Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly is considering Bill 22.538, which was presented on 10 June 2021. The bill provides for the introduction of a 6-month exemption from VAT on rental payments for commercial property leases by registered SMEs. The exemption is proposed in light of the continued COVID-19 impacts and would be limited to monthly rental payments not exceeding CRC 1.2 million. Subject to approval, the exemption would apply for 6 months from the date of official publication.

In addition to the VAT relief for rental payments, the Bill also relaxes requirements for SMEs to take advantage of the simplified tax regime. This includes that companies may apply for the simplified tax regime with only their incorporation documents, with the removal of the requirement to submit their last financial and income statements. Lastly, the bill amends the VAT exemption for books by removing the exclusion for electronic books. In particular, it is provided that an exemption applies for books regardless of format, including electronic means that allow access to and reading of books on a medium other than paper.