Household Goods to Colombia: Customs and Timing

Colombian customs (DIAN) has two routes for household goods. The order of the steps matters more than the shipping price. The owner cannot declare household goods before the owner arrives in Colombia. The goods must land within a set window around the owner's arrival. The Return Law route for returning Colombians is tax-free up to a cap. It needs an approved certificate before the owner files the import declaration. Booking a container first and doing the paperwork later is the expensive way round.

Two routes into Colombia

DIAN calls household goods menaje doméstico. This means furniture, appliances, personal effects and similar items for normal use in a home. Both routes apply to household goods only. They do not apply to motor vehicles. Decree 1165 of 2019 (Decreto 1165 de 2019, art. 281) excludes transport material, such as cars and motorcycles, from household goods. The decree lists exceptions. They include bicycles without a motor (art. 269). DIAN's household-goods page also lists bicycles without a motor.

1. The general route for people who lived abroad. DIAN's page says this route is for people who lived abroad for at least 24 months in the three years before they arrive to settle in Colombia. The months can be continuous or not. Decree 1165 (arts. 3 and 279-280) does not mention nationality. It speaks of "residents abroad" who come to set up residence. DIAN's page does not address foreign nationals. Ask a customs broker about this. The owner must have acquired the goods while living abroad. The goods generally come from the country of residence. The page and the decree (art. 284) state a single 15% ad valorem tax on these goods.
2. The Return Law route for Colombians coming home (Ley de Retorno, Law 1565 of 2012). Household goods up to 2,400 tax units (UVT) enter without taxes or import duties. Tax applies to any value above that cap, per DIAN's Return Law page. The UVT is DIAN's yearly tax unit. DIAN's 2026 value table lists it at $52,374. The cap is about 125.7 million COP in 2026 (2,400 x 52,374).

The timing rules, in order

• Arrival window. The goods must reach Colombia between one month before and four months after the owner's arrival (Decree 1165, art. 282; DIAN).
• No declaring early. The owner cannot declare household goods before the owner arrives. The transport document must be in the owner's name (art. 283; DIAN).
• Certificate first (Return Law only). The Intersectoral Commission for Return (Comisión Intersectorial para el Retorno, CIR) issues the beneficiary certificate. DIAN says the owner must get it before the import declaration is filed and accepted. DIAN also says to keep the original for five years.
• Release deadline (Return Law only). DIAN's household-goods page says this in its Return Law section. The customs steps to obtain release (levante) must be done within the month after the goods arrive in Colombia. DIAN can extend this by one month in cases it authorizes.
• Unclaimed goods. Household goods can fall into legal abandonment (abandono legal). DIAN's page then gives the owner at most 15 business days from that point to ask for them. The owner first pays the single tax together with the transport and related costs.

Who qualifies for the Return Law route

Colombia Nos Une ("Colombia Unites Us") is the returnee program of the Foreign Ministry (Cancillería). It sets these conditions:

• The applicant is an adult.
• The applicant shows at least three years abroad.
• The applicant has no current convictions in Colombia or abroad.
• The applicant has no conviction for crimes against public administration.
• The applicant has lived no more than 12 months in Colombia since returning.

The applicant can use the benefit only once.

The steps:

1. Fill in the Single Registry of Returnees (Registro Único de Retornados) in the Foreign Ministry's online system (SITAC).
2. Wait while the Foreign Ministry checks your records.
3. Wait for the CIR to decide.
4. If the CIR approves, generate the certificate in the system.

The program gives no processing time. Treat any number you hear as unofficial.

Other rules worth knowing

• Each family unit may bring one household-goods shipment, through a single customs office (Decree 1165, art. 283). A second shipment is allowed only five years after the release of the first (art. 279).
• Household goods need no import registration or licence (DIAN; art. 279).
• If the owner has died, an heir, legatee or estate liquidator can bring the goods in. This person needs proof of that status and the death certificate. See inheritance and wills for Colombian property.
• Decree 1165 (art. 33) says an importer may deal with customs directly, for any amount. Ask a customs broker if a particular household shipment goes direct or through a customs agency (agencia de aduanas).

What residents report

Reports from Colombia expat Facebook groups, October 2026; individual experiences, not official figures.

• Members report that the worst mistake is to book the shipment before the Return Law approval arrives. They say this can mean paying tax at the port.
• Members report that approval takes about 4 to 6 weeks. They say to plan for 6 to 12. The Foreign Ministry publishes neither number.
• Members say delays tend to come from documents that do not match. Examples are proof of residence abroad and the shipping inventory.
• Members report seeing used shipping containers advertised at about US$1,350 and new ones at about US$2,500, before freight. Members describe these as market signals, not quotes.
• Members report quotes above US$1,200 to ship a bicycle by courier. They say a figure under US$500 is unrealistic.
• Members report that one flagged shipment could in practice only be cleared through a customs agency. That is one experience, not a rule stated by DIAN.
• Many members suggest photographing every item before packing. They say to keep the photos with the itemized inventory.
• Members are split on the bigger question. Some say sell everything, because replacing items in Colombia costs less than expected. Others shipped and were glad.

Questions to ask before you book

1. Which route applies to my situation: the 15% general route or the Return Law route?
2. When must the goods land compared with my own arrival date?
3. For the Return Law, is the certificate in hand before the declaration is filed?
4. Does the quote include destination costs, storage and customs handling?
5. Who signs the import declaration? In whose name is the transport document?
6. How is the shipment insured? Does my inventory list each item?
7. Does my total (shipping plus tax) beat the cost of replacing the items in Colombia?

Small parcels and a car follow different rules. This guide covers only household goods. For parcels, see mail and packages. For vehicles, see buying a car. To find a customs broker, see finding trusted services.

This guide is educational information, not legal or tax advice. Ask a customs broker (agente de aduanas), a lawyer or an accountant (contador público) about your own shipment.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to ship a container to Colombia?

There is no official rate card. Members of expat groups report advertised container prices of about US$1,350 used and US$2,500 new, before freight. They describe these as market signals, not quotes. Customs tax is separate. See the two routes above.

What is the returnee benefit?

Under the Return Law (Law 1565 of 2012), a returning Colombian with a certificate from the Intersectoral Commission for Return (CIR) can bring household goods up to 2,400 tax units (UVT) without taxes or import duties, per DIAN. Tax applies above the cap.

How long does returnee approval take?

The Foreign Ministry and its returnee program (Colombia Nos Une) publish no processing time. Members report about 4 to 6 weeks and say to plan for 6 to 12. These are reports, not official figures.

Should I ship my furniture to Colombia?

The rules do not decide it. Compare shipping plus customs tax against the cost of replacing items in Colombia. Expat group members are split on it.

Can I ship my car to Colombia?

Decree 1165 excludes cars and motorcycles from household goods. DIAN says the Return Law incentives do not cover vehicles. Vehicles follow different import rules. A customs broker can explain these rules.

Own property in Colombia, or planning to buy? The Colombia Owner Kit (US$79) covers the dates, documents and questions owners face. See what's in it.