How to Request and Demand the Administrative Clearance Certificate in Horizontal Property

Point	What to apply
Who issues it	The administrator or legal representative (Art. 51, item 13, Law 675 of 2001).
What the notary asks for	Certificate of good standing for common expenses to transfer ownership (Art. 29).
Written deadline	Up to 10 business days for documents (Law 1755 of 2015, Art. 14).
If it doesn't arrive	Deed with record of the submission and liability of the buyer (Art. 29, para. 5).

The last time I accompanied a friend to sign a deed, the stumbling block wasn't the property tax. It was a WhatsApp message from the management at 7:40 a.m.: “the certificate of good standing will be out tomorrow.” The notary already had a scheduled time. That administrative certificate of good standing is what is required to sell a property under co-ownership. Leaving it for the eve of the signing is the silliest way to lose the deal.

According to active listings on Colombia Move (September 2026), there are 44 apartment ads and 135 in the housing section: several of these closings get stuck exactly here. I would request it with a submission number, not an audio message.

What the certificate of good standing certifies (and what shouldn't block it)

Article 29 of Law 675 of 2001 obligates the notary to require the certificate of good standing for common expenses issued by the building's legal representative. It is not a certificate of “everything the management can think of.” It refers to ordinary and extraordinary quotas already accrued.

The typical fight: they withhold the paper over a noise fine under dispute or a scratch in the parking lot. Those sanctions are handled through the coexistence regulations. The notary certificate accounts for expenses. If the quotas are up to date, I wouldn't accept them denying you the certificate “until you pay the fine.”

The same Article 29 creates joint liability between the seller and the buyer for uncovered expenses. That is why the serious buyer—and the bank, if there is a loan—refuse to sign blindly. The collection, the arrears, and who is responsible to the co-ownership are in how to collect and pay the administration quota.

Do not confuse it with the betterment levy certificate: that one is issued by the territorial entity, not the administrator. The deed folder usually asks for both. The municipal map is at how to request the betterment levy certificate.

How to request it so there is a record

Article 51, item 13, of Law 675 establishes as a function of the administrator to issue the certificate of good standing when the owner or occupant changes. It is not a favor.

The channel I would use: official email or physical submission with a stamp and date. WhatsApp is good for hurrying, not for proof. If they later say that “they never received it,” a random chat won't save you at the notary's office.

• Tower, apartment, or house, and if a parking space and storage unit apply.
• Name and ID of the owner or occupant.
• Cut-off date (the month of the deed or the handover).
• Receipts for the last ordinary and extraordinary quotas.
• That you are requesting the certificate of good standing for expenses for the transfer of ownership or change of occupant.
• Acknowledgement of receipt: submission number, date, and time.

Request a signed PDF. If they insist on paper, an original with the legal representative's signature. Notary offices list it among the requirements for deeding in horizontal property, valid for the month of the granting, not a certificate from the last quarter.

Deadlines and charges you shouldn't put up with

Law 675 did not set a “three-day” clock in this article. If the request is in writing, the right of petition before private legal entities applies (Law 1755 of 2015, arts. 14 and 32): up to 10 business days for documents and information. That is not “when the accountant returns from vacation.”

Validity, in practice, is marked by the monthly cut-off. A March certificate is no good for an April deed if the new quota has already kicked in. Request it for the month of the granting and update it if the signing is delayed.

Can they charge you an “issuance fee”? The law does not contemplate a discretionary rate: the administrator already collects fees. A disproportionate surcharge that is not in the budget or the regulations is a toll. The only thing that might make sense is the cost of photocopies if you refuse the PDF. I would reject an invented charge and ask for the assembly meeting minutes or the regulations where it was approved.

Watch out for the administrator who only responds via WhatsApp, loses the submission, and charges for printing a sheet. The email with acknowledgement of receipt is the clock you can later show the buyer or the seller.

If they don't deliver: notary, petition, and writ of protection (tutela)

The sale doesn't automatically fall through just because the paper is missing on the day of signing. Article 29, paragraph 5, allows the notary to authorize the deed with evidence of the submitted request and the buyer's assumption of liability for outstanding debts. The buyer inherits the liability. Banks and serious buyers prefer not to sign that way. Use it when the administrator has gone into hiding and the closing cannot wait.

If 10 business days have passed without a response, follow up with the submission number. If they remain silent, Constitutional Court Sentence T-333 of 2018 has protected the right of petition of co-owners against private administrations. The *tutela* is not the first message: it is for when they shut the door on you.

If the delay caused you to lose the sale, Article 50 opens up civil liability for the administrator for fraud or negligence. You need proof: promise, deposit, submission, and silence. Do this: submit, keep the receipt, take a copy to the notary. Avoid this, if you are the buyer: signing “without the certificate and we'll see.” The liability of Article 29 becomes your debt the next day.

The certificate of good standing when handing over the rental

Returning the keys without an administration certificate of good standing leaves the door open to retroactive charges. The administrator must also issue it upon a change of occupant. Attach it to the handover record: quotas to the cut-off date, extraordinary expenses accrued, and utility meter readings. Without that cross-check, the refund of the deposit becomes a tug-of-war. The detail on the deposit is in return of the rental deposit or guarantee.

If the property remains empty and you rent it out again, publish with photos, price, and administration rules: in the housing section people are looking for co-ownership apartments, not half-hearted ads.

Frequently asked questions

❓ How much does it cost for the administration to issue the certificate of good standing?

They shouldn't charge you a fee for the administrative process: issuing it is an ordinary function already covered by fees. The law does not contemplate discretionary rates; a surcharge would only make sense if approved in the budget or bylaws and is limited to the material cost of copies. Reject disproportionate charges without that basis (source: Law 675 of 2001, consulted 2026).

❓ Is it safe to sign like that?

The notary can formalize it with proof of the filing and the buyer's joint liability, according to Article 29 of Law 675 of 2001. The liability for expenses does not disappear: it is inherited by the buyer. Banks and serious buyers usually refuse. Source consulted in 2026: Law 675, art. 29.

❓ Where to list the property once you have the 'paz y salvo' (clearance certificate)?

In owner listings and direct classifieds, with photos, HOA fee amount, and building rules. Avoid opaque groups where they ask for a commission to "close" the deal. The certificate serves to show there is no hidden debt. Practical source updated in 2026: the same filing receipt you used at the notary.

❓ Is the HOA clearance certificate mandatory to sign the deed?

Yes: the notary must require it at the beginning, according to Article 29 of Law 675 of 2001. If the property manager does not deliver it, it can be formalized with proof of the filed request and the buyer's joint liability. That does not automatically void the sale. Source consulted in 2026: Law 675, art. 29.

❓ How long does the property manager have to deliver the certificate?

Law 675 does not set a number of days for this certificate. If the request is a formal right of petition for documents, Law 1755 of 2015 allows up to 10 business days. A "it will be ready next week" via WhatsApp does not replace that term. Source consulted in 2026: Law 1755, art. 14.

❓ Can they deny me the clearance certificate due to a contested conduct fine?

They should not withhold the clearance certificate for common expenses if the ordinary and extraordinary fees are up to date. The notary certificate accounts for those expenses; non-finalized sanctions are handled according to the building's conduct regulations. Source consulted in 2026: Law 675 and doctrine on expenses.