Countries › Colombia › Guide › 11. Real estate and land › Buying and owning property in Colombia: foreign ownership, the deed and registry, transfer costs, capital gains, property tax, leases and rural land limits

Buying and owning property in Colombia: foreign ownership, the deed and registry, transfer costs, capital gains, property tax, leases and rural land limits

Argentina. For full detail on Argentina, go to The Argentine Thread.

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

Foreigners may own urban and rural property in Colombia on the same terms as Colombians: the Constitution grants them the same civil rights, buying property needs no prior approval, and it counts as foreign direct investment that you register with the Banco de la República so that sale proceeds can later be sent abroad. A purchase is valid only once it is signed as a public deed (escritura pública) before a notary, and ownership passes only when that deed is entered in the Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos. Closing costs are the notary fee (3 per 1,000 of the price), the departmental registration tax (0.5 to 1 percent), registry fees (up to 13.33 per 1,000) and, above 20,000 UVT, a stamp tax. Gains are taxed at 15 percent, property tax is municipal (5 to 16 per 1,000 of the cadastral value), residential rents are capped, and land first granted by the State as public land (baldíos) has size limits.

USD figures use the TRM of COP 3,158.43 per US dollar, valid 24 to 26 October 2026, certified by the Superintendencia Financiera and published on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). Amounts in UVT use the 2026 UVT of COP 52,374 (DIAN Resolución 000238 de 2025). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Foreigners may own urban property on the same terms as nationals	Yes, same civil rights as Colombians textConstitución Política art. 100, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Prior approval needed for a non resident to buy property	No; property counts as foreign direct investment and is registered with the Banco de la República textDecreto 1068 de 2015 art. 2.17.2.2.1.2 and 2.17.2.2.2.2, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Form required for a sale of real estate	Public deed (escritura pública) before a notary textCódigo Civil art. 1857, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
When ownership passes	On registration of the deed at the Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos textCódigo Civil art. 756; Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 2, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Notary fee on a deed with a stated value	3 per 1,000Decreto 1069 de 2015 art. 2.2.6.13.2.1.1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Departmental registration tax on real estate deeds, legal minimum	0.5 %Ley 223 de 1995 art. 230 lit. a), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Departmental registration tax on real estate deeds, legal maximum	1 %Ley 223 de 1995 art. 230 lit. a), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Deadline to apply for registration of a deed signed in Colombia (abroad: 3 months)	2 monthsLey 223 de 1995 art. 231, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Registry fee, top band (acts above COP 494,798,857)	13.33 per 1,000SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Stamp tax on real estate transfers applies from this value (COP 1,047,480,000 in 2026)	20000 UVTEstatuto Tributario art. 519 par. 3 (Ley 2277 de 2022), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Stamp tax marginal rate above 50,000 UVT	3 %Estatuto Tributario art. 519 par. 3 (Ley 2277 de 2022), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Capital gains tax on property held 2 years or more, non resident individual	15 %Estatuto Tributario art. 300 and 316, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Capital gains tax rate, resident individuals	15 %Estatuto Tributario art. 314, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Exempt gain on sale of main home if reinvested via AFC account or mortgage payoff	5000 UVTEstatuto Tributario art. 311-1, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Withholding on sale of a fixed asset by an individual, paid at the notary	1 %Estatuto Tributario art. 398, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Municipal property tax, general minimum rate	5 per 1,000Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Municipal property tax, general maximum rate	16 per 1,000Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum property tax rate on undeveloped or unbuilt urban lots	33 per 1,000Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum monthly residential rent (commercial value capped at 2 times cadastral value)	1 % of commercial value per monthLey 820 de 2003 art. 18, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum yearly residential rent increase	100% of prior calendar year CPI textLey 820 de 2003 art. 20, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
VAT on residential rent	Excluded textEstatuto Tributario art. 476 num. 15, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Foreigners have the same civil rights in Colombia as Colombians, and that includes owning property. Only a law can, for reasons of public order, set special conditions or deny a specific civil right to foreigners. No general law bars foreigners from owning land.
Cost to do it: No fee or permit is needed because the buyer is foreign. The costs are the same closing costs a Colombian buyer pays, shown in the rules below.Constitución Política de Colombia de 1991, Art. 100, 1991-07-04 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. When a non resident buys property in Colombia, directly or through a trust (fiducia), the property counts as foreign direct investment, unless the title is registered in the national securities register (RNVE). Foreign investment is treated the same as investment by residents. It needs no authorization outside the closed sectors, which are defence and national security and the disposal of toxic, hazardous or radioactive waste not produced in Colombia. Once the investment is registered with the Banco de la República, the investor may send net profits abroad, and also the proceeds of selling the investment, in freely convertible currency.
Cost to do it: No government fee to register foreign investment under the decree. The practical cost is bringing the funds through the regulated FX market so the investment can be registered; see the FX page.
Example: A non resident brings in the money and buys a Bogotá apartment for COP 800,000,000; the apartment is a direct foreign investment that is registered with the Banco de la República. / The same purchase is about US$253,290 at the TRM of COP 3,158.43; once registered, the sale proceeds can later be sent abroad in dollars.Decreto 1068 de 2015 (single regulatory decree of the finance sector), Title 2 of Part 17 as replaced by Decreto 119 de 2017; registration article as amended by Decreto 1044 de 2026, Art. 2.17.2.2.1.1, 2.17.2.2.1.2 lit. a) ord. iv), 2.17.2.2.2.1, 2.17.2.2.2.2, 2.17.2.2.3.1 and 2.17.2.5.1.1, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Decreto 1044 de 2026 (5 August 2026) rewrote art. 2.17.2.5.1.1. Investors now register their investments under the procedure the Banco de la República sets by general rule.

3. A sale of real estate is not legally complete until the parties sign it as a public deed before a notary. Ownership then passes only when the deed is entered in the land registry office (Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos) for the area where the property sits. Every act that creates, transfers, encumbers or extinguishes ownership or another right in rem over real estate must be registered. Each property has a single registry file (folio de matrícula inmobiliaria). Whoever files first has priority, even over a document dated earlier, and only the registered owner can sell. A mortgage can be registered only within 90 business days after it is granted.
Cost to do it: Notary and registry fees and the registration tax, shown in the next rules. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the buyer and seller split the cost of the sale deed (Código Civil art. 1862). A title certificate (certificado de tradición) costs COP 24,300 in 2026, about US$8 (SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 14).Código Civil (Ley 84 de 1873, in force nationally under Ley 57 de 1887); Ley 1579 de 2012 (statute of the land registry), Código Civil art. 756, 1857 and 1862; Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 28, 2012-10-01 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. The notary fee for a deed that has a stated value is a single rate of 3 per 1,000 on the amount above COP 140,500, plus a charge per sheet of the deed. Fixed amounts in the tariff rise every year by the previous year's CPI; the 3 per 1,000 rate does not change.
Cost to do it: 3 per 1,000 of the deed value, split between buyer and seller unless agreed otherwise (Código Civil art. 1862).
Example: On a COP 800,000,000 sale the notary fee is about COP 2,400,000, or COP 1,200,000 each if split, plus the per sheet charge. / About US$760 in total, or US$380 each.Decreto 1069 de 2015 (single regulatory decree of the justice sector), Art. 2.2.6.13.2.1.1 lit. b) and art. 2.2.6.13.3.5.1, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Registering a deed triggers the departmental registration tax. The tax base is the value stated in the deed, but for real estate it cannot be lower than the cadastral value (avalúo catastral), the owner's self assessment, or the auction or award value. Each department's assembly sets the rate, between 0.5 percent and 1 percent for acts with a stated value registered at the land registry. Buyer and seller pay it in equal parts unless they state otherwise. Apply for registration within two months of signing in Colombia, or three months if the deed was signed abroad; late filing adds monthly interest at the income tax default rate. The registry will not register the deed without proof that the tax was paid.
Cost to do it: 0.5 to 1 percent of the higher of the price and the cadastral value, at the rate set by the department where the property sits.
Example: On a COP 800,000,000 sale the tax is between COP 4,000,000 and COP 8,000,000, depending on the department. / Between about US$1,266 and US$2,533.Ley 223 de 1995, Art. 226, 227, 228, 229 (as amended by Ley 1607 de 2012 art. 187), 230 (as amended by Ley 2069 de 2020 art. 3) and 231, 1995-12-20 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. The land registry also charges registry fees, set each year by the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro. In 2026, acts with a stated value up to COP 12,852,101 pay COP 53,100. Above that, the rate depends on the value band: 9.11 per 1,000 up to COP 192,778,606; 11.31 per 1,000 up to COP 334,149,656; 12.60 per 1,000 up to COP 494,798,857; and 13.33 per 1,000 above that. A further 2 percent of the fee is charged for digitization and record keeping. For transfers of ownership, if the stated price is below the cadastral value, the fee is calculated on the cadastral value.
Cost to do it: Up to 13.33 per 1,000 of the value, plus 2 percent of the fee, charged to the party applying for registration.
Example: A COP 800,000,000 sale falls in the top band: 13.33 per 1,000 is COP 10,664,000, plus 2 percent is COP 10,877,280. / About US$3,444.Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro Resolución 2026-001726-6, as amended by Resolución 2026-001896-6; issued under Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 74, Art. 1 lit. b) and parágrafo 8, 2026-01-29 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: The 2026 tariff took effect on 2 February 2026 and replaced Resolución 00179 de 2025. Under Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 74, the yearly update cannot exceed CPI (5.10 percent for 2025).

7. Since 2023, deeds that transfer real estate worth 20,000 UVT or more also pay the national stamp tax, on top of the registration tax. The rates are marginal: 0 percent up to 20,000 UVT, 1.5 percent on the part between 20,000 and 50,000 UVT, and 3 percent on the part above 50,000 UVT, plus 450 UVT. Transfers below 20,000 UVT do not pay it.
Cost to do it: In 2026 the thresholds are COP 1,047,480,000 (20,000 UVT, about US$331,646) and COP 2,618,700,000 (50,000 UVT, about US$829,114).
Example: A COP 2,000,000,000 property pays 1.5 percent on the COP 952,520,000 above the threshold, which is COP 14,287,800. A COP 3,000,000,000 property pays COP 35,007,300. / About US$4,524 on a US$633,226 property, and about US$11,084 on a US$949,839 property. A COP 800,000,000 (US$253,290) apartment pays none.Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989), as amended by Ley 2277 de 2022, Art. 519, inciso 3 and parágrafo 3 (Ley 2277 de 2022 art. 77), 2022-12-13 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Ley 2277 de 2022 (13 December 2022) brought back stamp tax on transfers of real estate worth 20,000 UVT or more, from 2023.

8. For income tax, the sale price of real estate cannot be lower than its cost, cadastral value or self assessment. Every amount paid for the property counts as part of the price, even if agreed or invoiced outside the deed. In the deed, the parties must declare under oath that the price is real, and must disclose any side agreement or payment made outside the deed. If they do not, income tax, capital gains tax, registration tax, registry fees and notary fees are all charged on four times the price in the deed, and the notary reports the irregularity to the tax authority.
Cost to do it: No added cost when the true price is declared. If the sworn statement is missing, every closing cost is charged on four times the price in the deed.Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989), as amended by Ley 2010 de 2019, Art. 90 (Ley 2010 de 2019 art. 61), 2019-12-27 official text · verified 2026-10-26

9. A gain on selling a fixed asset held for two years or more is a capital gain (ganancia ocasional), taxed at 15 percent for resident individuals, non resident individuals, and Colombian and foreign companies. If the property was held for less than two years, the gain is ordinary income taxed at the normal rates. When an individual sells a fixed asset, a 1 percent withholding on the sale value is paid at the notary before the deed is signed; it is the seller's tax. A resident individual's main home can have up to 5,000 UVT of gain exempt if all the proceeds go into an AFC account and are used to buy another home or to pay off the mortgage on the one sold.
Cost to do it: 15 percent of the gain over tax cost. The 1 percent notary withholding on an individual seller is an advance on the tax, not an extra tax.
Example: A non resident who bought for COP 800,000,000 sells three years later for COP 1,000,000,000: 1 percent withholding of COP 10,000,000 is paid at the notary, and the tax on the COP 200,000,000 gain is COP 30,000,000. / On a US$316,613 sale, about US$3,166 is withheld at the notary, and the tax on the roughly US$63,323 gain is about US$9,498, before any treaty relief.Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989), rates as amended by Ley 2277 de 2022, Art. 300, 311-1 (Ley 2277 art. 31), 313 (art. 32), 314 (art. 33), 316 (art. 34) and 398, 2022-12-13 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Ley 2277 de 2022 raised the capital gains rate from 10 to 15 percent and capped the home sale exemption at 5,000 UVT of gain, from tax year 2023.

10. Property tax (impuesto predial unificado) is a municipal tax charged on the cadastral value. Each municipal or district council sets the rate between 5 and 16 per 1,000, with rates that rise with socioeconomic stratum, land use, cadastre age, area and value. Homes in strata 1 to 3 worth under 135 monthly minimum wages may be charged from 1 per 1,000. Undeveloped urban land and serviced lots with no building may be charged up to 33 per 1,000.
Cost to do it: 5 to 16 per 1,000 of the cadastral value each year, at the rate set by the municipality, and up to 33 per 1,000 for vacant urban lots.
Example: An apartment with a cadastral value of COP 350,000,000, at an illustrative rate of 8 per 1,000, pays COP 2,800,000 a year. / About US$887 a year. Check the actual rate in that city's tax code.Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4, as replaced by Ley 1450 de 2011, Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23 (rewriting Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4), 2011-06-16 official text · verified 2026-10-26

11. Urban residential leases: monthly rent cannot exceed 1 percent of the property's commercial value, and for this purpose the commercial value is capped at twice the current cadastral value. Rent may be set in a foreign currency but is paid in pesos at the TRM. After each 12 months, the landlord may raise the rent by up to 100 percent of the previous calendar year's CPI, with written notice to the tenant. The landlord cannot ask for cash deposits or real security. Renting a home is excluded from VAT.
Cost to do it: No fee to sign a lease. If a lease is registered at the land registry, registry fees are charged on the total rent over the term, or on five years of rent if the term is open ended (SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 1 parágrafo 3).
Example: An apartment worth COP 800,000,000 commercially, with a cadastral value of COP 350,000,000, can be rented for at most COP 7,000,000 a month (1 percent of twice the cadastral value), not COP 8,000,000. / A cap of about US$2,216 a month instead of US$2,533.Ley 820 de 2003 (urban residential leases); Estatuto Tributario as amended by Ley 2010 de 2019, Ley 820 de 2003 art. 16, 18, 19 and 20; Estatuto Tributario art. 476 num. 15, 2003-07-10 official text · verified 2026-10-26

12. Rural land first granted by the State as public land (baldíos): no one may acquire such land beyond the maximum size set for the Unidad Agrícola Familiar (UAF) in that municipality or region. Contributing such land to companies or groups that consolidate holdings beyond the UAF is void. Granted baldíos cannot be split below the UAF without the land agency's authorization, and registrars must refuse such transfers. Public land is granted only to applicants who own no other rural land in Colombia.
Cost to do it: No fee, but a purchase that breaks the UAF limit is void. Check the title's origin (tradición) back to the original grant before you buy rural land.Ley 160 de 1994 (agrarian reform and rural development), Art. 72, 1994-08-03 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Item	COP	USD	Who pays by default	Rule
Notary fee, 3 per 1,000 (plus per sheet charge)	2,400,000	760	Split 50/50	Decreto 1069 de 2015 art. 2.2.6.13.2.1.1; Código Civil art. 1862
Registration tax, up to 1%	8,000,000	2,533	Split 50/50	Ley 223 de 1995 art. 227 and 230
Registry fee, 13.33 per 1,000 plus 2%	10,877,280	3,444	Party applying for registration	SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 1
Stamp tax (below 20,000 UVT)	0	0	Not due	Estatuto Tributario art. 519 par. 3
Seller's 1% withholding (advance on seller's tax)	8,000,000	2,533	Seller	Estatuto Tributario art. 398
Total cost to buyer if fees and tax are split and the buyer files the registration	16,077,280	5,090	Buyer	Sum of buyer's half of notary fee and registration tax plus the registry fee

Closing costs on a COP 800,000,000 (about US$253,290) Bogotá apartment bought by a non resident from a resident individual, 2026, assuming a cadastral value below the price and the 1 percent top registration tax rate. TRM COP 3,158.43.

Value of the act (COP)	Fee
Up to 12,852,101	COP 53,100
12,852,101 to 192,778,606	9.11 per 1,000
192,778,606 to 334,149,656	11.31 per 1,000
334,149,656 to 494,798,857	12.60 per 1,000
Above 494,798,857	13.33 per 1,000

Registry fees for acts with a stated value, 2026 (SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 1 lit. b), plus 2 percent of the fee for digitization.

Value in UVT	Value in COP (2026)	Marginal rate	Tax
0 to 20,000	0 to 1,047,480,000	0%	0
Above 20,000 to 50,000	1,047,480,000 to 2,618,700,000	1.5%	(value in UVT minus 20,000) x 1.5%
Above 50,000	Above 2,618,700,000	3%	(value in UVT minus 50,000) x 3% plus 450 UVT

Stamp tax on transfers of real estate (Estatuto Tributario art. 519 par. 3), 2026 UVT of COP 52,374.

Worked example

A US resident individual buys a Bogotá apartment for COP 800,000,000 (about US$253,290). They bring the dollars in through the FX market, so the apartment is a foreign direct investment registered with the Banco de la República (Decreto 1068 de 2015 art. 2.17.2.2.1.2). If notary fees and registration tax are split and the buyer files the registration, the buyer's closing costs are about COP 16,077,280 (US$5,090): half of the COP 2,400,000 notary fee, half of the registration tax of up to COP 8,000,000, and the COP 10,877,280 registry fee. No stamp tax is due because the price is under 20,000 UVT (COP 1,047,480,000).
Three years later the same owner sells for COP 1,000,000,000 (about US$316,613). The seller pays 1 percent withholding of COP 10,000,000 (US$3,166) at the notary before the deed is signed. The gain of COP 200,000,000 (US$63,323) is a capital gain because the apartment was held more than two years, and is taxed at 15 percent: COP 30,000,000 (US$9,498), against which the withholding counts (Estatuto Tributario art. 300, 316 and 398). Because the investment was registered, the net proceeds can be sent abroad in dollars (art. 2.17.2.2.3.1).
If the owner rents the apartment out meanwhile, and its cadastral value is COP 350,000,000, the legal rent ceiling is COP 7,000,000 a month (US$2,216), and yearly increases cannot exceed the previous year's CPI (Ley 820 de 2003 art. 18 and 20). The rent is not subject to VAT (Estatuto Tributario art. 476 num. 15).
Argentine and other foreign buyers face the same rules as any foreigner. How a gain on Colombian property is taxed in the buyer's home country depends on that country's rules and on whether a double tax treaty applies; see the taxes page and The Argentine Thread for the Argentine side.

Step by step

1. Get a current title certificate (certificado de tradición y libertad, COP 24,300 in 2026) for the property's registry file and check the chain of title, mortgages, liens, attachments and lawsuits recorded on it (Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 3 and 4; SNR Resolución 2026-001726-6 art. 14). For rural land, trace the title back to see whether it began as a grant of public land (Ley 160 de 1994 art. 72).
2. Plan the money transfer through the FX market so the purchase can be registered as foreign investment (Decreto 1068 de 2015 art. 2.17.2.5.1.1). See the FX page for the channel and the form.
3. Sign a written promise to buy and sell (promesa de compraventa) that fully identifies the property and the price and sets a term or condition fixing when the deed will be signed. Without these it creates no obligation (Código Civil art. 1611).
4. Sign the public deed at the notary. Both parties swear that the price is real and that nothing was paid outside the deed (Estatuto Tributario art. 90). The individual seller's 1 percent withholding is paid at the notary before signing (art. 398), and stamp tax applies if the price is 20,000 UVT or more (art. 519).
5. Pay the departmental registration tax and file the deed at the land registry within two months of signing, or three months if signed abroad (Ley 223 de 1995 art. 231). If a mortgage is part of the deal, it must be filed within 90 business days (Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 28).
6. Once registered, get a new title certificate that shows you as owner. Ownership passes only on registration (Código Civil art. 756). Then register the investment with the Banco de la República if that was not done when the money came in.
7. Each year, pay the municipal property tax on the cadastral value (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4) and report the property in your Colombian tax return if you must file one.

Common traps

Under-declaring the price in the deed: the price cannot be below cost, cadastral value or self assessment, and without the sworn statement on the real price every tax and fee is charged on four times the deed value (Estatuto Tributario art. 90).
Thinking a signed promise or full payment makes you the owner: a real estate sale is perfect only by public deed (Código Civil art. 1857), and ownership passes only when the deed is registered (art. 756). Whoever files first at the registry has priority (Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 3).
Missing the two month deadline to file the deed for registration: late filing adds monthly default interest to the registration tax (Ley 223 de 1995 art. 231), and an unregistered mortgage expires after 90 business days (Ley 1579 de 2012 art. 28).
Bringing money in without channelling and registering it as foreign investment: the right to send sale proceeds abroad depends on that registration (Decreto 1068 de 2015 art. 2.17.2.2.3.1).
Selling within two years: the gain is ordinary income, not a 15 percent capital gain (Estatuto Tributario art. 300).
Buying rural land that began as public land (baldío) and goes over the UAF limit: the purchase is void, and splitting such land below the UAF without the land agency's authorization cannot be registered (Ley 160 de 1994 art. 72).
Pricing a residential lease off the market: rent above 1 percent a month of the commercial value, capped at twice the cadastral value, is above the legal ceiling, and cash deposits from tenants are prohibited (Ley 820 de 2003 art. 16 and 18).
Leaving land vacant in a city: municipalities may charge undeveloped and unbuilt urban lots up to 33 per 1,000 a year (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4).

Sources

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