National Tourism Registry (RNT) for Vacation Homes and Short-Term Rentals: Registration and Renewal Guide

Renting a vacation home in Anapoima, Carmen de Viboral, or the Coffee Region, or promoting an apartment by the day in Medellín or Cartagena, has become a source of income for property owners in Colombia. Colombian legislation (Law 2068 of 2020 and Decree 1836 of 2021) formally classifies as tourist accommodation service any rental for less than 30 continuous days. This means that whether you operate through digital platforms or direct deals, you are required to have an active National Tourism Registry (RNT, for its acronym in Spanish). active.

Contrary to what some informal intermediaries claim, registering and renewing the RNT is a 100% free procedure that is carried out entirely digitally. In this guide, we explain the current requirements, the steps in the Confecámaras portal, and the critical dates to avoid suspension and the reactivation penalty in favor of FONTUR.

What is the RNT and who is required to obtain it?

The National Tourism Registry is the public directory managed by the Chambers of Commerce and coordinated by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT). Its purpose is to formalize tourist service providers and provide legal security to both the traveler and the property owner.

The following are legally required to register in the RNT:

• Owners of vacation homes, country houses, and cabins that are rented by the day, weekend, or week.
• Owners of apartments or rooms offered under the temporary rental or tourist housing model.
• Providers offering tourist accommodation in properties correctly linked to the property and the corresponding owner.

Operating without an active RNT prevents you from legally marketing the property as tourist accommodation. To understand how this registration fits with other operational rules, check the guide on regulations for renting vacation homes in Colombia.

Prerequisites for requesting the RNT for the first time

Before entering the Confecámaras virtual platform, you must prepare the following documentation and operational conditions to prevent your application from being returned or rejected:

1. Updated RUT: Your Unique Tax Registry (RUT) with the DIAN must include the economic activity code (CIIU) corresponding to tourist accommodation. The most common code for tourist housing and rental properties is CIIU 5519 ("Other types of accommodation not previously classified") or CIIU 5511.
2. Horizontal Property Authorization (if applicable): If your property is an apartment or house within a gated community or building, the Horizontal Property Bylaws registered in a public deed must expressly authorize the use of the dwelling for tourist purposes (Law 675 of 2001). If the bylaws prohibit it, the Chamber of Commerce will not be able to approve your RNT.
3. Civil Liability Insurance Policy: The regulation requires having insurance that covers the physical integrity and belongings of guests during their stay.
4. Adherence to the Code of Conduct: You must declare your acceptance of the commitment to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of children and adolescents (ESCNNA) in accordance with Law 679 of 2001.

If you also post on platforms, check the RNT regulation for Airbnb and other digital channels.

Step-by-step guide to registering your vacation home or short-term rental in the RNT

The initial registration process is centralized on the official Confecámaras portal. Follow this procedure to complete the registration:

1. Create a user on the official portal

Go to rnt.confecamaras.co and create an account with your document type and number (or the tax ID/NIT of the owning company). Make sure to register an email address you have permanent access to, as you will receive approval notices and renewal alerts there.

2. Link the property and select the category

Once inside the system, select the "Provider Registration" option. You must select the Chamber of Commerce with jurisdiction in the municipality where the vacation home or apartment is physically located. Choose the applicable accommodation category shown on the portal.

3. Fill in technical and operational capacity

The system will ask you to detail the property's infrastructure: number of rooms, maximum guest capacity, bathrooms, available services, and the exact address according to the property's documents.

4. Sign the early childhood declaration and policy

Digitally accept the Code of Conduct against ESCNNA and register your civil liability insurance policy details. Upon finalizing the submission, the Chamber of Commerce will review the consistency of the data with the RUT and the corresponding records; there is no guarantee of immediate approval if there are inconsistencies.

RNT Renewal: Key dates and zero-cost procedure

Having an RNT is not a one-time process. To maintain the legality of your vacation home or short-term rental, it is mandatory to perform the annual renewal.

Take note of these fundamental legal calendar rules:

• Ordinary renewal window: Operates from January 1st to March 31st of each year.
• Procedure cost: Renewal with Confecámaras is 100% free. It does not require payment of registration fees or stamp taxes.
• Updating criteria: During the renewal, you must update the requested information and report if the policy or contact details have changed.

What happens if you let the March 31st deadline pass?

If April 1st arrives and you have not completed the renewal on the platform, the property's RNT will be in a state of automatic suspension. This implies:

1. The legal inability to rent the vacation home or property as tourist accommodation.
2. The impossibility of legally marketing the property under that model while the registration is suspended.
3. To lift the suspension, the law requires paying a reactivation penalty in favor of the National Tourism Fund (FONTUR) equivalent to 106.11 UVBs, before being able to process the reactivation on the portal.

Other complementary legal obligations for owners

Having the RNT certificate is the first step. To operate in an orderly manner, owners in Colombia must comply with additional control tools:

Accommodation Registration Card (TRA)

The MinCIT requires that every booking and guest entering your vacation home or apartment be registered in the official Accommodation Registration Card (TRA) system. It is filled out online with the information of each visitor at the time of check-in.

Foreigner reporting in the SIRE system

If you receive guests of foreign nationality at your vacation home or dwelling, you must report their entry and exit to Migración Colombia through the SIRE platform within the times stipulated by the immigration authority.

Internal regulations and a clear inventory

It is essential to have a lodging contract or terms of service that detail the rules of conduct, noise hours, maximum capacity, and the condition of the property. To learn more about contracts and unforeseen events in rural properties, consult our guide for owners renting out vacation farms.

According to active listings on Colombia Move (August 2026), the farm category has 13 active posts. Complying with your RNT not only protects you from fines: it also helps you present clear information to tenants and families.

Market your farm or short-term rental without paying commissions

Once you obtain your RNT number, the next step is to connect with clients interested in renting your property directly, transparently, and without cutting into your margin with intermediary commissions. You can also compare direct rental options from owners.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is there an official cost for the RNT process for a rental farm?

No. The initial registration, data update, and annual renewal process of the RNT with the Chambers of Commerce and Confecámaras is 100% free. You should not pay fees to public entities for this purpose.

❓ What is the deadline to renew the RNT each year?

The legal period to renew the RNT without incurring penalties is from January 1 to March 31 of each year. The process is carried out virtually on the official Confecámaras portal.

❓ What happens if I don't renew the RNT before March 31?

The registration is automatically suspended as of April 1. To reactivate it, you must pay a fine to FONTUR equivalent to 106.11 UVB before being able to request service reactivation on the platform.

❓ Can I get the RNT if my farm or apartment is in a gated community?

Yes, provided that the Horizontal Property Regulations of the complex or building explicitly authorize the use of the property for tourist housing or rentals of less than 30 days.

❓ Which CIIU code must I have on the RUT to request the RNT for my farm?

You must have an economic activity aimed at tourist lodging, with CIIU code 5519 (or others applicable such as 5511) being the prerequisite for the Chamber of Commerce to approve your application.

❓ Is an insurance policy needed to have the RNT for short-term rentals?

Yes. Law 2068 of 2020 requires tourist housing providers to have an active extra-contractual civil liability policy that protects guests against accidents or unforeseen events within the property.