How to lease or sell an industrial warehouse in Colombia: land use, contract, and technical specifications

The typical ad says 'warehouse available, 500 m², call,' and behind that is an apartment lease agreement copied from the internet. It is the most common mistake I see in industrial real estate: the owner does not state what activity the property allows, has no technical data supported by paper, and signs a contract with rules that do not apply to it. Here is what I would check before publishing, from owner to owner.

Quick answer: a warehouse is not governed by housing law. Confirm in writing what use the property allows, publish only the technical data that you have in documents, and make it clear if you are offering to lease the property, sell the premises, or sell a business operating within it.

What law actually applies (and which one doesn't)

Law 820 of 2003 regulates the leasing of urban properties intended for housing. A warehouse falls outside of that purpose, so do not copy rent caps, housing notice periods, or deposit rules from it. This is the confusion that produces the most questionable clauses.

What may come into play is the section on commercial premises in the Code of Commerce, articles 518 to 524. It protects the business owner who has occupied the property for no less than two consecutive years with the same commercial establishment: upon the expiration of the contract, they have the right to renewal, except for three exceptions (breach of contract, the owner's need for their own housing or for their own company with a substantially different business, or reconstruction, ruin, or new construction).

• In cases 2 and 3, you must notify the tenant in writing at least six months in advance. If you do not, the contract is considered renewed under the same conditions and for the same term.
• If there is no agreement upon renewal, the differences are resolved through a verbal procedure with experts (Art. 519). It is not a free or frozen rent.
• A clause that contradicts articles 518 to 523 produces no effect (Art. 524).
• The tenant may sublease up to half the property, subject to your use limitations; a total sublease requires your authorization.

Note: that regime requires a commercial establishment. I cannot tell you that every storage warehouse is included or excluded simply because it is a warehouse; it depends on how it is used. If you already have a tenant with more than two years there, have a lawyer review the agreement. For the full detail of those articles, read our guide on leasing a commercial space and the Code of Commerce; I will not repeat it here.

Land use: confirm it before receiving visits

Promising 'industrial use' without verifying it is the fastest way for a deal to fall through. The land use concept is a written report on the permitted uses according to the POT (Land Use Plan) and the instruments that develop it. It is issued by the urban curator (curador urbano) or, if that figure does not exist, the licensing authority or the planning office. Beware of what it is not: it does not grant rights or obligations, it does not modify current licenses, and it does not replace a construction or renovation license.

The Bogotá example: the SINUPOT viewer of the District Planning Secretariat has a report titled 'Land Use (POT Decree 555 of 2021 Current),' which is generated by indicating the use and the area involved. It is consulted by address or CHIP. For the written concept, Urban Curatorship 1 is located at Autopista Norte No. 95-31 (hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). There, the address must match a Certificate of Tradition and Freedom no older than 30 days, and a maximum of three uses can be checked. The fee published on October 2, 2026, was $104,083 including VAT; confirm the price on their website before filing.

In Medellín, Urban Curatorship 2 (Calle 49 #50-21, Edificio del Café, 5th floor) explains the same scope of the concept. I did not take any industrial use table from there: the result depends on the property, not on a national rule of meters or roads. For the general procedure and documents, there is the guide on land use certificate at the curatorship.

A short legal warning: before starting a commercial, industrial, or service activity, one must comply with the land use, building purpose, and location (Law 1801 of 2016, Art. 87), and non-compliance is handled by police inspectors. I am not going to scare you with fines: the practical point is that your tenant should not waste time and money on a property that does not allow their activity.

The technical data sheet your ad can support

Here is the part almost no one does well. A logistics operator does not look for a 'spacious warehouse'; they look for data they can verify. The ideal data sheet includes warehouse and lot area, clear height, freight vehicle access or loading docks, available power, and floor resistance. The uncomfortable detail: no regulation I have verified fixes a height, floor load, power, or number of docks for 'every industrial warehouse.' That data is only valid if it comes from blueprints, a structural report, the utility bill, or an inspection of the property.

My rule: if there is no document, the ad says 'not certified.' It looks less sales-oriented, but it filters better and saves you an argument when the buyer measures with a tape. An 'approximate' power or an 'ear-heard' floor resistance should not be published as definitive data.

• With paper: areas (deed or blueprint), clear height (blueprint or measurement), power (utility bill or certification), floor resistance (structural report).
• Photos: the dock, the empty nave, the gate, and the maneuvering yard. No renders or images from another park.
• Without paper: write 'not certified' and offer a visit to measure.

If what you have is more of an office or a space with a storefront, the regime and the data sheet change; see the guide on leasing a commercial space or office in Bogotá and Medellín.

Leasing the property, selling the premises, or selling the business

These are three different businesses, and the ad must say which one you are offering.

Leasing the property: commercial contract, with the land use confirmed and the intended purpose in writing. The rent is agreed upon after the interested party sees the property and reads the certificate.

Selling the premises: requires a public deed and registration in the property registry, which is what makes the transfer of ownership effective. The Certificate of Tradition and Freedom is requested on the official portal of the Superintendence of Notaries and Registry, where you can read about liens, limitations, and precautionary measures before publishing. I will not cite notary or registration costs because I have not verified them; check them at the source.

Selling the commercial establishment: is another business, regulated from article 525 of the Code of Commerce, and does not replace the transfer of the property.

If you are an individual and lease regularly, check with your accountant how your activity stands before the DIAN; the guide on CIIU code 6810 for real estate activities guides you without going into rates.

How to publish without attracting the curious

A listing that filters effectively contains five things: the activity allowed for the property according to its land use certificate (storage, logistics, or industrial, not a generic use), the municipality and neighborhood or road, the rent or price, availability, and what the lease does not include. I prefer a listing with fewer calls that are all serious.

An honest note: the process for warehouses is slow. You have to get paperwork, wait for the certificate, and accept technical visits. It is work, but a listing with documentation costs less than one that falls through at the second meeting.

If you already have a tenant: the relocation notice

Something new for those already renting: since Law 2625, enacted on August 24, 2026, the tenant of a commercial space may fix a visible relocation notice of at most 1,600 cm² for one month at their own expense after restitution. Opposition may result in a fine of one (1) SMLMV imposed by the SIC. The law refers to commercial premises; do not assume it applies to any closed warehouse without reading your specific case. Complete eviction has its own separate subject.

Frequently asked questions

❓ Does Law 820 work for renting a warehouse?

No, that law regulates the rental of urban properties intended for housing. If a commercial establishment operates in the warehouse, check articles 518 to 524 of the Commercial Code and have the contract drafted or reviewed by a lawyer before signing. (verify with the official source)

❓ How much does the land use certificate cost?

There is no single national rate in the sources consulted. Urban Curaduría 1 of Bogotá published $104,083 including VAT on October 2, 2026; in Medellín and other curadurías, read the procedure fee before paying. (verify with the official source)

❓ How do I sell my warehouse securely and avoid scams?

Agree on the price or rent only after the interested party views the property and reads a recent certificate of tradition and freedom. Do not publish technical data without documentation, do not hand over originals via chat, and formalize the sale through a public deed and registration. (verify with the official source)

❓ Where can I post my warehouse to rent or sell?

Post it where commercial buyers look: commercial property categories of an online classifieds site, real estate portals, and direct contact with operators in your area. The important thing is that the ad carries the location, permitted activity, and real photos of the loading dock and the warehouse floor.

❓ What do I put for height, floor, and power if I do not have the blueprint?

Do not make up the number. Publish the data only if it is in a blueprint, a structural report, or the energy bill; if not, write that it is not certified and offer a visit to measure with the interested party. No verified standard fixes these values for every warehouse. (verify with the official source)

❓ Does the land use certificate authorize me to adapt the warehouse?

No, it is an informative opinion on the permitted uses according to the POT; it does not grant rights or obligations nor does it modify existing licenses. If you are going to carry out construction or adaptations, you need the license that corresponds to the type of intervention. (verify with the official source)