Statute of limitations for traffic tickets and fines in Colombia: three years to collect, one year to sanction, and how to request it

Quick answer: a traffic fine can stop being collectible through two different paths. If there was no sanctioning decision within one year of the event, there is expiration (caducidad). If the sanction was already imposed and three years have passed since the event without a payment order (mandamiento de pago) being notified, there is statute of limitations (prescripción). In both cases, you must request it in writing from the traffic authority; SIMIT does not delete anything on its own.

This is the typical situation: you open SIMIT to perform a procedure, or because someone wants to buy your car, and a traffic ticket from years ago that you didn't even remember appears. Before paying, or leaving money with a middleman, it is convenient to understand which of the two deadlines applies. And watch out: seeing more than three years on the screen does not mean the debt has already expired. That is decided by the authority, with the file in hand.

Traffic ticket, fine, expiration, and statute of limitations: they are not the same

The traffic ticket (comparendo) is the order to appear before the authority. The fine (multa) is the sanction imposed later, in the sanctioning decision. Each stage has its own clock.

• Expiration (one year to sanction): according to article 11 of Law 1843 of 2017, which amended article 161 of Law 769 of 2002, the action for violation of traffic regulations expires after one year, counted from the occurrence of the events. The sanction must be decided within that term. Furthermore, the appeal must be decided within one year from its timely filing; if it is not decided, it is understood to be ruled in favor of the appellant.
• Statute of limitations (three years to collect): article 159 of Law 769 of 2002, in the text of article 206 of Decree 19 of 2012, states that sanctions imposed for traffic violations expire in three years counted from the occurrence of the event. The statute of limitations is declared officially, is interrupted by the notification of the payment order, and the authority cannot initiate coercive collection when the conditions to declare it are already met.

If there was never a sanctioning decision in the first year, your problem is one of expiration and you do not have to wait three years. If the fine was imposed, the clock that matters is the one for the statute of limitations.

What is not a deadline: article 817 and the six months of SIMIT

Many forums circulate the idea that traffic fines expire under article 817 of the Tax Statute. That is not the case: that article sets five years for the collection action of tax obligations, and it is not the three-year term for traffic fines. There, also, article 818 interrupts the statute of limitations for several reasons, such as the notification of the payment order or payment facilities. The Traffic Code does not copy that restart in article 159, so do not take for granted that, once the order is notified, another three years run: that is confirmed in the authority's file.

Another trap: question 16 of SIMIT, consulted on October 3, 2026, still describes expiration as a maximum of six months. That phrase is not the current rule; the current one is the one-year rule from Law 1843 of 2017. Also, the 2010 text (Law 1383, article 26) spoke of interrupting the statute of limitations with the filing of a lawsuit. That is behind us: today the express interruption of article 159 is the notification of the payment order.

First consult and gather data, do not request blindly

The official consultation published by the Colombian Federation of Municipalities (FCM) is at fcm.org.co/simit. Do not use similar links or social media profiles that promise to «erase» fines. For the step-by-step of the consultation by license plate or document, we already have the guide how to consult tickets and fines in SIMIT and RUNT; I will not repeat it here.

From the account statement, note only what is useful for your written request:

1. Ticket number or resolution number.
2. Date of the event.
3. Traffic authority reporting the sanction.
4. If there is already a sanctioning resolution.
5. If a payment order or coercive collection appears.

With those five things, you know if you are aiming for expiration (no resolution in the first year) or statute of limitations (resolution imposed and more than three years without a notified order). If you are not sure if something was notified to you, ask the authority for it in the same request.

Who you ask and how the request works

The request goes to the traffic authority of the jurisdiction where the violation occurred, which may not be the city where you live or where the car is registered. Do not address it only to the National Directorate of SIMIT: according to the FCM, SIMIT does not modify the information loaded by traffic authorities. If the authority declares the statute of limitations or expiration, it is the one that must report the change. The statute of limitations does not automatically erase the SIMIT record.

The good thing is that you do not need intermediaries. According to Law 1755 of 2015, the petition is free and does not require a lawyer. Except for special regulations, it is resolved within fifteen (15) days following its receipt, and the extension, if they notify you before the expiration, cannot exceed double the initial term. Watch out for silence: the fact that they do not respond does not declare the fine expired or clean the record. If the deadline expires, insist and escalate through the entity's channels.

A middleman who charges for «removing» fines from SIMIT sells you a process that you can file yourself for free. My direct advice: do not pay for that.

Example of a written request (for illustration only)

There is no magic format or file that guarantees the result. This is a data scheme, not legal advice:

• Header: name of the traffic authority of the jurisdiction where the event occurred.
• Identification: your name, ID, email, and address for notifications.
• Facts: license plate, ticket or resolution number, date of the violation, and that it appears in SIMIT.
• Petition: that it declares expiration or statute of limitations, as the case may be, that it informs if there was a notified payment order, and that it reports the update to SIMIT and RUNT.
• Attachments: copy of your document and screenshot of the account statement.

Keep the proof of filing. If there was already an order, a payment agreement, or a returned notification, that authority's file rules, and the answer may be different from what you expect.

If the debt is recent: the contrast with the discount

All of the above applies to old debts. If the violation is recent and you accept that you committed it, article 136 of the Traffic Code allows you to pay 50% of the fine value within five days following the ticket order, or 75% within the following twenty days, always with the mandatory course. If the course is taken at a center or an authority of another jurisdiction, that center is paid 25% of the value to be paid and the surplus goes to the authority where the violation occurred: it is not paying 25% of the fine. If those days have already passed, do not count on discounts; check the billing on the official portal.

You are now up to date: payment certificate and selling the car

When the authority updates the record, download the document with our guide on SIMIT payment certificate (paz y salvo)According to the FCM, the 'paz y salvo' (clearance certificate) is mandatory for carrying out a traffic transaction, and generating the 'paz y salvo' and the SIMIT settlement has no cost. This does not mean that this paper is enough for the transfer across the entire country: the agency where the vehicle is registered confirms the rest, such as the SOAT, technical-mechanical inspection, and taxes.

If you are planning to sell, separate three documents that people often confuse. The 'paz y salvo' states that there are no pending sanctions. The vehicle history and the certificate of ownership show the car's history; we explain this in vehicle history and certificate of ownership at RUNT. And the technical-mechanical inspection is another requirement that the buyer will look at separately.

Contact data and final warnings

For questions about the portal, the FCM publishes an email (contactosimit@fcm.org.co) and phone numbers in its frequently asked questions, consulted on October 3, 2026. Confirm those details on the page on the day of the transaction. The FAQ lists the Bogotá office with two different address formats, so do not rely on just one.

This guide provides guidance, it does not replace legal advice. The rules were verified on October 3, 2026: the current statute of limitations comes from Decree 19 of 2012 and the current expiration period from Law 1843 of 2017. If there is a payment order, payment agreement, or returned notifications, the authority's file takes precedence. And if you want to see posted cars, you can also browse the vehicles section.

Frequently asked questions

❓ After how many years does a traffic fine expire?

After three years counted from the occurrence of the event, according to article 159 of the Traffic Code. The statute of limitations is declared officially, and the authority cannot initiate coercive collection when the assumptions are already met. Notification of the payment order interrupts it. (verify with the official source)

❓ Are expiration and statute of limitations the same?

No. Expiration is the one-year period, from the events, for the authority to decide on the sanction; the statute of limitations is the three-year period to collect a sanction already imposed. That is why you should first check if there was a sanctioning resolution before deciding what to request. (verify with the official source)

❓ Does article 817 of the Tax Statute give three years?

No. That article sets five years for the collection action of tax obligations. Traffic fines follow article 159 of the Traffic Code, with three years from the event. Mixing both articles is a common error in forums and poorly copied documents. (verify with the official source)

❓ If three years have already passed, does SIMIT delete it on its own?

No. You must request the declaration from the traffic agency where the event occurred, so that they can report the change. According to the FCM, SIMIT does not modify the information uploaded by traffic agencies, so a petition addressed only to the SIMIT National Directorate does not substitute that decision. (verify with the official source)

❓ Do I need a lawyer or to pay anything for the right of petition?

No. The petition is free and does not require a lawyer. The general rule is that it should be resolved within fifteen days following its receipt, with a possible extension if they notify you before the deadline. Silence does not declare the statute of limitations. Be wary of anyone charging to 'lower' fines. (verify with the official source)

❓ What happens if I have already been notified of the payment order?

That notification interrupts the term of article 159. What happens afterward, for example if there is a payment agreement or if the term starts counting again, should not be taken for granted: you have to read it in the file of the authority handling your case. (verify with the official source)

❓ Can I sell the car while SIMIT shows the fine?

Normally the transfer does not proceed with that debt visible, because the FCM indicates that the 'paz y salvo' is mandatory for a traffic transaction. When the registry is up to date, the vehicle history and technical-mechanical inspection are separate requirements that the buyer will check. (verify with the official source)