Countries › Colombia › Guide › 7. Labor and employment › Working hours in Colombia: the 42 hour week, night work from 7 p.m., overtime caps and rest day surcharges

Working hours in Colombia: the 42 hour week, night work from 7 p.m., overtime caps and rest day surcharges

Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Changing

Colombia's ordinary week fell to 42 hours on 15 July 2026, with at most 8 hours a day spread over five or six days, or flexible days of 4 to 9 hours without overtime pay as long as the week averages 42. Night work starts at 7 p.m. since 25 December 2025 and carries a 35 percent surcharge; overtime is capped at 2 hours a day and 12 a week at 25 percent (day) or 75 percent (night), needs no permit and must be logged per worker. Rest day and holiday work pays a 90 percent surcharge since 1 July 2026, rising to 100 percent on 1 July 2027, and every employer must have a written right to disconnect policy.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,158.43 per US dollar, valid 24 to 26 October 2026, from the official TRM series published by the Superintendencia Financiera on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Maximum ordinary working week from 15 July 2026	42 hoursLey 2101 de 2021 art. 3; CST art. 161, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum ordinary working day	8 hoursCST art. 161 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 11), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum daily hours under a flexible schedule without overtime	9 hoursCST art. 161 lit. a, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum overtime per day	2 hoursLey 50 de 1990 art. 22 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 13), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum overtime per week	12 hoursLey 50 de 1990 art. 22 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 13), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Daytime overtime surcharge	25 %CST art. 168, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Night overtime surcharge	75 %CST art. 168, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Night work surcharge	35 %CST art. 168, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Start of night work	19:00 timeCST art. 160 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 10), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Rest day and holiday surcharge from 1 July 2026	90 %CST art. 179 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 14), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Rest day and holiday surcharge from 1 July 2027	100 %CST art. 179 (Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 14), as of 2026-10-26 · pending

The rule

1. The maximum ordinary working time is 8 hours a day and 42 hours a week, distributed by agreement over five or six days with a guaranteed rest day and no pay cut. The 42 hour cap applies from 15 July 2026 under the gradual schedule of Ley 2101 de 2021 (47 hours from July 2023, 46 from July 2024, then 2 hours less each year: 44 from July 2025 and 42 from July 2026).Ley 2101 de 2021; Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Ley 2101 art. 3; CST art. 161 (Ley 2466 art. 11), 2021-07-15 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: The week fell from 44 to 42 hours on 15 July 2026, the last step of Ley 2101 de 2021 (Diario Oficial 51.736, 15 July 2021).

2. By agreement the 42 hours may be worked in flexible daily schedules of at least 4 continuous hours and at most 9 hours a day, over up to six days with one compulsory rest day, without overtime surcharge as long as the week does not exceed 42 hours on average. Night hours inside the schedule still carry the night surcharge.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 161 lit. a (Ley 2466 art. 11), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Employer and workers may agree successive shifts so the business runs continuously all week, provided each shift does not exceed 6 hours a day and 36 a week; these shifts carry no night or rest day surcharge, only the ordinary salary and one paid rest day. An employer may not hire the same worker for two shifts in one day, even with consent, except in supervisory, management or trust positions.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 161 lit. d and par. 1 (Ley 2466 art. 11), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Day work runs from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and night work from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Night work carries a 35 percent surcharge over the daytime rate, daytime overtime 25 percent and night overtime 75 percent over the ordinary daytime rate; surcharges do not stack.
Example: A worker on COP 3,000,000 a month has an hourly daytime rate of about COP 16,667 on a 42 hour week (monthly salary divided by 180 hours, that is 42 x 30 / 7). One night hour costs about COP 22,500, one daytime overtime hour COP 20,833 and one night overtime hour COP 29,167. / About US$5.28 an hour; night US$7.12, daytime overtime US$6.60, night overtime US$9.23.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025 and Ley 50 de 1990, Art. 160 (Ley 2466 art. 10) and art. 168 (Ley 50 art. 24), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Night work starts at 7 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. from 25 December 2025, six months after Ley 2466 de 2025 was signed (art. 10 par. 2).

5. Overtime may not exceed 2 hours a day and 12 hours a week, day or night (security and health sectors are excepted under their own rules). No Ministry of Labor permit is needed, but the employer must keep a record per worker of name, activity and hours, distinguishing day and night, give it to the worker on request with proof of payment and produce it to authorities; an employer shown not to pay overtime can lose the right to use overtime for six months.Ley 50 de 1990 art. 22 and Código Sustantivo del Trabajo art. 162 num. 2, as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Ley 50 art. 22 (Ley 2466 art. 13); CST art. 162 num. 2 and par. (Ley 2466 art. 12), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. Work on the compulsory weekly rest day or a public holiday is paid with a surcharge over ordinary pay in proportion to hours worked. The law sets 100 percent, phased in at 80 percent from 1 July 2025, 90 percent from 1 July 2026 and 100 percent from 1 July 2027. Rest day work is occasional up to two days in a calendar month and habitual from three. The rest day is Sunday unless agreed otherwise in writing.
Example: Eight hours on a Sunday in November 2026 for the worker above: surcharge COP 120,000 (90 percent) on top of ordinary pay; from July 2027, COP 133,333. / About US$37.99, rising to US$42.22 from July 2027.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 179 and transitional paragraph (Ley 2466 art. 14), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Surcharge 75 percent until 30 June 2025, 80 percent from 1 July 2025, 90 percent from 1 July 2026, 100 percent from 1 July 2027.

7. Workers in management, trust or handling (dirección, confianza o manejo) positions are excluded from the maximum working time rules. The former exclusion for discontinuous or intermittent work and mere surveillance was repealed in 2025.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 162 num. 1 lit. a; lit. b repealed by Ley 2466 art. 70, 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Ley 2466 de 2025 art. 70 repealed CST art. 162 num. 1 lit. b.

8. Minors authorized to work: those aged 15 to 17 may work only daytime, up to 6 hours a day and 30 a week; those over 17, up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week.Código Sustantivo del Trabajo as amended by Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 161 lit. c (Ley 2466 art. 11), 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

9. Workers with care responsibilities for older people, minor children, persons with disabilities or serious illness within the second degree may agree flexible schedules or technology supported work arrangements with the employer.Ley 2466 de 2025, Art. 46, 2025-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

10. Every employer must adopt an internal right to disconnect policy setting how the right is exercised, a complaints channel (including anonymous complaints) and an internal procedure to handle them. Management, trust and handling positions, roles requiring permanent availability and force majeure are excepted.Ley 2191 de 2022, Art. 5 and 6, 2022-01-06 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Hour worked	Surcharge	Rule
Ordinary night hour (7 p.m. to 6 a.m.)	35 percent	CST art. 160 and 168
Daytime overtime	25 percent	CST art. 168
Night overtime	75 percent	CST art. 168
Rest day or holiday, ordinary hour	90 percent (100 percent from 1 July 2027)	CST art. 179
Successive shifts of up to 6 hours / 36 a week	None	CST art. 161 lit. d

Surcharges on the ordinary daytime hourly rate, November 2026

From	Maximum week
15 July 2023	47 hours
15 July 2024	46 hours
15 July 2025	44 hours
15 July 2026	42 hours

Ley 2101 de 2021 reduction schedule

Worked example

A logistics company pays warehouse staff COP 3,000,000 a month (about US$949.84). On a 42 hour week the hourly rate is about COP 16,667. In a week where a worker does three night overtime hours and works one Sunday (8 hours), the extra pay is about COP 207,500: COP 87,500 for night overtime and a COP 120,000 Sunday surcharge on top of ordinary pay (about US$65.70).
If instead the company organizes continuous 6 hour shifts of 36 hours a week, those shifts carry no night or Sunday surcharge (CST art. 161 lit. d), but the headcount needed rises.

Step by step

1. Recompute hourly rates for the 42 hour week (monthly salary divided by 180) and update time and attendance systems.
2. Reprogram payroll so hours from 7 p.m. carry the night surcharge and Sunday and holiday hours carry 90 percent until 30 June 2027 and 100 percent after.
3. Keep the per worker overtime log required by CST art. 162 num. 2 and cap overtime at 2 hours a day and 12 a week.
4. If you use flexible days (4 to 9 hours), put the agreement in writing and check the weekly average stays within 42 hours.
5. Adopt and publish a right to disconnect policy with a complaints channel (Ley 2191 de 2022 art. 5).

Common traps

Old night window. Payroll systems set for 9 p.m. underpay night work since 25 December 2025.
Stale Sunday rate. 80 percent applied only until 30 June 2026; 90 percent applies now and 100 percent from 1 July 2027.
Treating everyone senior as exempt. Only real management, trust or handling roles are outside the hours rules (CST art. 162).
Double shifts. Hiring the same worker for two shifts in one day is prohibited even with consent, except management roles (CST art. 161 par. 1).

Sources

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