Consulting the REDAM Certificate in Colombia: Requirements, Sanctions, and How to Get Off the Registry

In Colombia, background checks for job candidates or potential tenants are no longer limited to consulting criminal records or credit bureaus. Since the enactment of Law 2097 of 2021, the country now has the Registry of Defaulting Food Debtors (REDAM), an official mechanism designed to guarantee the fulfillment of child support rights for children, adolescents, and dependent adults.

Being reported in this government database leads to severe legal and financial restrictions, ranging from the inability to contract with the State to the prohibition of selling real estate or vehicles through a notary. Whether you need to verify a third party's REDAM certificate for a security background check or are looking for the formal procedure to get up to date and request the cancellation of the report, this guide details the regulatory framework, requirements, and digital step-by-step process.

What is the REDAM and under what regulation does it operate in Colombia?

The REDAM is the centralized information system responsible for registering individuals who owe alimony payments set by judicial sentence, conciliation agreement, or any other valid executive title under the Colombian legal system. Its operational regulation is supported by Decree 1310 of 2022 from the Ministry of ICT, ensuring interoperability with digital citizen services.

The administration and issuance of the official certificate are done 100% digitally and for free through the central State portal, the GOV.CO Digital Citizen Folder. No private entity or intermediary is authorized to charge fees for the consultation or issuance of this document.

Requirements to be reported in the registry of defaulting debtors

Registration in the REDAM does not happen automatically or due to any informal delay. For the competent authority to order the report, the following legal conditions must be met:

• Existence of a formal obligation: The alimony payment must be stipulated in a firm judicial sentence, a conciliation agreement reached before a Family Commissioner, the ICBF Ombudsman's Office, or a recognized conciliation center, or in a public deed.
• Accumulation of arrears: The debtor must accumulate three (3) or more overdue and unpaid alimony payments, which can be consecutive or discontinuous.
• Creditor's request: The father, mother, or legal representative of the beneficiary (or the beneficiary if they are of age) must file the report request with the family judge, commissioner, or defender who oversaw the case.
• 5-business-day transfer: Once the petition is filed, the authority grants the debtor 5 business days to prove full payment of the outstanding balance or justify the reason for the default before submitting the registration order to the central system.

For employers and landlords in the selection process, having timely verification mechanisms is decisive. According to active listings on Colombia Move (August 2026), technology and marketing had 0 active vacancies each, while education had 1; the supply gap is concrete for employers who need to post opportunities.

Sanctions and legal consequences of the report (Article 6, Law 2097)

The impact of being listed as a defaulting food debtor goes beyond the personal sphere. Article 6 of Law 2097 establishes disqualifications and impediments that are mandatory for public and private entities throughout the national territory:

Scope of application	Sanction or legal restriction established
Public Procurement	Disqualification to contract with the State or act as a legal representative of contractor legal entities.
Public Office	Inability to take office or be appointed to popularly elected positions or public service roles.
Notarial Procedures	Requirement of the REDAM certificate of good standing to alienate (sell, exchange, or donate) real estate or vehicles at a notary.
Financial Sector	Obligation for banking entities to require the certificate for the study, approval, or renewal of loans.
International Mobility	Impediment to carry out migratory procedures for leaving the country before Migration Colombia.

Additionally, if the reported father or mother needs to grant permission for their minor children to leave the country, the law stipulates that the simple presentation of a valid REDAM certificate authorizes the other parent to process the departure without the debtor's signature.

Step-by-step guide to consult and download the free REDAM certificate

The consultation process is carried out entirely online through the channels of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC) and the National Digital Agency:

1. Enter the official website of the Digital Citizen Folder at www.gov.co or directly to the REDAM site (www.redam.gov.co).
2. Log in with your username and password. If you do not have an account, you must register by validating your personal data and identity document.
3. In the citizen procedures and services section, locate the option “Certificado del Registro de Deudores Alimentarios Morosos - REDAM”.
4. Request the generation of the certificate from the official channel.
5. Download the document issued by the platform.

If, in addition to checking the REDAM, you are evaluating the complete profile of an applicant or home buyer, it is essential to supplement the investigation by checking identification records, contractual conduct, and freedom certificates. You can consult more details in our guide on how to verify the identity and background of a tenant or buyer in Colombia.

How to get off the REDAM: clearance and cancellation of the report

The only legal way to be removed from the REDAM database is the total cancellation of the food debt. There are no account-wiping methods or agents that can modify the record without the respective judicial or administrative order.

The formal procedure consists of three steps:

1. Payment and clearance: The debtor must pay the entire overdue balance to the corresponding authority.

2. Lifting petition: The payment receipts are filed with the same authority that decreed the report, requesting the issuance of the sanction cancellation notice.

3. Notification to the operator: The judicial or administrative authority issues the digital order for removal from the database. Removal is not automatic with payment: it requires that cancellation order.

It is crucial to keep in mind that in cases of recidivism (incurring in arrears of three installments again after having a first report lifted), the regulation sanctions the debtor by keeping the entry visible in the system for three additional months on the second occasion, and six months on subsequent ones, even if the debt has been paid.

Use of the certificate in employment contracting and rental processes

For companies and real estate owners, requesting the REDAM certificate along with checking other public records of good standing such as the traffic fine system (SIMIT) can be integrated into responsible due diligence. If you are structuring job postings or looking for qualified applicants in Bogota, Medellin, or Cali, check our guide on requirements for administrative and accounting assistant jobs or check how to request the SIMIT traffic ticket clearance.

Frequently asked questions

❓ What is the REDAM and under what law does it operate in Colombia?

The REDAM is the Registry of Debtors of Alimony, created by Law 2097 of 2021 to sanction and disqualify those who fail to comply with their legally established child support obligations.

❓ How many overdue installments are needed to be reported in the REDAM?

It is required to be in arrears of three or more child support payments, consecutive or not, derived from a judicial sentence, conciliation act, or executive title.

❓ Can the REDAM certificate be checked for free online?

Yes, the certificate is 100% free and is downloaded directly from the Digital Citizen Folder (Carpeta Ciudadana Digital) on the GOV.CO state portal.

❓ Does being in the REDAM prevent me from selling a house or vehicle at a notary?

Yes, Article 6 of Law 2097 of 2021 requires notaries to request the REDAM certificate to finalize the sale or transfer of assets subject to registration.

❓ What happens if a person reported in the REDAM requests a bank loan?

Financial entities are required by law to demand the presentation of a valid REDAM certificate when processing or renewing credit applications.

❓ How is the removal of the report in the REDAM achieved once the debt is paid?

The debtor must pay the total amount of the arrears and request that the competent judge or commissioner issue a judicial order for removal from the database.