Tipping in Colombia: How the 10% Propina Voluntaria Works (and When Not to Tip)

The plates are cleared, you ask for the check, and the server asks the question every newcomer freezes on: “¿Desea incluir el servicio?” Here is the short answer. That is a question about the propina (the tip), and it is voluntary. You can say yes, no, or name your own amount. It has nothing to do with the consumption tax already on your bill.

What the 10% actually is

A propina is money a customer voluntarily gives the people in the service chain for the service and product received, separate from the registered sale price. Under Ley 1935 de 2018, in force since its publication on 3 August 2018, a venue may suggest a tip. Whether you pay it always depends on you.

When the establishment suggests the tip and puts it on the invoice with your acceptance, it may not exceed 10% of the value of the service provided. That is a ceiling, not a required 10%. One wording quirk: the statute says “10% del valor del servicio prestado,” while the SIC model notice uses “XX% del valor de la cuenta.” I would not argue the difference at the table. Just know the figure is a maximum for a suggestion.

Does a ceiling stop you from giving more? No. If service was excellent and you choose to leave extra, that remains your voluntary gift. For who receives the money, the one-month payout rule and the fines, see our deeper Law 1935 explainer for diners and operators. In short, tips belong to the service chain, not to the owner's expenses, and they are not salary.

The 8% is a tax, not a tip

This is where most confusion lives. For restaurant service, the DIAN describes (Oficio 904106 de 2022, quoting Estatuto Tributario art. 512-9) an impuesto nacional al consumo, often called impoconsumo, of 8% on total consumption, including accompanying drinks and other added values. It is not IVA, and a voluntary tip is never part of its base.

Two practical points. First, the 8% is supposed to be built into the public price list and itemized on the bill, so do not add 8% on top of a menu price in your head. Second, not every food bill carries it: the article 512-1 text DIAN quotes says this tax does not apply to food-and-drink sales under franchise. If a restaurant adds its own delivery charge to the same bill, DIAN treats that amount as part of the tax base. The tip stays outside it either way.

If the tip is already on the bill

By law, the person attending you must ask, before issuing the invoice, whether you want the tip included, left out, or set at an amount you name. If nobody asked, you may refuse it or change the amount even after the invoice exists, per SIC Circular Externa 7 de 2022 and the SIC notice.

Honestly, this is the part that feels awkward, and the awkwardness is the whole reason people just pay. A calm script works: “Perdón, no me preguntaron por la propina. ¿Me la puede quitar o cambiar, por favor?” Do it before you hand over your card or approve the datáfono amount, and check that the corrected total appears. For currency choice and undisclosed surcharges at the terminal, see our foreign card payment guide. A suggested tip is not a card surcharge, so keep the two separate.

One more thing: the venue must post a voluntariness notice at the entrance and repeat it on menus and price lists. The text rules have applied since 5 November 2022. If you see no notice and a tip is already charged, that is a useful detail to remember. If you pay in cash, a little discretion helps; our no dar papaya etiquette guide covers handling cash in public.

Where no legal tip exists

Ley 1935 and the SIC circular set no tip percentage or peso amount for taxis, ride-hail trips, hotel porters, tour guides, supermarket baggers or app couriers. There is no national legal tip in those situations. I will not invent a “locals always give X” rule, because I could not source one, and you will hear contradictory advice from every expat you ask.

What that means in practice: you are free to thank someone who really helped you, and equally free to give nothing. Just do not confuse other charges with a propina. An app service fee is not a tip, and a restaurant's own delivery charge belongs in the tax base, not the tip line. If a tip is demanded as if it were a fee, you can decline.

If the venue won't remove a forced tip

Keep the bill. The SIC lines printed in the circular, and still listed on its site as accessed 9 November 2026, are (601) 592 0400 in Bogotá and national 01 8000 910165. You can also email with the subject “Queja cobro de propina,” or use the SIC consumer denuncia form.

Set expectations honestly. A denuncia asks SIC to review a possible infringement. It does not itself order your money back; personal recovery is a separate demanda path. Our SIC complaint guide explains the difference. Sanctions come under Ley 1480 de 2011, article 61, only after an administrative investigation: fines up to 2,000 SMMLV in force at the time, or temporary closure up to 180 days. Those are maximums, not what you collect.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the 10% tip mandatory in Colombian restaurants?

No, it is never mandatory. A venue may suggest a tip of up to 10% of the value of the service, but only if you accept it on the invoice. You can decline or choose another amount (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ What is the difference between the 8% and the 10%?

The 8% is the national consumption tax on restaurant service as DIAN describes it, while the 10% is a ceiling on a voluntary tip. The tip is outside the tax base, and franchise food-and-drink sales are not covered by that tax (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ What does “¿Desea incluir el servicio?” mean?

It asks whether you want the voluntary tip added to your bill. You can accept the suggestion, refuse it, or name a different amount. “Servicio” here means the propina, not the 8% consumption tax, which is separate (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ Can I take the tip off after it is printed?

Yes, if nobody asked you before the invoice was issued. Ask staff to remove or change the propina line before you approve the card amount, and check the corrected total on the receipt (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ Do I have to tip taxis, hotel staff, or delivery drivers?

No national law sets a tip for those services. Whether to give anything is entirely your decision, and no percentage or amount is legally expected from you in those situations (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ How do I complain if a restaurant forces the tip?

Contact the SIC on the lines in its propina circular, email “Queja cobro de propina,” or file a consumer denuncia. A denuncia does not itself order your money back; that needs a separate demanda, explained in our complaint guide (verify with the official source, as accessed).

❓ Can I leave more than 10% if the service was excellent?

Yes. The 10% ceiling applies to the tip the establishment suggests and places on the invoice with your acceptance. Any further amount you choose to give remains voluntary, and the staff split is covered in our Law 1935 article (verify with the official source, as accessed).