A buyer’s closing costs in Colombia run about 2% to 2.5% of the price on a typical apartment. At Colombia Desk, we build that budget line by line before a buyer signs the promesa, because the split of each fee is negotiated in that contract. On a 400 million Colombian peso (COP) apartment, where you land in that range depends on who pays the registration tax.
The four big lines are the notary fee, the 1% registration tax, the registry fees and the seller’s 1% withholding tax. After you own the property, you pay a yearly property tax called the predial, roughly 0.5% to 1.6% of the cadastral value.
What a Buyer Pays to Close in Colombia
A buyer in Colombia pays three government charges at closing: half the notary fee, half or all of the registration tax, and the registry fees. The seller pays a 1% withholding tax and usually the agent. Nobody publishes a single official percentage for the total, so we build it from the 2026 tariffs line by line.
| Cost | 2026 rate | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Notary fee (derechos notariales) | COP 30,900 plus 3 per thousand on the value above COP 259,300, plus 19% VAT (value-added tax) | Split 50/50 by custom |
| Registration tax (impuesto de registro) | 1% of the deed value | Equal shares by law unless agreed, often the buyer in practice |
| Registry fees (derechos de registro) | 9.11 to 13.33 per thousand by value band, plus a 2% surcharge | The buyer, who files the deed |
| Stamp tax (timbre) | 0% up to COP 1,047,480,000, then 1.5% and 3% on the excess | Negotiated, often split |
| Seller withholding (retención en la fuente) | 1% of the sale price | The seller, through the notary |
| Agent commission | Around 3%, often plus VAT, not set by law | Usually the seller |
| Title study | No tariff, benchmark about 0.12% | The buyer |
| Certificado de tradición | COP 23,000 online | Whoever requests it |
The notary rate comes from Resolución 2026-000964-6 of the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro (SNR), as summarized by Gerencie, and applies from February 1, 2026. The registry bands come from the SNR resolution in force since February 2, 2026. The closing cost calculator runs all of these lines on any price you enter.
Worked Example on a COP 400 Million Apartment
A COP 400 million apartment costs a buyer about COP 9.9 million to close if the buyer pays the whole registration tax. At around COP 3,200 per US dollar (USD) in mid-October 2026, the apartment is about USD 125,000 and the closing bill about USD 3,085.
| Line | Total | Buyer’s share |
|---|---|---|
| Notary fee | COP 1,230,122 | COP 615,061 |
| VAT on the notary fee (19%) | COP 233,723 | COP 116,862 |
| Registration tax (1%) | COP 4,000,000 | COP 4,000,000 if the buyer pays it all |
| Registry fees (12.60 per thousand plus 2%) | COP 5,140,800 | COP 5,140,800 |
| Stamp tax | COP 0 | COP 0 |
| Buyer total | COP 9,872,723 (2.47%, about USD 3,085) |
If the promesa splits the registration tax equally, which is the legal default, the buyer’s total drops to COP 7,872,723. That is 1.97% of the price, about USD 2,460. Add the title study and certificates on top, roughly COP 0.5 million at the benchmark rate.
The seller’s side on the same sale is half the notary fee and VAT, plus COP 4 million in withholding. With an agent at 3%, the seller also pays COP 12 million in commission before VAT.
Who Pays the Registration Tax
The registration tax falls on both parties in equal shares by law, unless the promesa assigns it differently. The Gobernación de Antioquia states the 1% rate and the equal-shares default for Medellín and the rest of the department. In Bogotá the rate is also 1%, and the revenue is split 70% to Cundinamarca and 30% to the capital, according to Notaría 19 de Bogotá.
In practice, many sellers expect the buyer to pay the whole tax. Treat it as a line to negotiate.
On a COP 400 million purchase, asking for the legal 50/50 split saves you COP 2 million. Write the agreed split into the promesa so nobody argues about it at the notary.
The tax base is the deed value, but never less than the avalúo catastral, the city’s cadastral value for the property. The tax must be paid within two months of the deed’s date, or three months for a deed signed abroad. After that, interest accrues monthly.
Registry Fees Cost More Than Older Guides Say
The 2026 registry fees run at 9.11 to 13.33 per thousand of the deed value, which is about 0.9% to 1.3%. Older English-language guides often quote around 0.5%. A budget built on that figure comes up short.
The SNR resolution sets one rate per value band and adds a 2% surcharge for record keeping. It does not spell out whether the rate applies to the whole value or only to the part inside each band. Our worked example and the calculator apply the band’s rate to the whole value, which gives the higher estimate.
Ask the notary for the registry liquidation, the itemized bill, a week before signing. Budget from that number.
| Deed value (COP) | Registry fee rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 12,852,101 | COP 53,100 flat |
| 12,852,101 to 192,778,606 | 9.11 per thousand |
| 192,778,606 to 334,149,656 | 11.31 per thousand |
| 334,149,656 to 494,798,857 | 12.60 per thousand |
| Above 494,798,857 | 13.33 per thousand |
Stamp Tax and Withholding on Larger Purchases
The stamp tax only applies to property deeds above 20,000 UVT, the tax value unit, which is COP 1,047,480,000 in 2026 (about USD 328,000). On a COP 1.2 billion penthouse, the stamp tax is 1.5% of the COP 152,520,000 above that line, or COP 2,287,800.
The DIAN, Colombia’s tax agency, confirmed in Oficio 3899 de 2025 that the rule from Ley 2277 de 2022 still applies. The law sets no buyer and seller split, so agree on it in the promesa.
The seller’s 1% withholding tax is an advance on the seller’s own income tax, not a buyer cost. The notary collects it before the deed is signed, under Estatuto Tributario article 398. It matters to you later, when you sell.
Property Taxes After You Own
Colombian property owners pay one main yearly tax, the impuesto predial unificado, charged by the city on the cadastral value. The cadastral value is usually below the market price, so the bill is lower than the rate suggests.
- Bogotá. The 2026 residential rate depends on the cadastral value, from 5.5 per thousand up to COP 194,307,000 to 12.3 per thousand above COP 2,505,139,000. An apartment with a cadastral value of COP 320 million falls in the 6.0 per thousand band and pays about COP 1,920,000 a year. The rates come from Secretaría Distrital de Hacienda Resolución 000194 de 2025.
- Medellín. The rate ranges from 5 to 16 per thousand and depends on both value and estrato. The Alcaldía de Medellín issues the bill. Budget roughly 0.5% to 1.6% of the cadastral value a year, and ask the seller for the latest predial receipt before you sign.
Two other recurring costs follow the property. Buildings under propiedad horizontal charge a monthly administración fee for shared costs, and the city can levy a valorización charge for nearby public works. Neither is a closing cost, but both need a paz y salvo (clearance certificate) at the signing.
The property’s estrato also sets the utility bills. DANE, the national statistics agency, explains the system: strata 1 to 3 receive utility subsidies, stratum 4 pays cost, and strata 5 and 6 pay a surcharge. A stratum-6 apartment costs more to run each month than a similar stratum-4 unit.
Costs Outside the Government Fees
The government lines above are not the whole budget. A foreign buyer also pays for the title study, any certified translations, the international wire and the exchange spread on the dollars.
Colombia’s 4-per-thousand financial transactions tax (GMF) also applies to debits from a Colombian bank account, according to Nexo Legal. The closing cost worksheet lists every line with who normally pays it.
A budget built only on the 1% tax misses most of the bill. Budget the government fees at about 2.5% for a COP 400 million apartment, then add your lawyer’s written quote and your bank’s wire cost.
When These Numbers Change
The figures above hold for 2026 purchases under COP 1,047 million. They shift in four cases:
- A purchase above COP 1,047 million. The stamp tax applies, so add it to the budget.
- A new year. The SNR sets notary and registry tariffs by resolution (the 2026 ones took effect in February), and the UVT changes every January.
- A lower deed value than the cadastral value. Taxes and fees use the cadastral value instead.
- A negotiated split. A seller who agrees to pay the full registration tax cuts COP 4 million from your total on a COP 400 million apartment.
Buyers who want every line confirmed before the signing can hand the job to our Bogotá buyer’s concierge or the Medellín team. We get the notary’s liquidation in advance, check it against the tariffs and make sure the promesa says who pays each line. To estimate closing costs in Colombia for your own purchase, enter the price in the closing cost calculator and compare it with the notary’s liquidation before the signing.