Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 14. Disputes › Limitation periods in Costa Rica: four years commercial, ten years civil, one year short claims, labour, the State and how to interrupt

Limitation periods in Costa Rica: four years commercial, ten years civil, one year short claims, labour, the State and how to interrupt

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

Commercial claims prescribe in four years and civil claims in ten, but many short periods apply: one year for annulment of shareholder and board resolutions, director liability, interest and rent under the Código de Comercio, one year after termination for employment claims and one year to challenge administrative acts. Limitation is not applied by the court on its own motion, cannot be waived in advance and is interrupted by service of a claim, a written demand, acknowledgment or payment of interest.

Key facts

General commercial limitation	4 yearsCódigo de Comercio art. 984, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
General civil limitation	10 yearsCódigo Civil art. 868, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Director and manager liability; annulment of resolutions	1 yearsCódigo de Comercio art. 984(a), as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Bill of exchange actions	4 yearsCódigo de Comercio art. 795, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Employment claims after termination	1 yearsCódigo de Trabajo art. 413, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Damages against the Administration	4 yearsLey 6227 art. 198, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Court applies limitation on its own motion	no yes or noCódigo de Comercio art. 973, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Advance waiver of limitation	void textCódigo de Comercio art. 970, as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. Unless the code provides otherwise, every commercial right and action prescribes in four years; one year applies to annulment of shareholder meeting or board resolutions, claims for defects in goods sold with a warranty, actions against directors and managers, and actions for interest, rent or lease payments.Ley 3284, Código de Comercio, art. 984, 1964-04-30 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. Commercial limitation runs from the day after the due date or from when the right could be exercised; only accrued limitation can be waived and any advance waiver is void; the judge never applies it ex officio.Ley 3284, Código de Comercio, art. 969, 970 and 973, 1964-04-30 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Commercial limitation is interrupted by a claim or court demand notified to the debtor, a judicial, notarial or other written demand proven to be notified, acknowledgment by the debtor, and proven payment of interest; interruption erases the time elapsed.Ley 3284, Código de Comercio, art. 977 and 981, 1964-04-30 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Actions on bills of exchange prescribe in four years from maturity; after a judgment the applicable period starts again from its finality.Ley 3284, Código de Comercio, art. 795 and 986, 1964-04-30 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Every civil right and action prescribes in ten years, subject to shorter or longer periods set by law; three years for interest, rent and annuities payable by semester or longer and for professional fees.Código Civil, art. 868 and 869, 1887-09-28 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Rights and actions arising from employment contracts prescribe one year after the contract ends; limitation does not run while the employee works for the same employer; rights under a judgment prescribe in ten years.Ley 2, Código de Trabajo, as amended by Ley 9343, art. 412 and 413, 2016-01-25 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. The right to claim compensation from the Administration prescribes in four years from the event; challenges to administrative acts must be filed within one year.Ley 6227 art. 198; Ley 8508 art. 39, art. 198; art. 39, 2006-04-28 official text · verified 2026-10-29

8. Service of a court claim interrupts limitation until final judgment.Ley 9342, Código Procesal Civil, art. 36.2, 2016-02-03 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Claim	Period	Norm
Commercial contracts, general	4 years	Código de Comercio art. 984
Annulment of shareholder or board resolutions	1 year	Código de Comercio art. 984(a)
Director and manager liability	1 year	Código de Comercio art. 984(a)
Interest, rent and lease payments (commercial)	1 year	Código de Comercio art. 984(b)
Bills of exchange	4 years from maturity	Código de Comercio art. 795
Civil claims, general	10 years	Código Civil art. 868
Employment claims	1 year after termination	Código de Trabajo art. 413
Damages against the Administration	4 years	Ley 6227 art. 198
Challenge to an administrative act	1 year	Ley 8508 art. 39

Main limitation periods (sources in the rules above)

Worked example

A shareholder learns on 15 March 2026 of a board resolution diverting a business opportunity. Its action to annul the resolution and its claim against the directors prescribe one year later, while a supply contract claim against the company would have four years.

Step by step

Classify the claim (commercial, civil, labour, administrative) to identify the period.
Send a notarial or proven written demand to interrupt limitation while negotiating.
Diarise one year deadlines on corporate resolutions and director claims.

Common traps

Mortgages keep the ten year civil period even in commercial matters (authentic interpretation by Ley 3416, noted under art. 968).
The court will not raise limitation for you; plead it (art. 973).
Interest and rent claims prescribe in one year in commercial matters, much sooner than the principal.

Sources

← Consumer claims in Costa Rica: strict liability, the Comisión Nacional del Consumidor, six month deadline, conciliation and fines in salarios baseCross border service, evidence and documents in Costa Rica: Hague Service and Evidence Conventions, Inter American conventions, letters rogatory and apostille →

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