U.S. Territories · Puerto Rico · October 24, 2026
Puerto Rico Finca Number vs Catastro Number Explained
Puerto Rico has two property numbers: CRIM's catastro number for tax and the Registro's finca number for ownership. What each means and how to find them.
Anyone buying, inheriting or researching property in Puerto Rico quickly runs into two different numbers: the número de catastro and the número de finca. They belong to two separate systems, kept by two different agencies for different purposes. Understanding the difference saves a lot of confusion.
The two systems
| Catastro | Registro de la Propiedad | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | CRIM (Centro de Recaudación de Ingresos Municipales) | The Property Registry, part of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice |
| Purpose | Property tax assessment and collection | Legal ownership, mortgages, liens and other rights |
| Identifier | Número de catastro | Número de finca, plus registry section, tomo and folio |
| Map | Catastro Digital (free online map) | No public parcel map; records are documents |
| Online system | Catastro Digital | Karibe |
The catastro number
The número de catastro is CRIM's parcel ID. It identifies the parcel on the tax map and is what CRIM uses for assessment and tax bills. You can find it free on Catastro Digital: open the map, search or zoom to the property, and click the parcel.
Catastro Digital opened with no login when we checked on October 24, 2026.
The finca number
A finca is a property as recorded in the Registro de la Propiedad. When a property is first recorded, it gets a finca number in a particular registry section (demarcación). Its history is then recorded in volumes (tomos) and pages (folios). A full reference might look like "Finca 1234, inscribed at folio 56 of tomo 78 of [municipality], Sección de [registry section]". This example shows the format only.
The Registro has 29 registry sections across the island. Its digital system, Karibe, holds digitised finca records and lets users search them by finca number and demarcation. Access terms and fees for Karibe apply; check the Registro's site for current details.
Registro de la Propiedad: Karibe
Why they don't match
The catastro and the Registro were built separately and are updated separately:
- Subdivisions. When a finca is subdivided (segregación), new fincas are created in the Registro. CRIM may assign new catastro numbers at a different time, or the land may be subdivided informally without being recorded.
- Unrecorded transfers. Property can pass by inheritance or informal sale without the change being recorded in the Registro, so the registered owner may be someone who died years ago, while CRIM bills whoever pays the tax.
- Different boundaries. The CRIM parcel is drawn for tax purposes. The Registro describes the finca in words (cabida and colindancias: area and adjoining owners), often from old documents.
How to link the two
- Start with the catastro number from Catastro Digital.
- Ask the owner or seller for the finca details. Their purchase deed (escritura) will cite the finca number and registry section.
- Check the Registro. A title study (estudio de título) by an attorney or title company traces the finca's recorded history and current liens.
- Compare descriptions. Make sure the area and boundaries in the Registro match the CRIM parcel and what's on the ground. A survey (mensura) by a licensed agrimensor resolves differences.
Common situations
Inherited land. Many families hold land that was never formally transferred after a death. The finca may still be in a grandparent's name. Recording the inheritance (with a declaratoria de herederos and related steps) is usually needed before a sale.
Informal lots. A parent finca may have been divided among relatives without a recorded segregación. Each relative may have a CRIM parcel and pay tax on it, but there's only one finca in the Registro.
Tax debt. Unpaid property tax is a CRIM matter. Check it separately from the Registro, which records mortgages and liens.
Which number do you need?
- Paying property tax or checking the tax map? The catastro number.
- Proving ownership, getting a mortgage or selling? The finca details in the Registro.
- Buying? Both, and a professional to reconcile them.
Common questions
Is the catastro number the same as the finca number? No. They're from different systems.
Can I find the finca number on Catastro Digital? Catastro Digital is CRIM's tax map and is built around the catastro number. The finca details come from the Registro and the property's deed.
Who can search the Registro? Registry records are public, and searches can be made through Karibe and through attorneys and title companies; check current access terms.
Do I need a lawyer? For a purchase, yes. Puerto Rico deeds are executed before an attorney-notary.
Related guides
Sources
- Registro de la Propiedad: Karibe (registry sections and finca search).
- CRIM Catastro Digital opened and checked October 24, 2026.