José Maria Costa was born in Maputo, Mozambique, in 1961.

Graduated in Chemical Engineering from Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, in 1985.

Top panel of the Shipyards of Viana do Castelo (1986 - 1994).

Assistant to the Mayor of Viana do Castelo (1994 to 1997) and Councilor (1998-2009).

Mayor of Viana Castelo (2009-2021).

President of the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho – CIM - (2013-2021).

Member of the Committee of the Regions (2014-2021).

Member of the Territorial Concertation Council (2014-2021).

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Local Coastal Litoral Norte Action Group (2013-2017).

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gil Eannes Foundation (2010-2021).

President of the Executive Council of the Conference of Atlantic Cities-Atlantic Cities (2017-2021).

President of the Board of the Eixo Atlântico Association (2012-2014).

President of the General Assembly of Águas do Norte (2018-2020).

Representing the Municipality of Viana do Castelo, he was Member of the Board of Directors of Resulima; Vianapolis Society; Polis Litoral Norte Society; Northwest Waters; and member of the Governing Bodies of the Association for Collaboration between Ports and Cities – RETE (2013 to 2017).