How to Offer Designated Driver and Chauffeur Services in Colombia: The Client Provides the Car

Quick answer: the chosen driver is a person who drives someone else's car: the vehicle, the SOAT and the technical-mechanical inspection belong to the client, and you provide the driving, your license, and your own criminal background certificate. If what you want is to charge for carrying people in your own private car, that is not what is advertised here.

Think of the typical case: a family going to a gathering who needs someone to drive their car back home, or a person with a day of errands who doesn't want to drive. That is a concrete service and easy to explain. What follows is how to advertise it well, without getting tangled up with public transport and without attracting curious onlookers.

Two services that should not be mixed

Parcero, here is the point that causes the most confusion. A chosen driver, or a driver of the client's car, is one thing. Passenger transport with a vehicle charging for the trip is a very different thing.

According to article 5 of Law 336 of 1996, private transport covers mobility within a person's exclusive activities, with their own equipment that complies with the Ministry of Transport's regulations; if no own equipment is used, transport must be contracted with a legally authorized public transport company. And Law 769 of 2002 distinguishes the private-service vehicle, intended for private mobility, from the public-service vehicle, the certified one that transports passengers or cargo for a fare, freight, carriage, or ticket.

The considerations of Decree 2297 of 2015 reiterate that a private-service vehicle does not provide public passenger transport. That decree regulates basic and luxury individual transport as a regime for authorized companies; it is not a permit to advertise "private transport" with white plates.

Regarding the chosen driver itself, a note from the Bogotá City Council (October 13, 2021) says the Ministry has treated it as a civil service contract when the owner uses their own car, and that an attempt at district regulation was shelved. That is not a license to charge fares in your car: it only describes the arrangement when the client provides the vehicle.

What to put in writing before leaving

A WhatsApp message with these points is already a clear agreement and will spare you arguments at the end of the night:

• Coverage area and pickup point.
• Start time and end time, or the exact route.
• Whether the price is hourly, per trip, or with a minimum, and what it includes (waiting time, tolls).
• Who pays the driver's return after dropping off the car.
• That the car, the SOAT and the technical-mechanical inspection belong to the client. If you want to understand that inspection, check out this guide to the technical-mechanical inspection.

An honest warning: there is no official national rate for this service. You set your "from" price and explain it. Any figure you see in old notes or on company pages is their reference, not a rule.

Documents the client can ask you for

What builds trust is that you show your own documents, rather than the client having to investigate third parties.

• Valid driver's license and matching the car you will drive.
• Your criminal background certificate, which you download yourself, free and online, from the National Police portal. That check is for the holder: using it for another purpose or checking someone else's ID number is prohibited.
• Procuraduría certificate, also free; the ordinary one shows current sanctions or disqualifications.

For license categories, validity periods, and social security of the person hiring, I won't repeat everything here: it's in the guide for hiring a private driver. A practical tip: never upload photos of an ID card or driver's license with legible numbers to the ad.

What the SOAT does not cover

To drive, the car needs a valid SOAT. But the SOAT covers bodily injury to the driver, occupants and pedestrians; it does not cover damage to the vehicle or civil liability for third-party property. That's the trap: if you scratch the client's car or hit someone else's gate, the SOAT does not respond to that.

That's why it's wise to agree with the client, before starting, whether the car has a civil liability policy or insurance that covers those damages. I wouldn't make up amounts or insurer names: that is arranged case by case, and reviewing the policy is the vehicle owner's responsibility.

What if you want to use your own car

If what you offer is carrying people in your private car in exchange for payment, don't publish it as a chosen driver: under the laws cited, that falls under public service and requires an authorized company. I would skip any ad promising "private transport" with white plates. Now, if the client only wants you to lend your car without you at the wheel, that is a different contract: see how to rent a private car or motorcycle with a secure contract.

And if your real business is moving or home deliveries with freight, that is another guide: offering moving, deliveries and driving services.

How to write the ad so fewer curious people reply

A good ad filters on its own. Include:

• Clear title: "Chosen driver: I drive your car" and your area.
• Schedule, making clear whether you work at night and which days.
• "From" price, specifying whether it's per hour or per trip and what it includes.
• Type of car you know how to drive (automatic, manual, pickup truck).
• One sentence: "The car, SOAT and technical inspection are provided by the client."
• Photos of you working or of the type of service, without documents or visible license plates.

According to Colombia Move's internal record from October 15, 2026, the "driver" services category is thin: there are few active ads, so a clear ad stands out. That said, it is no guarantee of clients; it depends on your area and how you present yourself.

Frequently asked questions

❓ Can I charge for carrying people in my own private car?

Don't advertise it as passenger transport: the service in this guide is driving the client's car. If the vehicle and the charge are yours, that gets close to public service, which requires an authorized company and vehicle (verify with the official source).

❓ Is a chosen driver a taxi or an app?

No. The client provides the car and you drive it to the agreed place. You don't need to describe yourself as an app or a public service, and this arrangement doesn't turn any car into a taxi (verify with the official source).

❓ What documents do I show so the client feels safe?

Your valid license, matching the car you will drive, and your own criminal background certificate. The vehicle owner confirms the SOAT and the technical-mechanical inspection. Avoid sending photos with legible numbers (verify with the official source).

❓ Can I look up another person's criminal record on the Police website?

No. That check is for the holder, and using it for a third party is prohibited. Ask each person to show you their own certificate, which they download for free from the official portal (verify with the official source).

❓ Does the client's SOAT pay if I damage the car or someone else's property?

No. The SOAT covers injuries to people. Damage to the vehicle and civil liability for third-party property are a different insurance, which is arranged separately with the client before setting out (verify with the official source).

❓ How much should I charge, and is there an official hourly or per-trip price?

There is no national rate for the chosen driver. Publish your from price and specify whether it's hourly or per trip, and whether it includes waiting time, tolls and your return (verify with the official source).

❓ Where do I publish the service without paying commission to an app?

In a services classifieds section for drivers, with your area, schedule and from price. On Colombia Move, the driver services category lets you publish for free and receive direct contact from clients (verify with the official source).