Costa Rica ID cards come in three main forms: the cédula de identidad for citizens, the DIMEX for approved foreign residents, and a newer mobile Identidad Digital Costarricense (IDC) that sits alongside the physical cédula. Which one you need depends on your status, and each has its own issuing agency, validity period, and renewal cycle.
The Cédula de Identidad
Every Costa Rican citizen aged 18 or older, including anyone legally emancipated before that age, must hold a cédula de identidad. Law No. 3504, the Organic Law of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the Civil Registry, makes this a legal obligation. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) runs the system from registration through issuance and renewal.
The card is required for most meaningful transactions in the country. You need it to vote, execute a notarized document, start an administrative or court proceeding, sign a marriage certificate, get hired by the government, formalize a work contract, obtain a passport, enroll in social security, receive payments from government entities, register children for school, and get or renew a driver’s license.
The cédula number uses a nine-digit format (X-XXXX-XXXX) and doubles as the holder’s tax identification number. Cards are valid for ten years. Once expired, the card is legally void for every purpose except voting: if it expires within twelve months before an election, it remains valid through election day, and an expired cédula does not remove the holder from the voter rolls.
The DIMEX for Foreign Residents
Foreign nationals whose residency has been approved by the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME) receive a Documento de Identidad Migratorio para Extranjeros, known as the DIMEX. It functions as the equivalent of the cédula for civil and commercial purposes and ties the holder’s identity to the national immigration database, reflecting whether residency is permanent, temporary, or a special category.
DIMEX numbers are 11 or 12 digits long and also serve as the holder’s Costa Rican tax identification number. Validity runs from one to five years depending on the residency category, so renewal comes around far more often than it does for citizens.
The Digital ID (IDC)
Costa Rica launched the Identidad Digital Costarricense in September 2025. Citizens apply by submitting their cédula number and facial biometrics, paying roughly 2,600 colones (about $5), and downloading the TSE’s IDC-Ciudadano app. Public authorities, including police, are required to accept the digital version.
The physical cédula is not being retired. Both formats will run in parallel. The digital ID is valid for four years rather than ten, and institutions were given six months from launch to adapt their systems. Private venues such as office buildings and residential complexes will eventually verify identities through the TSE’s verification app instead of collecting physical cards.
Identification for Minors
Costa Ricans between 12 and 17 can obtain a Tarjeta de Identidad de Menores (TIM) from the TSE. The minor must appear in person with a direct family member 18 or older (parent, grandparent, sibling, or blood-related aunt or uncle) or a legal guardian, and the accompanying adult must bring their own valid ID. The TIM later serves as a prerequisite when the young person applies for a first cédula at 18.
Getting a First Cédula
Your birth must be properly registered with the Civil Registry before a first cédula can be issued. The TSE verifies birth records against national databases to confirm parentage and birthplace. Once registration is confirmed, you provide biographical details and appear at a TSE regional office for fingerprints and a photograph. Naturalized citizens go through the same TSE process after their naturalization is formally recorded.
Getting a DIMEX
DIMEX applications run through the DGME, but most of the hands-on work happens at Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) branches and Correos de Costa Rica post offices. The BCR captures biometrics and personal information, the DGME validates and prints the card, and Correos delivers it to the postal branch you chose.
Documents You Need
- A valid passport in good physical condition, showing your current entry information.
- A criminal background check from your home country. U.S. applicants use an FBI Identity History Summary Check or a state-issued criminal history record.
- Proof of enrollment in the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), Costa Rica’s public healthcare system. Monthly contributions are required.
- Supporting documents for your residency category, which may include birth certificates, marriage certificates, pension statements, or income verification.
Foreign-issued documents must be apostilled before Costa Rican authorities will accept them; Costa Rica is a Hague Apostille Convention member, so documents from other member countries use an apostille rather than consular legalization. Documents also need to be translated into Spanish by a certified translator. The usual sequence is to obtain the document, have it translated, then apostille it, though you should confirm the order with the receiving institution.
Fees and Timing
DGME fees for issuing a DIMEX run between roughly $95 and $133, depending on residency category and any recent adjustments. After your BCR appointment, expect the physical card at your chosen Correos branch within about 22 business days. You have 30 calendar days from delivery to pick it up in person with valid identification, and no one else can collect it for you.
Renewing Your Card
Cédula Renewal
Citizens renew every ten years. The renewal window opens several months before the printed expiration date, and moving early prevents disruptions to banking, contracts, and government interactions. You can renew at a TSE office in Costa Rica or at a Costa Rican consulate abroad. The consulate route calls for your current cédula (even if expired), a birth certificate from the Civil Registry, a copy of both sides of the card, and two photographs with a gray or white background. If the cédula has been expired for more than ten years, you also need two witnesses carrying their own valid cédulas.
DIMEX Renewal
DIMEX renewal mirrors the initial issuance: schedule an appointment, provide an updated photograph, show proof of continued CCSS enrollment, and demonstrate that you still meet your residency category’s requirements. With validity as short as one year, start the process well before your expiration date.
Replacing a Lost or Stolen Card
To replace a lost cédula at the TSE, bring a birth certificate from the Civil Registry and an official photo ID, preferably a Costa Rican passport. If the card was stolen, a police report creates a useful record against identity fraud.
For a lost or stolen DIMEX, a police report with the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) is no longer required before requesting a replacement, though reporting theft is still sensible if fraud is a concern. Schedule the replacement appointment through a Correos de Costa Rica location or a DGME office, bring your passport and residency category documentation, and pay the administrative fee. A digital confirmation typically arrives by email fairly quickly, but the physical replacement card can take several months.
What Happens if Your ID Expires
For citizens, an expired cédula is legally void, so it cannot be used to sign contracts, notarize documents, or start court proceedings. Costa Rican law also imposes a small fine for failing to carry the cédula when required.
For foreign residents, the stakes climb higher. Temporary residents and those in special residency categories who let a DIMEX expire face a fine of $100 for each month they remain in the country with an expired card. If the fine goes unpaid, immigration authorities can impose an entry ban lasting three times the period of irregular stay. Permanent residents are not subject to the monthly fine, but an expired DIMEX still blocks access to banking, healthcare, and other systems that require valid ID.
If You Do Not Qualify for a Cédula or DIMEX
Foreign nationals without a DIMEX who need to conduct taxable economic activity in Costa Rica can obtain a Número de Identificación Tributario Especial (NITE). It is a ten-digit number (formatted 3-120-XXXXXX) assigned by the Costa Rican tax authority and used as a tax ID in place of a cédula or DIMEX. Registration happens through the tax authority’s online ATV platform. The NITE is a tax identifier only, not a general-purpose ID card.