Regulatory & compliance · International household goods
International: Colombia
Where the mover’s own vehicles run international road routes to Ecuador, Peru, or Bolivia, a single unified permit, a separate vehicle certificate, and a distinct Andean insurance policy are required
Regulated byPermiso Originario (the sole document authorizing a carrier for Andean Community international road transport) and a vehicle-level Certificado de Habilitación, both issued under CAN Decisión 837, replacing the prior Decisión 399 framework; a distinct Póliza Andina de Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil (Andean Civil Liability Insurance Policy) required for the international carrier and crew
At a glanceRequirements at a glance
- A Single Unified Permit (Permiso Originario) Is Required
- Yes
- Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles on Andean Community routes. CAN Decisión 837 (which replaced the 22-year-old Decisión 399) establishes the Permiso Originario as the sole document authorizing a carrier to provide international road transport service between Colombia and fellow Comunidad Andina member states (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia), reducing and simplifying what was previously a more complex set of administrative requirements. Where a mover subcontracts the international road leg, the carrier’s own permit covers the transport it performs.
- A Separate Vehicle-Level Certificate Is Also Required
- Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles on Andean Community routes. Beyond the company-level Permiso Originario, each vehicle and cargo unit (trailer, semi-trailer) used for CAN international transport needs its own Certificado de Habilitación, separate from Colombia’s domestic RNDC/habilitación vehicle documentation.
- A Distinct Own-Account Permit Category Exists
- For own goods only. A separate “Permiso Especial de Origen para Transporte Internacional por Cuenta Propia” applies to a company transporting its own goods internationally (own-account), rather than for-hire transport of third-party goods such as a customer’s household goods.
- A Distinct Andean Insurance Policy Is Required
- Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles on Andean Community routes. International road carriers under the CAN framework must carry the Póliza Andina de Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil (Andean Civil Liability Insurance Policy) for international road carriage, plus a bodily injury annex covering crew members. This is a distinct insurance product from Colombia’s domestic contractual/extra-contractual liability policies.
- Habilitated Vehicles Receive Free Transit Across Member States
- Yes. Once habilitated and registered, vehicles and cargo units receive free transit rights across the territories of CAN member states for international transport purposes.
- Colombia’s Own Implementing Regulation Was Still Being Finalized as of 2025
- Worth confirming directly. As of 2025, Colombia’s Ministry of Transport was still finalizing its own national resolution implementing Decisión 837 (covering the Permiso Originario, vehicle Certificado de Habilitación, and the own-account permit specifically for Colombia), with the draft open for industry comment. Current procedures may not yet be fully settled.
OverviewOverview & Scope
A mover operating its own vehicles for international road transport between Colombia and Ecuador, Peru, or Bolivia needs authorization under the Andean Community’s regional framework, recently simplified under Decisión 837: a single company-level Permiso Originario, plus a separate vehicle-level Certificado de Habilitación for each vehicle and cargo unit used. A distinct permit category applies for own-account (non-hire) international transport. Carriers must also hold the Andean Civil Liability Insurance Policy, a separate product from Colombia’s domestic liability insurance, covering both the carrier’s liability and crew bodily injury. Once properly habilitated, vehicles receive free transit rights across CAN member states. Where a mover subcontracts the international road leg, these permits, certificates and insurance attach to the carrier operating the vehicles, and the mover should use carriers that hold them. Colombia’s own implementing resolution for this framework was still being finalized as of 2025, so current procedures should be confirmed directly rather than assumed settled.
RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials
Movers that carry goods between Colombia and other CAN member states in their own vehicles must:
- Obtain a Permiso Originario for international road transport to fellow CAN member states, in addition to the domestic habilitación.
- Obtain a Certificado de Habilitación for each vehicle and cargo unit used in CAN international transport.
- Carry the Póliza Andina de Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil, including the crew bodily injury annex.
Movers that subcontract the international road leg must:
- Use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.
ChecklistCompliance checklist
Company licensing
- Permiso Originario held for CAN international road transportWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on CAN international routes)Verified by DocumentRequired
Subcontracted transport
- Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired
Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)
- Certificado de Habilitación held for each vehicle and cargo unit used in CAN international transportWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on CAN international routes)Verified by DocumentRequired
- Póliza Andina de Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil in force, with the crew bodily injury annexWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles on CAN international routes)Verified by DocumentRequired