Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 12. Sectors › Rooftop solar and self consumption in Costa Rica: distributed energy resources under Ley 10086

Rooftop solar and self consumption in Costa Rica: distributed energy resources under Ley 10086

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

Since January 2022 homes and businesses can generate renewable power for their own use, store it and connect to the grid under Ley 10086 and its regulation DE 43879. Systems up to 5 MW count as small scale; those under 500 kVA need no municipal permit or SETENA viability. The distributor may buy surplus energy but is not obliged to, and selling power to third parties is not allowed. Free zone companies outside the Greater Metropolitan Area can share systems through registered aggregators.

USD figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Maximum capacity of a small scale distributed generation system	5 MWDE 43879-MINAE art. 7, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Capacity below which no municipal permit or SETENA viability is needed	500 kVALey 10086 art. 10, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
SME capacity limit for exemption from ARESEP procedures	15 kWLey 10086 art. 13, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Distributor deadline to decide a claim	10 business daysLey 10086 art. 15, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. Distributed energy resources are generation and storage technologies connected directly to the distribution grid, including self consumption systems, storage and electric vehicles; Ley 7200 autonomous generators are not distributed generators and cannot use their concessions for this.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 2, 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Three operating modes: with delivery of surplus to the grid, without delivery of surplus, and island operation; surplus may be compensated on the bill at the hourly and seasonal tariff equivalent of the moment of injection.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 2(k) to (m) and 12(a), 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Installing and connecting renewable distributed resources needs no municipal permit and no SETENA environmental viability when capacity is below 500 kVA or the supporting structure already has environmental viability.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 10, 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Buying surplus energy is not mandatory for the distributor: it applies only when the distributor is interested and the purchase benefits it and its other customers.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 12(b) to (d), 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. ARESEP sets access, interconnection and grid tariffs for distributed generators so that no subsidy is created at the expense of other customers, and fixes the price of surplus purchases and ancillary services.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 6(b) and (c), 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Residential projects of up to 2 kW for households in vulnerable condition per IMAS, and MEIC registered SME projects under 15 kW, are exempt from ARESEP procedures but must notify the distributor, file an engineer's sworn compliance statement and pay interconnection, metering and ARESEP tariffs.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 13, 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Claims go first to the distributor, which must decide within 10 business days, then to ARESEP; the action lapses two months after the fault or its discovery.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 15, 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Breaches are fined by ARESEP from 5 to 20 salarios base.
Cost to do it: 5 to 20 salarios base of ₡462,200 (2026).
Example: ₡2,311,000 to ₡9,244,000. / About US$5,081.13 to US$20,324.52.Ley 10086, Promoción y regulación de recursos energéticos distribuidos a partir de fuentes renovables, art. 14, 2021-12-08 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. A small scale distributed generation system is any self consumption system interconnected with the national grid of up to 5,000 kW (5 MW), a limit MINAE reviews every three years.DE 43879-MINAE, Reglamento a la Ley 10086, art. 7, 2023-01-20 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. Design, inspection and construction must be done by a professional registered with the CFIA, plans processed with the CFIA, and grid connected systems with surplus need the distributor's prior authorisation.DE 43879-MINAE, Reglamento a la Ley 10086, art. 9, 2023-01-20 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. The distributor may disconnect a system if the owner sells electricity to third parties other than the distributor; the regulation repealed the old net metering decree DE 39220.DE 43879-MINAE, Reglamento a la Ley 10086, art. 27(h) and 29, 2023-01-20 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. Free zone companies and free zone park operators located outside the Greater Metropolitan Area may self generate renewable power for themselves and park common areas and use registered DER aggregators and microgrids, but may not sell electricity among themselves.DE 45294, Reglamento al artículo 16 bis de la Ley 7210, art. 1, 8, 9 and 11, 2025-10-10 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: DE 45294 in force 12 November 2025 regulates distributed energy resources inside free zone parks outside the GAM.

Worked example

A hotel in Guanacaste installs a 300 kW solar array for self consumption. Because it is under 500 kVA it needs no municipal permit or SETENA viability, but a CFIA engineer must design and sign the plans and the distributor must authorise interconnection with surplus. If it breaches the rules, ARESEP can fine it ₡2,311,000 to ₡9,244,000 (about US$5,081.13 to US$20,324.52).

Step by step

Ask the distributor for grid availability (penetration capacity) on the circuit.
Have a CFIA registered engineer design the system and process plans with the CFIA.
Choose the operating mode: island, without surplus, or with surplus.
Sign the interconnection and supply contracts with the distributor on ARESEP terms.
Install, file the sworn technical compliance statement and pay the ARESEP access tariffs.

Common traps

Payment for surplus is not guaranteed: the distributor buys only when it benefits.
Selling power to a tenant or neighbour is grounds for disconnection.
Systems above 500 kVA on structures without environmental viability still need municipal and SETENA clearance.
Free zone sharing applies only outside the Greater Metropolitan Area.

Sources

← Private power generation in Costa Rica: Ley 7200 plants, ICE purchase contracts and ARESEP tariffsOil, gas and fuels in Costa Rica: the petroleum moratorium to 2050, the RECOPE monopoly and the 2026 opening to biofuels and green hydrogen →

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