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Environmental licensing and prior consultation in Colombia: who licenses a project, the statutory timeline, fees, the fast track for solar and wind, and consultation with ethnic communities

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Changing

Large projects in Colombia need a single environmental licence before works start, granted for the project's life by the national authority ANLA (oil and gas, large mining, dams, power plants of 100 MW or more, transmission at 220 kV or more) or by regional autonomous corporations for smaller ones. On paper the review runs roughly 90 business days plus one month for the applicant's answers, but it stops for public hearings and, where ethnic communities are directly affected, for prior consultation, which must be formalized before any licence is granted. Fees are capped by law at 0.4 to 0.6 percent of project value, and since late 2025 solar and wind farms of 10 to 100 MW can use an optimized ANLA track with much shorter terms.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,157.94 per US dollar, valid 27 October 2026, from the official TRM series certified by the Superintendencia Financiera and published on the national open data portal. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Maximum time for the authority to grant or deny the licence after information and third party opinions are complete	30 business daysDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 num. 5, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Time for the applicant to file the single additional information request (extendable once)	1 monthsDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 num. 2, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum suspension of a licence procedure pending the prior consultation decision or formalization	18 monthsDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 8, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Power plants licensed by ANLA, minimum installed capacity	100 MWDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.2.2 num. 4, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Alternative energy generation licensed by ANLA, minimum installed capacity	50 MWDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.2.2 num. 4 (Decreto 852 de 2024), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Transmission lines licensed by ANLA, minimum voltage	220 kVDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.2.2 num. 4, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Coal mining licensed by ANLA, minimum projected output	800000 tonnes per yearDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.2.2 num. 2 lit. a, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Installed capacity range eligible for the optimized LASolar and LAEólica licences	10 to 100 MWDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.10.1 and 2.2.2.11.1, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
ANLA decision term under LASolar and LAEólica after additional information	15 daysDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.10.9, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Cap on environmental evaluation and follow up fees for projects above 8,458 monthly minimum wages	0.4 % of project valueLey 633 de 2000 art. 96, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Cap on environmental evaluation and follow up fees for projects up to 2,115 monthly minimum wages	0.6 % of project valueLey 633 de 2000 art. 96, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Time for the authority to rule on a licence assignment	30 business daysDecreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.8.4, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
TRM used for USD conversions (valid 27 October 2026)	3157.94 COP per USDResolución Externa 1 de 2018 of the Board of Banco de la República, art. 40 (TRM), as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. The environmental licence is the authorization the competent environmental authority grants to execute a project, work or activity that may seriously harm renewable natural resources or the environment or considerably change the landscape. It carries all permits, authorizations and concessions to use renewable natural resources needed for the project's useful life, must be obtained before the project starts, and no project needs more than one licence. Regional corporations may not grant permits forming part of a project whose licence belongs exclusively to ANLA. Mining and hydrocarbon exploitation get a global licence for the whole area. The licence is a precondition for exercising rights under permits, concessions, contracts and licences issued by non environmental authorities, including port concessions, and is granted for the project's useful life, covering construction to abandonment.Decreto 1076 de 2015 (Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Ambiente, Diario Oficial 49.523 of 26 May 2015), Art. 2.2.2.3.1.3, 2.2.2.3.1.4, 2.2.2.3.1.5 and 2.2.2.3.1.6, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. ANLA has exclusive competence to license, among others: oil and gas exploratory drilling outside existing fields, exploitation, pipelines of 6 inches or more outside fields, terminals and refineries; coal mining of 800,000 tonnes a year or more; construction materials of 600,000 tonnes a year (clays) or 250,000 cubic metres a year; metallic minerals and precious stones with total removal of 2,000,000 tonnes a year or more; other minerals of 1,000,000 tonnes a year or more; dams and reservoirs above 200,000,000 cubic metres; power plants of 100 MW or more; alternative energy generation of 50 MW or more; National Transmission System lines of 220 kV or more; and projects under the optimized solar (LASolar) and wind (LAEólica) licences. Smaller projects fall to the regional autonomous corporations under art. 2.2.2.3.2.3.Decreto 1076 de 2015, art. 2.2.2.3.2.2, num. 4 as amended by Decreto 852 de 2024, Decreto 1033 de 2025 and Decreto 1186 de 2025 (Diario Oficial 53.300 of 10 November 2025), Art. 2.2.2.3.2.2, num. 1 to 4, 2025-11-10 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Decreto 852 de 2024 moved alternative energy projects of 50 MW or more to ANLA for applications filed from October 2024; Decreto 1033 de 2025 (in force 2 October 2025) and Decreto 1186 de 2025 (in force 11 November 2025) added the LASolar and LAEólica licences to ANLA's list.

3. Once a complete licence application is filed, the authority immediately issues the start of procedure act; it reviews the environmental impact study against the minimum requirements and makes any site visit within 20 business days; it then has 10 business days to hold a single meeting to request additional information once; the applicant has 1 month to answer (extendable once by the same period), failing which the file is archived; the authority has 10 business days to request opinions from other bodies, which must answer within 20 business days; and it then has at most 30 business days to declare the information complete and grant or deny the licence. Terms are suspended during a public environmental hearing, and the authority may not grant the licence until any required forest reserve removal or ban lifting is obtained. If the study fails the minimum requirements of the evaluation manual the procedure ends and a new application is needed.
Example: Without hearings, consultation or extensions: 20 + 10 business days to the information meeting, 1 month for the applicant, then 10 + 20 + 30 business days, about 90 business days plus one month in total. / Fees are not tied to the timeline; see the cost cap rule below.Decreto 1076 de 2015, Art. 2.2.2.3.6.3, num. 1 to 6 and par. 3 to 5, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Applicants must file all required documents, including the formalized (protocolized) prior consultation where it applies. If during the review the authority considers that the applicant must update the decision of the Ministry of the Interior's Dirección de la Autoridad Nacional de Consulta Previa on whether consultation applies, terms are suspended until the applicant files that decision or the formalized consultation, for at most 18 months, after which the file is archived. In no case will the authority grant a licence without formalized prior consultation where it applies.Decreto 1076 de 2015, art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 8 added by Decreto 1585 de 2020 art. 2 (Diario Oficial 51.516 of 2 December 2020), Art. 2.2.2.3.6.3, par. 8, 2020-12-02 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Colombia approved ILO Convention 169 on indigenous and tribal peoples, under which governments must consult the peoples concerned, through appropriate procedures and their representative institutions, whenever legislative or administrative measures that may directly affect them are envisaged, in good faith and with the aim of reaching agreement or consent; where the State owns subsoil resources, it must consult them before undertaking or authorizing any exploration or exploitation programme on their lands, and they should share in the benefits where possible and receive fair compensation for damage. Ley 99 de 1993 adds that the exploitation of natural resources must not harm the cultural, social and economic integrity of indigenous and traditional black communities, and decisions are taken after consulting their representatives.Ley 21 de 1991 (approving ILO Convention 169, Diario Oficial 39.720 of 6 March 1991); Ley 99 de 1993, Ley 21 de 1991 art. 1 (Convention art. 6 and art. 15); Ley 99 de 1993 art. 76, 1991-03-04 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. Environmental authorities charge for evaluating and following up licences, permits and other environmental instruments, based on professional fees, travel costs and laboratory or technical studies plus an administrative percentage, but the fee may not exceed 0.6 percent of the project value for projects worth up to 2,115 monthly minimum wages, 0.5 percent for projects above 2,115 and below 8,458 monthly minimum wages, and 0.4 percent above 8,458 monthly minimum wages. ANLA's current charging rules are in its Resolución 921 de 2025 (14 May 2025) as modified by Resolución 1153 de 2026 (20 April 2026).
Cost to do it: Caps in 2026: up to COP 3,703,164,075 of project value, 0.6 percent; up to COP 14,809,154,490, 0.5 percent; above that, 0.4 percent of project value (minimum wage COP 1,750,905).
Example: A project worth COP 50,000,000,000 is above 8,458 minimum wages, so the evaluation fee may not exceed 0.4 percent, COP 200,000,000. / At most about US$63,332 on a project of about US$15,833,106.Ley 633 de 2000 art. 96 (replacing Ley 344 de 1996 art. 28); Decreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 1, Ley 633 art. 96, 2000-12-29 official text · verified 2026-10-27

7. Solar and wind generation projects from 10 MW up to 100 MW of installed capacity that meet the inclusion criteria (for solar: located in CORINE Land Cover categories 1 to 3, forest clearing limited to 10 percent of a forest patch and 20 hectares, no overlap with water rounds save linear crossings, not in marine coastal areas) may apply to ANLA for an optimized licence (LASolar or LAEólica), which may include connection assets with no alternatives assessment. ANLA has 5 days to check documents and issue the start act, 10 days to verify and request additional information, the applicant has up to 30 days to answer, and ANLA then has 15 days to decide; site visits do not suspend terms. Where prior consultation applies, it must be formalized before the licence is granted.Decreto 1076 de 2015, Chapter 10 (added by Decreto 1033 de 2025, Diario Oficial 53.260 of 1 October 2025) and Chapter 11 (added by Decreto 1186 de 2025, Diario Oficial 53.300 of 10 November 2025) of Title 2, Part 2, Book 2, Art. 2.2.2.10.1, 2.2.2.10.2, 2.2.2.10.9 and 2.2.2.11.1, 2025-11-10 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: New since October 2025 (solar) and November 2025 (wind): an optimized ANLA licence for 10 to 100 MW projects with decision terms measured in days rather than the general timeline.

8. The licence holder may assign it in whole or in part at any time, transferring its rights and obligations; assignor and assignee apply in writing with corporate certificates and the assignment document, and the authority must rule within 30 business days. Partial assignment requires divisible obligations, and for mining and hydrocarbons the act approving the assignment of the underlying contract must be attached.Decreto 1076 de 2015, Art. 2.2.2.3.8.4 and par. 1 and 2, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Stage	Who	Statutory term
Start of procedure act	Authority	Immediately on a complete filing
Review of the study and site visit	Authority	20 business days
Single additional information meeting	Authority	10 business days
Answer with additional information	Applicant	1 month (extendable once)
Requests to other bodies	Authority	10 business days
Opinions from other bodies	Other authorities	20 business days
Decision granting or denying the licence	Authority	30 business days

General environmental licence timeline under Decreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.3.6.3, assuming no public hearing, no prior consultation suspension and no extension.

Project value	Cap	Value band in COP	Approx. USD
Up to 2,115 minimum wages	0.6%	Up to COP 3,703,164,075	Up to US$1,172,652
Above 2,115 and below 8,458 minimum wages	0.5%	COP 3,703,164,075 to COP 14,809,154,490	US$1,172,652 to US$4,689,498
Above 8,458 minimum wages	0.4%	Above COP 14,809,154,490	Above US$4,689,498

Fee caps under Ley 633 de 2000 art. 96 in 2026 pesos (minimum wage COP 1,750,905). USD at the TRM of COP 3,157.94, for orientation only.

Worked example

A foreign developer plans an 80 MW solar farm on pasture land. If it meets the LASolar criteria it applies to ANLA under the optimized chapter: about 5 days for the document check, 10 days to verify, up to 30 days to answer any request and 15 days for the decision (Decreto 1076 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.10.9). If it fails the criteria, the general timeline of art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 applies, and ANLA is still the authority because alternative energy generation of 50 MW or more is on its exclusive list (art. 2.2.2.3.2.2 num. 4).
With a project value of COP 50,000,000,000 (about US$15,833,106), the evaluation fee cannot exceed COP 200,000,000 (about US$63,332) under Ley 633 de 2000 art. 96. If the Ministry of the Interior decides that prior consultation applies, the licence cannot be issued until the consultation is formalized.

Step by step

1. Map the project against ANLA's list (Decreto 1076 art. 2.2.2.3.2.2) to know whether ANLA or the regional corporation is the authority, and check whether LASolar or LAEólica criteria are met.
2. Ask whether an alternatives assessment (DAA) is required and get terms of reference (art. 2.2.2.3.4.2 and 2.2.2.3.3.2).
3. Request the Ministry of the Interior's decision on whether prior consultation applies, and run and formalize the consultation where it does (art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 8; Ley 21 de 1991).
4. File the environmental impact study and the licence application through VITAL and pay the evaluation fee (art. 2.2.2.3.6.2 and 2.2.2.3.10.1).
5. Prepare for the single information meeting and answer within 1 month (art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 num. 2).
6. After the licence, budget for follow up fees and plan any assignment through the 30 business day procedure (art. 2.2.2.3.8.4 and 2.2.2.3.9.1).

Common traps

Starting works or permits first. The licence must come before the project starts and is a precondition for using rights under other permits and concessions (Decreto 1076 art. 2.2.2.3.1.3 and 2.2.2.3.1.5).
Treating the timeline as a guarantee. Terms stop for public hearings, for forest reserve removals and for up to 18 months for prior consultation, and an inadequate study ends the procedure (art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 3 to 5 and 8).
Sending more than was asked. Additional information can be filed once and only on what was requested; anything else is disregarded (art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 num. 2).
Skipping consultation where communities are present. No licence may be granted without formalized consultation where it applies (art. 2.2.2.3.6.3 par. 8; ILO Convention 169 art. 6 and 15).
Buying a licensed asset without the authority's approval of the licence assignment, and, in mining and hydrocarbons, without approval of the underlying contract assignment (art. 2.2.2.3.8.4).
Assuming the fast track fits any solar or wind farm. LASolar and LAEólica cover only 10 to 100 MW projects that meet every inclusion criterion (art. 2.2.2.10.1, 2.2.2.10.2 and 2.2.2.11.1).

Sources

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