Building permits in Quindío, step by step
We are YU Construcciones S.A.S., a construction company based in Armenia, Quindío. Almost every project we carry out starts with a licencia de construcción (building permit), and it is the procedure we are asked about most. This guide explains it in general terms.
It is general guidance written by a construction company, not legal advice. Confirm the exact requirements with the curaduría urbana (the private licensing office that issues building permits) or with the planning office, and for questions about the ownership of the plot, consult a lawyer.
What it is and what it is for
It is the prior authorisation to build on a property. Through it, the authority checks that the project complies with the municipality's land-use plan, the planning regulations and Colombia's earthquake-resistant building code, the NSR-10. The legal basis is Law 388 of 1997 (the territorial development law), and the procedure is governed by Decree 1077 of 2015.
Building without a permit exposes you to planning sanctions, which can range from fines and suspension of the works to a demolition order, and it tends to complicate a later sale or a mortgage.
When you need one
Decree 1077 of 2015 organises the building permit into categories (modalidades). For housing, the most common are:
- New build. On an undeveloped plot, or on one left vacant by an authorised total demolition.
- Extension. Increasing the built area, for example with an extra storey.
- Adaptation. Changing the use of a building or part of it, while keeping what has been built.
- Modification. Changing the architectural or structural design without increasing the built area.
- Structural strengthening. Bringing the structure up to adequate levels of earthquake resistance, for example after an earthquake; see earthquake damage repair.
- Demolition, total or partial, generally processed together with another category.
- Enclosure. Permanently enclosing a private property.
A single application can include several categories. Minor repairs (reparaciones locativas) — painting, patching, replacing tiling or fixing roofs without touching the structure or the layout — generally do not require a permit, although in residential complexes and gated communities they usually need permission from the management, and for properties of cultural interest the rules are different.
Who issues it
In municipalities that have curadurías urbanas, such as Armenia, it is issued by an urban curator (curador urbano): a private individual who performs that public function. Where there is no curaduría, it is issued by the municipal planning office or the department designated by the mayor's office.
Before designing: land use
The first step is not the design but finding out what can be built. The municipality's land-use plan (POT, PBOT or EOT) defines the permitted uses, heights, setbacks, how much of the plot can be built on and which areas are at risk. You can request a land-use or planning-regulations opinion (concepto de uso del suelo or de norma urbanística) before investing in drawings.
Rural properties and the Coffee Cultural Landscape
On rural land the rules are usually more restrictive: minimum plot sizes, low densities, protected areas and requirements set by the environmental authority — in Quindío, the CRQ (the regional environmental authority) — for example on stream buffer zones and wastewater. In addition, several rural areas of Quindío form part of the Coffee Cultural Landscape (Paisaje Cultural Cafetero), inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011, and additional conditions may apply there.
Check the land use before you buy the plot, not after. Sometimes a rural plot is cheap because what the buyer has in mind cannot be built on it.
Documents usually requested
They depend on the category and the project. For a new house the following are usually requested; confirm the exact list with the issuing office before filing.
- The Formulario Único Nacional (the national application form) for permit applications, duly completed.
- A recent certificado de tradición y libertad (land registry certificate) for the property.
- The owner's documents and, if someone else is handling the procedure, the power of attorney.
- The addresses of the adjoining properties, so that the neighbours can be notified.
- Architectural drawings signed by an architect with a professional registration.
- Structural design and calculations signed by an engineer with a professional registration, in accordance with the NSR-10.
- Geotechnical study, where the regulations require one.
- Proof of payment of whatever the municipality requires, such as the curaduría's fees (expensas) or the impuesto de delineación urbana (municipal building tax).
The procedure, step by step
- Filing. Once the application is complete, it is registered as filed in due form (radicada en legal y debida forma) and the time limits start to run. An incomplete application does not move forward.
- Notice board. For new builds and the other categories the regulations specify, the applicant puts up a board on the property, visible from the road, with the details of the application, so that third parties learn of the procedure.
- Notifying the neighbours. The issuing office notifies the adjoining neighbours, who may become parties to the procedure and raise objections.
- Technical and legal review. The planning regulations, the architecture, the structure and the legal status of the property are reviewed. It is normal to receive a list of observations (acta de observaciones), which must be addressed within the stated period.
- Approval and payments. If the project complies, the issuing office states that it is viable, and the outstanding taxes and fees are paid.
- Issue. The issuing office issues the decision granting the permit, which must become final (en firme) before work begins.
The regulations set response times; in practice, the total time varies with the curaduría, the project and how quickly the observations are dealt with. The permit is valid for a set period and can be extended if the request is made in time: check the dates in the decision that grants it. And if the design changes during construction, the change is processed as a modification before it is built.
Houses built without a permit: reconocimiento
Many houses in the region were built or extended without a permit, and this is often discovered when selling or applying for a loan. For those cases there is the reconocimiento de edificación (legal recognition of an existing building): a procedure before the same curaduría or planning office that declares the existence of what has been built, provided it complies with land use and the other requirements of the regulations.
It generally requires a survey of what exists and a technical assessment, signed by a qualified professional, that evaluates the structure against the NSR-10; if the structure is not adequate, recognition goes hand in hand with strengthening works. Not every building can be recognised — the regulations exclude, for example, those in areas of non-mitigable risk or on public space — and the issuing office will tell you whether your case qualifies.
Common mistakes
- Starting “while the permit comes through”. Anything built before the permit becomes final has been built without a permit.
- Changing the design on site without processing the change. In the end, what is built does not match what was approved.
- Trusting whoever offers to “get you the permit” without designs. The permit rests on designs signed by professionals who answer for them.
How we help
The permit is issued in the owner's name. We support the procedure and coordinate with the designer and the curaduría or the planning office, so that the designs arrive complete, the observations are dealt with in time and the works start with the permit already final. See also consulting and estimating, structures and foundations and what drives the cost of building a house.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build on a finca (a rural property)?
Yes. Permits also apply on rural land, where the rules are usually stricter. If the
property is also going to be divided, you need a subdivision or parcelling permit,
depending on the case.
How long does the permit take?
The regulations set response times; in practice it varies with the curaduría and the
project. What shortens it most is filing a complete application and responding promptly
to the observations.
How much does the permit cost?
It depends on the area, the use and the municipality: the curaduría's fees are
calculated with a formula set by national regulations, and the impuesto de delineación
urbana is set by each municipality. Ask the issuing office for the calculation.
Can I apply if I live outside Colombia?
Yes. The permit is issued in your name and can be filed by a representative holding a
special power of attorney. We explain this in
building in Colombia from abroad and, if
you are not Colombian, in the
guide for foreigners.
Are you going to build, extend or strengthen? Write to us with the municipality and what you want to do, and we will tell you what you need and in what order.