How to request the Vehicle History and the ownership certificate for a car or motorcycle

Short answer: The Histórico Vehicular is an informative PDF that you request at www.runt.gov.co using the license plate; the certificate of ownership (certificado de tradición) is a different document issued by the transit authority where the vehicle is registered. The former does not replace the latter, as the RUNT itself states.

If you are going to buy a used motorcycle or post yours, watch out for this: many people pay for one document believing it is the other and later discover they are missing exactly what they needed for the transfer. Here is the step-by-step for each procedure, what each one shows, and what they do not.

Two different documents, two different offices

The Histórico Vehicular is a digital document from the RUNT. It is used to check a car or motorcycle before buying or selling it, and you do not need to be the owner: the license plate is enough.

The certificate of ownership is issued by the transit authority where the vehicle is registered. This is the document used when you are asked for the vehicle's ownership history, for example, in a sale.

Additionally, the Histórico depends on what the transit authorities and other entities have reported to the RUNT at the time of the query. The concessionaire that operates the RUNT is not responsible for the accuracy of those reports. Practical translation: if an agency hasn't uploaded a piece of data, the PDF won't show it.

When you have the paperwork clear and are ready to close the deal, the next step is the transfer; that is where the step-by-step vehicle transfer guide.

How to request the Histórico Vehicular on runt.gov.co

1. Go to www.runt.gov.co and look for the Histórico Vehicular (Request here) option.
2. Enter the car or motorcycle license plate.
3. Enter your details: name, identification, email, and department.
4. At the end, the notice of right of petition (Article 23 of the Constitution) appears. If you want the owner history, select YES.
5. Pay via PSE. The cost is what the portal's calculation shows before paying. Do not rely on prices from blogs or old files.
6. You will receive the PDF in your email. If you need it again, go to Consult here with the license plate and request number.

Watch out for step 4, where most people make mistakes: the list of owners (name, ID number, and ownership dates) arrives in a second PDF, and only if you selected YES. If you selected NO, that history is not included and you will have to make another request. Also, it is no guarantee that the current owner will appear if the agency hasn't reported it yet.

What the PDF contains and what it does not

According to the RUNT, the report may show:

• Traffic license and registering authority.
• Characteristics: engine, chassis, brand, line, model, color, and service type.
• Liens and precautionary measures (pledges, seizures).
• Guarantees and, if applicable, import or auction certificates.
• The last two SOAT policies and the last two technical-mechanical inspection certificates.
• The last 10 requests made to transit authorities.

What you should not expect: the actual mechanical condition, a workshop inspection, or accidents that no one reported. The PDF is paper, not a physical inspection. Therefore, even if the report comes out clean, you still need a vehicle inspection before paying.

Also, do not expect to see traffic tickets or fines explained here; that is a different inquiry, which you can find in the guide on traffic tickets and fines by license plate on SIMIT and RUNT.

Certificate of ownership: request it where the vehicle is registered

There is no single national button here: each transit authority calculates and provides its own. To give a concrete example, I am using the one for Bogotá, which is the one I can support with the Ventanilla Única de Servicios de Movilidad.

If the vehicle is registered in Bogotá and recorded in the RUNT, the virtual certificate of liberty and ownership (car, motorcycle, self-propelled machinery, trailer, or semi-trailer) is listed at $58,400. The requester must be registered in the RUNT and can pay via PSE or other means provided by that window. That rate is only for that specific procedure; it is not a national price, and in other agencies, the cost is defined by each one individually.

• The PDF arrives by email and remains available for 24 hours on the scheduling page.
• A third party can request it without a power of attorney.
• It does not show the owner's ID, phone number, or address.
• The certificate with copies of vehicle documents must be requested in person and, if the owner does not request it, a power of attorney, special power of attorney, or mandate is required.

If your vehicle is registered elsewhere, check the procedure at your transit agency or your local mobility secretary; do not assume the cost or process is the same.

Before posting your motorcycle

If you are selling, request your own Histórico before writing the ad. Cross-check three things with what you are going to state: the owner, liens, and seizures. An ad that says "papers up to date" when the report shows a registered lien will cost you serious buyers and, worse, an argument when it comes time to pay.

According to the active ads on Colombia Move, there are 8 active motorcycle ads and 7 recent ones, with 811 views in the category. The cutoff date is September 2026.

If there is a lien or seizure, state it in the ad from the very first line and do not present the motorcycle as free of encumbrances. Selling this way is possible, and in this guide on how to sell with a registered lien you have the details of the process. Photos do not replace the PDF: a knowledgeable buyer will ask to see the report.

An honest note: the process is a bit tedious and depends on the agencies having reported correctly; sometimes the report arrives with data that does not match reality and you have to go to the agency to correct it before selling.

How to recognize the official channel

The only RUNT portal is www.runt.gov.co and the .com.co domain is no longer used since August 19, 2023. If a website charges you to "check the license plate" or imitates the RUNT design, it is not the official channel. The payment via PSE must be generated from the request made within runt.gov.co.

Also, be careful not to confuse tools: the public inquiry by license plate and owner's document, which shows the validity of the SOAT and the technical-mechanical inspection, is not the Vehicle History report or the certificate of ownership. For phone numbers and support channels, use those published on runt.gov.co on the day you make the request, not those from old documents.

Frequently asked questions

❓ Does the Vehicle History report replace the certificate of ownership?

No. The certificate of ownership is issued by the transit authority where the vehicle is registered. The History is an informational document from RUNT and depends on what has been reported by the agencies and other actors in the system.

❓ Do I have to be the owner to request it with the license plate?

No. Anyone with the license plate can request it at www.runt.gov.co and pay via PSE. You just need to fill in your own details as the applicant and an email address where you will receive the PDF.

❓ How do I see the previous owners?

When finishing the request, mark YES on the notice regarding the right of petition under Article 23 of the Constitution. The list arrives in a separate PDF. If you mark NO, that history is not included, and there is no guarantee that information not reported by the agency will appear.

❓ How much does the Vehicle History cost?

It is the value shown in the billing at runt.gov.co before paying via PSE. Verify the current amount. Prices from old files or blogs may be outdated.

❓ Where do I request the certificate of ownership?

At the transit authority where the vehicle is registered. For example, in Bogotá, the Ventanilla de Movilidad offers it virtually and publishes $58,400 for vehicles registered there, as checked at that office; in other agencies, the value and process are defined by each one.

❓ Does the free inquiry by license plate already contain the entire history, or is a page that charges for the license plate a scam?

No. That portal inquiry is for viewing information such as the validity of the SOAT and technical-mechanical inspection. The Vehicle History is a separate process, with a request and payment, and the ownership history only comes if you ask for it. An intermediary page charging to check the license plate is not the official channel.

❓ What do I write in the notice if there is a lien or attachment?

Leave that limitation explicit in the listing and do not present the vehicle as free of encumbrances. Being clear from the start avoids arguments and filters out buyers who can actually close the deal.