Airbnb Rules Colombia: Laws, Regulations, and Host Requirements

Colombia Airbnb Compliance Checklist

• ☐ Register with the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT)

  • Submit the RNT application through the Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT) portal before accepting any paid bookings.

  • Confirm the property category matches its actual use; residential tourist accommodation (vivienda turística) requires a distinct classification from hotel or hostel.

• ☐ Verify Municipal Zoning Approval

  • Confirm the property sits in a zone that permits short-term tourist use under the applicable Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial (POT) for the municipality.

  • In Cartagena and Medellín, check whether the specific neighborhood carries residential-only restrictions that would block STR operation.

• ☐ Review HOA or Propiedad Horizontal Bylaws

  • Request a copy of the reglamento de propiedad horizontal. A co-owner's assembly vote of 70% or more can prohibit short-term rentals in the building under Law 675 of 2001.

• ☐ Obtain a Certificado de Uso del Suelo

  • Apply at the local Curaduría Urbana or municipal planning office to confirm the land-use certificate aligns with tourist accommodation activity.

• ☐ Register as a Tax Contributor with the DIAN

  • Obtain or update the Registro Único Tributario (RUT) to reflect tourism or rental income activity before declaring revenue.

  • Determine whether gross annual income exceeds the threshold that triggers full IVA (19%) obligations versus the simplified tax regime.

• ☐ Collect and Remit IVA on Taxable Stays

  • Charge the 19% IVA rate on qualifying short-term rental income and file bimonthly or annual declarations with the DIAN as required by the tax regime assigned.

• ☐ Register for Industry and Commerce Tax (ICA)

  • File with the relevant municipal Secretaría de Hacienda. ICA rates vary by city, Bogotá applies rates between 4.14‰ and 13.8‰ depending on the commercial activity classification.

• ☐ Install Mandatory Safety Equipment

  • Fit operational smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher, and a first-aid kit. Tourist accommodation properties are subject to inspection under ICONTEC technical standards for tourist lodging.

1. Regulatory Overview

Don't think one set of rules governs your short-term rental in Colombia. You're actually juggling three distinct layers of compliance: national law, departmental authority, and city-specific ordinances, all of which can apply at once. It's a bureaucratic mess.

A host might perfectly follow a national tourism law like Law 2068 of 2020, but still get fined for breaking a local rule in Medellín. Because cities like Bogotá, Cartagena, and Santa Marta maintain their own unique regulatory postures, the Airbnb rules Colombian hosts must follow vary dramatically.

At the national level, the primary governing framework is Law 300 of 1996 (Ley General de Turismo), as amended by Law 1558 of 2012, which classifies tourist accommodation services and establishes baseline registration obligations.

Decree 2590 of 2009 further defines non-hotel tourist lodging categories under which most short-term rentals are classified. Hosts operating through platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com are subject to these statutes regardless of property size or rental frequency.

Colombian law defines a short-term rental as any furnished residential unit offered to transient guests for periods of fewer than 30 consecutive days under a tourist accommodation arrangement, distinguishing it from long-term residential leases governed by Law 820 of 2003.

The national enforcing body is the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT), which administers the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT). At the local level, municipal planning and tourism secretariats handle zoning compliance and can impose additional restrictions independent of MinCIT oversight.

2. Registration and Documentation Checklist

Colombia has no national short-term rental registration system as of May 26, 2026. There is no federal registry, no platform-binding mandate equivalent to New York's Local Law 18, and no primary-residence day threshold enforced at the national level.

STR compliance is governed by a combination of municipal business licensing, tourism sector rules under Law 300 of 1996 (the General Tourism Law), and subsequent amendments under Law 1101 of 2006.

Municipal Business Registration (rut and Cámara de Comercio)

Hosts operating STRs commercially must register with the Registro Único Tributario (RUT) through the Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN) and obtain a Cámara de Comercio business registration in the municipality where the property sits.

Neither Airbnb nor Vrbo is currently required by Colombian law to verify or display these registration numbers on listings.

• RUT Registration: Required for any host earning rental income subject to Colombian income tax. No fixed fee; registration is free through DIAN's online portal.

• Cámara de Comercio Enrollment: Required for commercial activity. Fees vary by municipality and declared income bracket, typically ranging from COP 50,000 to COP 300,000 (approximately USD 12 to USD 72 at mid-2025 rates).

• Tourism Registration (RNT): Properties marketed explicitly as tourist accommodation may require a Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) number under Law 300. Enforcement at the individual host level is inconsistent, but properties in Cartagena and Medellín face higher municipal scrutiny.

Platforms are not bound by Colombian law requiring the display of a registration number. Documentation requirements are primarily tax-driven, not occupancy-cap driven.

3. Eligible Property Types for Short-term Rentals in Colombia

Colombia does not maintain a formal prohibited-buildings list or statutory property classifications equivalent to New York's Class A/B multiple dwelling system.

Property eligibility for short-term rental operation is governed by three overlapping frameworks: municipal zoning ordinances (POT, Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial), horizontal property regimes under Law 675 of 2001, and individual municipal tourism decrees.

Horizontal Property Regimes (condominiums and Apartment Buildings)

Law 675 of 2001 grants condominium assemblies (asambleas de copropietarios) authority to restrict or prohibit commercial activity within residential units.

This is the single most common legal barrier hosts encounter. If the building's reglamento de propiedad horizontal classifies short-term rental as a commercial use, operation is prohibited regardless of municipal licensing status.

• Restriction Mechanism: The assembly votes to amend the internal regulations; a simple majority (51%) is sufficient under Article 45 of Law 675.

• Enforcement: The building administrator (administrador) can impose fines and restrict guest access. No municipal agency intervenes in HOA disputes.

• Verification Step: Hosts must obtain a certified copy of the current reglamento from the building administrator before registering with the tourism registry.

Standalone Houses and Non-horizontal Properties

Single-family homes and properties not subject to horizontal property law face no building-classification restrictions at the national level. Eligibility depends entirely on the municipal zoning designation (uso del suelo) assigned to the parcel.

In Medellín, for example, Acuerdo 048 of 2014 governs land use classifications; properties zoned exclusively residential (residencial neto) may face restrictions on commercial accommodation use depending on the specific zone.

The absence of a national prohibited-buildings registry means

4. Airbnb License Requirements Colombia Hosts Should Check Before Listing

Guest Limits

Colombia's national tourism framework, established under Law 300 of 1996 and updated by Law 1558 of 2012, does not set a single nationwide cap on guest counts for short-term rentals.

Occupancy limits are determined by the property's registered capacity with the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) and by local building codes in each municipality. In practice, the RNT registration form requires hosts to declare a maximum guest figure, and that declared number becomes the enforceable limit.

• Declared capacity ceiling: Hosts must not accommodate paying guests beyond the capacity recorded in their active RNT filing. Exceeding that figure constitutes a violation subject to sanctions under Decree 2106 of 2019.

• Municipal overlays: Medellín's Acuerdo 048 of 2014 grants local planning authorities the power to impose additional occupancy restrictions through zoning resolutions. Cartagena applies similar authority under its Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial.

Minimum-Stay Thresholds

No national minimum-stay rule applies to residential STR listings in Colombia as of May 2026. Some condominium regimes (reglamentos de propiedad horizontal) impose internal minimums of 3 to 7 nights; hosts must review their own property's reglamento before listing.

Note: Bill Proyecto de Ley 197 of 2024, currently in the Senate committee, would authorize municipalities with more than 500,000 residents to set minimum-stay floors of up to 5 nights for properties in designated tourist saturation zones. If passed, Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena would be the first cities empowered to act under this framework.

Host Presence

Colombian STR regulation imposes no mandatory host-presence requirement at the property during a guest stay.

The RNT obligation is administrative, not physical. Hosts operating remotely must still ensure a designated local contact is reachable within 2 hours under Resolution 0192 of 2009, which governs tourist accommodation service standards.

5. Tax Obligations

National Taxes

Colombia does not impose a dedicated short-term rental tax at the national level. STR income falls under the general income tax framework administered by the Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN).

Hosts earning rental income must declare it under the ordinary income tax regime or the simple taxation regime (Régimen Simple de Tributación), depending on annual gross receipts.

Total Combined Tax Rate: Variable. A host registered as IVA-responsible in Bogotá, for example, faces 19% IVA + ICA at approximately 11.04 per thousand (1.104%) on gross receipts, plus income tax on net earnings.

Platform Collection Requirements

If you aren't registered as an IVA-responsible, Airbnb will collect and remit the 19% tax on its service fees for you.

But if you are registered, it's all on you to handle your own IVA declarations. Platforms don't touch ICA. Bottom line: you're responsible for your own tax situation, so don't assume the platform is handling everything.

Tax Filing Requirements

Hosts must file annual income tax returns with DIAN by the deadline published each fiscal year (typically April–May for the prior calendar year).

IVA-responsible hosts file bimonthly or quarterly returns depending on gross income thresholds established under Estatuto Tributario Articles 477–499. ICA returns are filed directly with the relevant municipal tax authority.

6. Safety, Guest Screening, and Operational Standards Hosts Cannot Ignore

Mandatory Safety Equipment

Colombia's national fire safety framework, governed by the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Colombia and referenced under Decreto 1072 de 2015, requires STR properties to maintain functional emergency equipment at all times.

Municipal tourism registrations inspected by the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) treat the following as baseline compliance conditions:

• Smoke Detectors: Operational units in every sleeping room and corridor serving guest areas.

• Fire Extinguisher: Minimum one ABC-class extinguisher per floor, inspected and tagged within the prior 12 months.

• Emergency Exit Signage: Illuminated or phosphorescent exit markers on every floor with more than one guest room.

• First Aid Kit: Stocked kit accessible to guests under RNT inspection criteria.

Building Compliance

• Structural Permit: The property must hold a valid licencia de construcción consistent with its designation under the municipal Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial.

• Utility Connections: Legal water, sewage, and electrical connections certified by the relevant empresa de servicios públicos.

• Occupancy Limits: Guest capacity must not exceed the RNT registration limit; exceeding it voids insurance coverage and triggers inspection liability.

Colombia has no national law requiring Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com to verify host registrations before accepting bookings, block unregistered listings, or submit transaction reports to any government authority. The trigger conditions for this section are not met.

Platform conduct in Colombia is governed by general consumer protection law under Ley 1480 de 2011 (Estatuto del Consumidor), which sets baseline obligations for electronic commerce intermediaries but does not impose STR-specific verification or reporting mandates on booking platforms.

The Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) enforces those consumer protection obligations but has not issued platform-specific directives targeting short-term rental transactions as of May 26, 2026.

Hosts cannot rely on a platform rejection as a compliance signal. Because no verification mandate exists, Airbnb will accept and display listings regardless of whether the host holds a Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) or has notified the local municipality. Compliance is the host's responsibility entirely.

Colombia does not have a statute that makes it illegal to advertise a short-term rental before a booking transaction occurs.

Advertising restrictions under Colombian law fall under general consumer protection rules governed by Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC), which apply to all commercial advertising regardless of property type.

No STR-specific prohibition exists at the national level, and neither Bogotá, Medellín, nor Cartagena has enacted a municipal ordinance targeting short-term rental listings on platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo.

Hosts must comply with general truth-in-advertising standards under Law 1480 of 2011 (Estatuto del Consumidor), but those obligations apply to all commerce, not to short-term rentals as a distinct category.

7. Enforcement and Penalties

Colombia's short-term rental enforcement framework is decentralized. Municipal authorities, not a single national agency, carry out inspections and issue sanctions under Law 1558 of 2012 and its subsequent regulatory decrees.

Enforcement intensity varies significantly by city, with Cartagena and Medellín maintaining more active inspection programs than smaller municipalities.

Civil Penalties

• Operating without tourism registration (RNT): Fines from COP 1,500,000 to COP 15,000,000 per violation under Decree 2074 of 2003, Article 18.

• Failure to collect or remit tourism tax: Municipal surcharges plus interest at the statutory rate set by the DIAN (Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales), currently 1.26% monthly on unpaid balances.

• Non-compliance with fire or safety standards: Closure orders issued by the Cuerpo de Bomberos, with reinspection fees applied before reopening is permitted.

Enforcement Mechanisms

• Platform verification: ProColombia and municipal tourism offices cross-reference active listings against the RNT registry.

• Complaint response: Neighbor or guest complaints routed through the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) trigger inspections within 30 days.

• Proactive monitoring: Cartagena's Secretaría de Turismo conducts periodic sweeps of high-density tourist zones, particularly in Getsemaní and Bocagrande.

Registration Denial and Revocation

• Grounds for denial: Incomplete documentation, zoning non-compliance, or prior sanctions within 24 months.

• Grounds for revocation: Repeated safety violations, fraudulent registration data, or failure to renew annually.

Appeal body: The Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT) handles formal appeals within 60

8.Medellín and Bogotá Considerations

Propiedad Horizontal (strata-governed Buildings)

The majority of STR-suitable inventory in both cities sits inside propiedad horizontal buildings, residential towers, and complexes governed by Law 675 of 2001.

That law gives co-ownership assemblies (asamblea de copropietarios) explicit authority to prohibit or restrict short-term rental activity through the building's internal regulations (reglamento de propiedad horizontal).

A unit owner can hold a valid municipal tourism registration and still face sanctions from their own building administration.

• Common conflict points: Blanket STR bans passed by majority vote; guest access restrictions requiring advance notice to administration; additional fees imposed on owners operating commercial activity in residential zones.

• Consequences of violation: Fines set by the assembly (typically between COP 200,000 and COP 2,000,000 per infraction under building bylaws), suspension of common-area access for guests, and civil action before the Centro de Conciliación.

Hosts must obtain the building's current reglamento and review it before listing. Verbal clearance from a building administrator carries no legal weight if the written regulations prohibit short-term rentals.

Historic District Properties in Bogotá

Properties inside Bogotá's patrimonio cultural zones, particularly La Candelaria, are subject to Decree 606 of 2001 and may carry use-change restrictions enforced by the Secretaría Distrital de Planeación.

Operating an STR in a protected building without a verified use-change authorization (licencia de cambio de uso) exposes the owner to administrative closure orders independent of any platform-level compliance.

9. Exemptions

Not every short-term accommodation arrangement in Colombia falls under the short-term rental registration and tax framework described above.

• Stays of 30 consecutive days or more: These are classified as standard residential tenancies under Law 820 of 2003 and are governed by landlord-tenant law, not tourism accommodation regulations.

• Licensed hotels and hostels: Properties registered under the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) as hotel establishments operate under a separate regulatory regime administered by the Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT).

• Bed-and-breakfast operations: B&Bs holding a valid RNT classification as alojamiento rural or posada turística are subject to distinct MinCIT standards, not the general Airbnb rules Colombia applies to residential hosts.

• Student housing and institutional accommodation: University residences and corporate housing arranged through institutional contracts are excluded from tourism platform requirements.

10. Legislative Developments

Colombia has not enacted a dedicated national STR statute as of May 2026. The regulatory framework governing short-term rental activity remains anchored in Law 300 of 1996 (the General Tourism Law), Law 1101 of 2006, and municipal-level resolutions issued by individual alcaldías.

No bill with a formal identifier targeting Airbnb-style rentals specifically is currently before the Colombian Congress.

The most recent enacted change affecting STR hosts was the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism's updated registration requirements under Resolution 2804 of 2014, which established the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) as the operative compliance instrument.

Municipal governments in Cartagena and Medellín have issued supplementary resolutions since 2022, but none have been codified into a national amendment.

Hosts should monitor the MinCIT official portal for any regulatory updates, as municipal-level changes can take effect with limited public notice.

11. Resources and Contact Information

Government Agencies

Good luck finding a one-stop shop for short-term rental registration in Colombia. There isn't one. Oversight is scattered across municipal governments, the national tourism authority (Fontur), and the national tax administration, the DIAN. These are the agencies you'll be dealing with most often.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT)

• Address: Calle 28 No. 13A-15, Bogotá, Colombia

• Phone: +57 (601) 606-7676

• Website: mincit.gov.co

DIAN (Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) national tax authority responsible for RUT registration and income tax compliance.

• Phone: 57 (601) 307-1111

• Registration Portal: muisca.dian.gov.co

Filing Complaints

Complaints about unlicensed tourist accommodations or tax evasion are filed directly with DIAN via their online portal or by calling 57 (601) 307-1111. Municipal planning offices in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena accept zoning violation reports through each city's official government website.

Disclaimer

Let's be clear: this is just general guidance, not a substitute for professional legal advice. Short-term rental regulations in Colombia are a constantly shifting maze, and since non-compliance can trigger fines reaching up to 35 million COP, you'll want to consult with qualified local lawyers and tax pros.

Things change fast. It's your job to keep up.