Countries › Colombia › Guide › 11. Real estate and land › Municipal property tax (impuesto predial) and the cadastre in Colombia: rates of 5 to 16 per 1,000, the 33 per 1,000 vacant lot ceiling, the 25 percent cap on increases from rate changes, cadastral updates and the lien on the property

Municipal property tax (impuesto predial) and the cadastre in Colombia: rates of 5 to 16 per 1,000, the 33 per 1,000 vacant lot ceiling, the 25 percent cap on increases from rate changes, cadastral updates and the lien on the property

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

Property tax is set by each municipal or district council on the cadastral value, at 5 to 16 per 1,000, with lower rates possible for low strata homes and up to 33 per 1,000 on vacant urban lots. When a council changes rates, the bill cannot jump more than 25 percent over the prior year except where a cadastral update finds physical or economic changes. The tax follows the property, not the owner, and must be paid before any deed of transfer is signed.

USD figures use the TRM of COP 3,157.94 per US dollar valid on 27 October 2026, certified by the Superintendencia Financiera and published on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). UVT amounts use the 2026 UVT of COP 52,374 (DIAN Resolución 000238 de 2025) and minimum wage amounts use the 2026 monthly minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 (Decreto 1469 de 2025). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Municipal property tax, general minimum rate	5 per 1,000Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-27 · 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 2026-10-27 · in force
Minimum rate allowed for strata 1 to 3 homes and farm land under 135 minimum wages	1 per 1,000Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-27 · 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 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum yearly increase in the bill from a rate change	25 %Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum period to form or update the cadastre	5 yearsLey 1450 de 2011 art. 24, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Cadastral value floor in formation and updates	60 % of commercial valueLey 1450 de 2011 art. 24 par., as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Each municipal or district council fixes the property tax rate between 5 and 16 per 1,000 of the assessed value, on a differential and progressive basis using socioeconomic stratum, urban land use, the age of the cadastre, the area range and the cadastral value. Urban homes and rural farm land in strata 1, 2 and 3 worth less than 135 monthly minimum wages may be taxed from 1 per 1,000. Undeveloped urbanizable land and serviced lots with no building may be taxed above 16 per 1,000, up to 33 per 1,000. Goods for public use are excluded unless a law taxes them.
Cost to do it: 5 to 16 per 1,000 of the cadastral value each year; 135 minimum wages is COP 236,372,175 (about US$74,850) in 2026.
Example: An apartment with a cadastral value of COP 350,000,000: at 5 per 1,000 the tax is COP 1,750,000; at 16 per 1,000 it is COP 5,600,000 a year. / Between about US$554 and US$1,773 a year.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), inc. 1, 3, 6 and par. 2, 2011-06-16 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. From the year in which new rates apply, the total property tax resulting from them cannot exceed 25 percent more than the amount assessed the year before, except where the cadastral update identifies changes in the physical or economic elements of the property.
Example: A bill of COP 2,800,000 last year can rise to at most COP 3,500,000 because of a rate change alone. / From about US$887 to at most about US$1,108.Ley 1450 de 2011, Art. 23 (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4, inc. 5), 2011-06-16 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. Articles of Ley 1450 de 2011 that later national development plans did not expressly repeal remain in force. Art. 23 is not in the list of articles repealed by Ley 1955 de 2019.Ley 1955 de 2019 (2018 to 2022 development plan), Art. 336, 2019-05-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Cadastral authorities must form or update the cadastre in every municipality within maximum periods of five years. Cadastral values fixed in formation and update processes cannot be lower than 60 percent of commercial value.
Example: A home with a commercial value of COP 600,000,000 cannot be given a cadastral value below COP 360,000,000 in an update. / Commercial value about US$189,997; cadastral floor about US$113,998.Ley 1450 de 2011, Art. 24 and parágrafo, 2011-06-16 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Property tax is a charge on the property itself. The municipality can pursue the property whoever holds it and however they acquired it, except a buyer at a court ordered auction, where the judge pays the tax out of the auction proceeds. To sign a deed transferring real estate, the notary must be shown that the property tax is paid up. Where self assessment applies, later official reassessments fall on the owner or possessor of the relevant tax year.
Cost to do it: Arrears plus interest must be cleared before the deed can be signed.Ley 1430 de 2010, Art. 60, 2010-12-29 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. For the sale price of real estate in income tax, the price cannot be below the cadastral value or the owner's self assessment, so the cadastral value also sets a floor for capital gains tax.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 2026-10-27

Rate	COP per year	USD per year
1 per 1,000	350,000	111
5 per 1,000	1,750,000	554
8 per 1,000	2,800,000	887
12 per 1,000	4,200,000	1,330
16 per 1,000	5,600,000	1,773
33 per 1,000	11,550,000	3,657

Yearly property tax on a cadastral value of COP 350,000,000 at different council rates (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4 as replaced by Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 23). TRM COP 3,157.94.

Worked example

A non resident owns a Cartagena apartment with a cadastral value of COP 350,000,000 (about US$110,832). The district council sets its rate inside the 5 to 16 per 1,000 band, so the yearly tax is between COP 1,750,000 (about US$554) and COP 5,600,000 (about US$1,773). If the council raises its rates, the bill can rise at most 25 percent over last year unless the cadastre records physical or economic changes. When the owner later sells, the notary will not sign the deed until the property tax is shown as paid (Ley 1430 de 2010 art. 60), and the sale price for income tax cannot be below the cadastral value (Estatuto Tributario art. 90).

Step by step

1. Find the property's cadastral value on the municipal tax bill or cadastral certificate, and the rate in that municipality's tax code (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4).
2. Pay on the municipal calendar; each city sets its own due dates and early payment discounts in its tax code.
3. If a cadastral update raises the value, check it against the 60 percent floor and the commercial value and use the municipality's review procedure if it is wrong (Ley 1450 de 2011 art. 24).
4. Before selling, get the property tax paid certificate, which the notary requires (Ley 1430 de 2010 art. 60).
5. When buying, ask for the last five years of receipts: arrears follow the property (Ley 1430 de 2010 art. 60).

Common traps

Buying without checking arrears: the tax is a charge on the property and the municipality can collect it from the new owner (Ley 1430 de 2010 art. 60).
Holding vacant urban lots: rates up to 33 per 1,000 a year are allowed (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4).
Expecting the 25 percent cap to block every increase: it does not apply when the cadastral update identifies physical or economic changes (Ley 44 de 1990 art. 4).
Declaring a sale price below the cadastral value: income tax uses the higher figure (Estatuto Tributario art. 90).

Sources

← Land restitution and asset forfeiture risk when buying property in Colombia: Ley 1448 de 2011 presumptions, good faith free of fault, and extinción de dominio under Ley 1708 de 2014Plusvalía in Colombia: the municipal share of 30 to 50 percent of land value created by rezoning, extra building rights or rural to urban conversion, when it is charged and how it blocks licenses and sales →