Virtual condominium assemblies in Costa Rica: requirements and best practices

In-person assemblies have a structural problem: not enough people ever show up. The result is second-call sessions with ten owners deciding for a hundred, and resolutions nobody later feels ownership of. The virtual or hybrid format multiplies participation, but it only works when done rigorously. This guide summarizes what a board must take care of.

Before calling the meeting: the bylaws

First, read the condominium bylaws. There are three scenarios:

1. They expressly allow virtual assemblies. Go ahead.
2. They say nothing. The prudent path is for the next in-person (or hybrid, with the majority present) assembly to approve the virtual format for future sessions and add it to the bylaws.
3. They prohibit them or require physical presence. The bylaws must be amended first, with the qualified majority the law requires to modify them.

When in doubt, consult a lawyer specialized in condominium property: a resolution adopted at an improperly called assembly can be annulled.

The notice

A virtual notice must meet the same requirements as an in-person one, plus a few more:

• Notice period and channel set by the bylaws (email, platform notice, physical note).
• A clear, closed agenda: nothing can be voted on that was not on the notice.
• First and second call, each with its time.
• Access link, instructions and support. Explain how to register, what to do if the connection fails and a contact number during the session.
• Recording notice, if there will be one.

Send documents in advance: budget, financial statements, quotes. A well-prepared virtual assembly takes half the time.

Registration and identification

The law counts votes by ownership coefficient, not by people. That makes registration the critical step:

• Verify identity (ID card or document) against the list of registered owners.
• Record proxies before starting, not during.
• Confirm the coefficient linked to each participant to calculate quorum in real time.
• Log each person’s join and leave time; someone who disconnects before a vote does not count in it.

A system where each owner signs in with a personal account already linked to their unit solves most of this automatically.

Quorum

On first call Law 7933 requires a qualified majority of the condominium’s total value; on second call the assembly may proceed with the owners present, unless the bylaws require otherwise. Calculate quorum by adding coefficients, display it on screen and record it in the minutes with the exact time.

Deliberation and voting

• Give the floor in order, with defined time limits. Chat is for requesting the floor and points of order, not for debating.
• Each resolution is voted separately, with clear options: for, against, abstain.
• Voting must be by name and verifiable: who voted what, with which coefficient. Anonymous polls in generic video-call tools do not meet this requirement.
• Announce results as coefficient percentages, not just raised hands.
• Remember that certain resolutions require special majorities (amending the bylaws, changing the use of common areas, new construction). Verify the required majority before declaring a resolution approved.

The minutes

Minutes are drafted with the same requirements as an in-person session: place (virtual, naming the platform), date, time, quorum, agenda, summary of deliberations, resolutions with their vote and closing time. The assembly’s chair and secretary sign them. If the minutes must be notarized or registered, coordinate with the notary so the virtual format is properly recorded.

The recording and transcript do not replace the minutes, but they back them up. Store them with restricted access for the period defined by the bylaws or legal counsel.

Frequent mistakes

• Using the administrator’s personal video-call link with no access control.
• Counting quorum by number of connections without verifying coefficients.
• Voting with “reactions” or anonymous polls.
• Not planning for the chair’s or the majority’s connection dropping.
• Approving items in the same session that were not on the notice.

How CondoCMS handles it

The CondoCMS meetings module integrates video calls, chat, registration by unit, quorum calculation by coefficient, roll-call voting (for, against, abstain), notes, recording and transcription in the same room. The minutes come out with resolutions and their votes already documented. To see it in action, request a demo.