CONSTRUCTION PLANS now MUST be Submitted via the Internet

All construction plans now have to be submitted by Internet

SOURCE:  AMCostaRica.com March 18, 2013 Starting today, officials involved in the construction approval process will only accept plans over the Internet. The Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio emphasized this in a statement Friday. The agencies involved in the approval process include the Ministerio de Salud, the Cuerpo de Bomberos, the Instituto Nacional de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y de Arquitectos and the Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo. The digital process of plans is a fundamental tool to improve the competitiveness in the construction sector," said  José Guillermo Marín, president of the Colegio Federado de

Ingenieros y de Arquitectos. "Many investors prefer to build in other countries because their processes are more efficient, but now Costa Rica has a modern system that allows us to compete is this field." The officials speculated that with residential construction plans there could be a decision in just seven days. Commercial projects might take up to 15 days, they said. In the past, plans on paper had to be brought to each office and the bearer had to stand in line. Now the submission Web site is active 24 hours a day, said the Ministry of Economy. It is TramitesConstruccion.go.cr