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I can only speak for the Municipality of Puriscal but the answer is yes.  A good friend of mine was in the proce3ss of divorce and put a bodega on his property.  He passed before the divorce and his wife inherited all his Costa Rica properties.  She tried to sell the property with the bodega on it and it turns out my friend did not get a building permit.  His wife must tear down the bodega before the property can be sold.  Efforts to negotiate a financial settlement with the Municipality of Puriscal were not successful.

A neighbour found out the hard way, that to even paint your roof a permit is needed.

Right!  Important information.  Thanks folks.

It's amazing how many trivial details I've accumulated in Canada over half a century that I take for granted.  When considering a move to CR - I suddenly have a lot more "I don't know's" in my repertoire!

Yo no sé!