence
- Due diligence is the set of checks a buyer makes before committing to a property: the registry title and any liens, the survey and boundaries, zoning and coastal rules, permits, access, utilities and unpaid taxes.