Closing Costs When Buying a Home in Colombia (2026)

What it costs to sign and register a home purchase in Colombia in 2026: official rates, who pays what, and a worked example for a COP 400 million apartment.

Equipo Rooted HouseSeptember 28, 2026 6 min read

Closing Costs When Buying a Home in Colombia (2026)

When you buy a home in Colombia, the property price isn't the only thing you pay. To have the house or apartment legally in your name, you also cover closing costs known as "gastos de escrituración y registro": notary fees, a registration tax, and registry fees. This guide explains what each one is, how much it costs in 2026, who pays it, and how to estimate it with a real example, so you can budget for it from day one.

What are closing costs in Colombia?

Buying property in Colombia has two legal steps. First, you sign the public deed ("escritura pública") at a notary's office; this is the document that records the sale. Then the deed is filed at the Public Instruments Registry Office ("Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Públicos", or ORIP). Only after that does the certificate of title ("certificado de tradición y libertad") list you as the new owner. For the full process, see our guide on the steps to buy a home in Colombia.

Each step has its own costs:

Notary fees ("derechos notariales"): what the notary charges to draft and authorize the deed.
Registration tax ("impuesto de registro"): a regional (departmental) tax you must pay before the deed can be registered.
Registry fees ("derechos de registro"): what the ORIP charges to record the deed.

On top of this, the seller pays a withholding tax ("retención en la fuente"), and if you use a mortgage, there are extra costs for the mortgage deed.

Notary fees in 2026

Colombia's Superintendence of Notaries and Registry (SNR) updates notary fees every year. For 2026 it issued Resolution 2026-000964-6, in effect since February 1, 2026, with an adjustment based on 2025 inflation (5.10%).

For a sale, notary fees are about 3 per thousand (0.3%) of the sale price, plus VAT. With VAT, the total is roughly 0.36% of the price, plus small charges for copies of the deed.

Who pays the notary fees?

The rules leave it to the parties to agree. The custom in Colombia is to split them 50/50 between buyer and seller, and it's best to put this in writing in the purchase agreement ("promesa de compraventa").

Registration tax

Each department (Colombia's regional governments) sets the registration tax within the range allowed by Law 223 of 1995: between 0.5% and 1% of the transaction value. In Bogotá, the total amount, including the extra charges collected with the tax, comes to about 1% of the sale price.

The buyer usually pays it, since the buyer is the one who needs the deed registered. Mind the deadline: you have two months from the deed signing to register it. If you're late, the deed is still valid, but late-payment interest accrues on the tax.

Registry fees in 2026

The ORIP fee is set by the SNR. In 2026, Resolution 2026-001726-6 applies, in effect since February 2, 2026. For sales, the rate depends on the property value and applies to the full amount (it isn't tiered like income tax brackets):

Property value (COP)	2026 rate
Up to $12,852,101	Flat $53,100
$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
Over $494,798,857	13.33 per thousand

An extra 2% is added to that amount for digitization and record keeping. The same resolution includes benefits for affordable housing: social housing (VIS, "vivienda de interés social") pays 50% of the fee, and priority housing (VIP, "vivienda de interés prioritario") is exempt.

The buyer normally pays these fees as well. The certificate of title itself costs COP 23,000 online (COP 24,300 in person) in 2026.

Withholding tax: the seller's cost

When the seller is an individual, the notary withholds 1% of the sale price as an advance income tax payment (Article 398 of the Tax Code, "Estatuto Tributario"), which the seller can later credit on their tax return. It isn't a buyer cost, but it's useful to know when negotiating. Other taxes on the sale, such as capital gains tax ("ganancia ocasional"), depend on each case.

Example: closing costs on a COP 400 million apartment in Bogotá

Say you buy a COP 400,000,000 apartment in Bogotá, in cash, from an individual seller, with no VIS benefits. These figures are approximate and meant for budgeting:

Buyer's costs

Half of the notary fees, VAT included: about COP 730,000.
Registration tax (about 1%): about COP 4,000,000.
Registry fees (12.60 per thousand plus 2%): about COP 5,140,000.
Online certificate of title: COP 23,000.
Approximate total: COP 9.9 million, around 2.5% of the price.

Seller's costs

Half of the notary fees, VAT included: about COP 730,000.
Withholding tax (1%): COP 4,000,000.

Add copies of the deed and, in some cases, paperwork such as property tax ("predial") and HOA fee ("administración") clearance certificates.

If you buy with a mortgage

A mortgage means a second deed, the mortgage deed, with its own notary and registry fees. The 2026 resolution lowers registry fees for home loans: individual home loans pay 70% of the ordinary fee, non-subsidized VIS loans 40%, and subsidized VIS loans 10%. Banks also usually charge for the appraisal ("avalúo") and title search ("estudio de títulos"), so ask for a cost breakdown before signing.

Note: this information is for guidance only and is based on 2026 rates. For your specific situation, especially on tax matters, confirm the figures with the notary or with a lawyer or accountant.

How to save on closing costs

Ask for a quote before signing. The notary and the ORIP can give you the exact figures in advance.
Check whether you qualify for VIS or VIP benefits, which reduce or waive registry fees.
Register within two months to avoid late-payment interest.
Agree in writing on who pays what in the purchase agreement.
Set aside about 3% of the price for these costs, especially if you're using a mortgage.

Frequently asked questions

How much are closing costs in Colombia?

For the buyer, they usually run between 2% and 3% of the property value in 2026, depending on the city, the price, and whether there's a mortgage. Use the table and example above for a rough estimate.

Who pays closing costs, the buyer or the seller?

Notary fees are usually split in half. The registration tax and registry fees are paid by the buyer, and the withholding tax by the seller. The parties can agree otherwise in the purchase agreement.

What happens if I don't register the deed on time?

The deed remains valid, but until it's registered you aren't the owner as far as third parties are concerned. And if more than two months pass after signing, late-payment interest is charged on the registration tax.

Does affordable housing (VIS) pay lower closing costs?

Yes. In 2026, VIS pays 50% of registry fees and VIP is exempt. Registering home loans also carries reduced rates.

Looking for a home and want clear numbers?

At Rooted House, we guide you through the whole purchase, closing costs included. Browse homes for sale or contact us on WhatsApp and we'll help you work out how much you need.

Sources

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