How Fast Can You Drive in Colombia? Don’t Get Busted & Ruin Your Trip!

New traffic regulations, established under Law 2551 of 2022, have set revised speed limits for vehicles across Colombia’s road network, with particular restrictions in major urban centers. Violations of these speed limits are subject to a fine of 711,750 Colombian pesos in 2025, an amount equivalent to approximately $175 USD as of June.

The regulations, overseen by entities such as the Ministry of Transport, delineate speed restrictions based on road classification.

National Speed Limits

• Urban Roads and Municipal Highways: The maximum speed limit is 50 kilometers per hour (km/h).
• National and Departmental Roads: The maximum speed limit is 90 km/h.
• Rural Roads: The maximum speed limit is 80 km/h.
• School and Residential Zones: A reduced maximum speed of 30 km/h applies in these areas.
• Dual Carriageways without Pedestrian Crossings: The maximum speed limit is 120 km/h.

Speed Limits in Major Colombian Cities

Specific speed limits are implemented in the country’s principal cities by their respective mobility authorities:

• Bogotá: The Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad enforces a 50 km/h limit in urban areas, decreasing to 30 km/h in school and residential zones. On primary roads, the limit may be adjusted to 60 km/h if appropriately signposted.
• Medellín: The Secretaría de Movilidad de Medellín has established a general urban speed limit of 50 km/h (approximately 31 mph). Certain avenues and highways may permit speeds up to 80 km/h (approximately 50 mph), subject to specific road signage.
• Cali: The Secretaría de Tránsito of the Alcaldía de Santiago de Cali sets the urban speed limit at 50 km/h. On major highways and urban freeways, the speed limit can range from 60 to 80 km/h, depending on the posted signs.
• Cartagena: The Departamento Administrativo de Tránsito y Transporte (DATT) de Cartagena applies a 50 km/h limit in urban areas. In high pedestrian traffic zones, such as the historic center, the limit is reduced to 30 km/h to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Factors Determining Speed Limits

Law 2551 of 2022 specifies that speed limits are determined by several factors, including:

• Infrastructure
• Road layout
• Location
• Traffic volume
• Accident history

Mobile Phone Usage While Driving

The National Land Traffic Code (Law 769 of 2002) prohibits the manipulation of mobile phones by drivers, even when a vehicle is stationary at a traffic light. Violation C38 of this code specifies a fine for using “mobile communication systems or telephones installed in vehicles while driving, except when used with accessories or auxiliary equipment that allow hands-free operation.”

As per 2024 salary benchmarks, the fine for violation C38 is 711,750 pesos for using a phone while driving or texting.

Traffic Fine Discounts

Individuals cited for traffic violations may be eligible for discounts:

• A 50% discount on the fine is available if paid within the first five business days of receiving the citation. This option also requires completion of a traffic safety course at the relevant Department of Mobility.
• A 25% discount is applicable if the fine is paid between the sixth and twentieth business days after receiving the traffic ticket. This also necessitates attendance at a traffic safety course.

Transit police have strict limits on their authority

In Colombia, the blue clad transit police are a different authority than the national police. The transit police report to each city’s Secretary of Mobility, and deal strictly with traffic, vehicles, and drivers. As such, the only documents they may require from a driver are:

• Mandatory Traffic Accident Insurance (SOAT)
• Certificate of the vehicle’s annual technical-mechanical inspection
• Driver’s license
• Vehicle ownership card
• Citizenship card (cédula) or identification document, such as a passport

Visitors to Colombia may drive using their valid foreign license if Colombia has such a bilateral agreement with the visitors’ home country, but foreign residents in Colombia, even if residing in temporary accommodations must have a Colombian driver license, even if the foreign resident is in possession of a license from his or her home country.

Transit officers may not ask for your cell phone to review what applications you have installed, nor for residency certificates or bank passwords. They cannot ask you personal questions or search your car without a court order, unless you are in the act of committing a crime. They have no authority to deport anyone, and may not accept any payments for anything whatsoever. They can immobilize and tow vehicles if there is a risk to public safety, if the documents are out of order, or if the driver is inebriated. They may also contact the National Police or immigration, if they suspect you of a crime, but they cannot enforce immigration or non-traffic crimes directly. For this reason, often the Transit Police carry out operations with National Police on hand, who do have more powers.

Photo credit: Loren Moss.