General Questions · Basic level · 3 min read ·
What is the certificado de tradición y libertad (title certificate)?
The certificado de tradición y libertad is the document the public records office issues with a property's legal history: who has owned it, who owns it today and whether it carries mortgages, seizures or other limits. It is the most direct way to check a property in Colombia before buying it.
In 30 seconds
- Tradición is the chain of owners; libertad is whether the property has limits on it.
- Each registered act appears as a numbered entry, in order.
- It shows the property's status on the day it is issued.
Why should you care?
A property can look perfect and have a seizure or mortgage on it. The certificate is where that is written down, and anyone can request it.
- You confirm the seller really is the owner.
- You spot mortgages, seizures or lawsuits before committing.
- You understand a real estate project's supporting documents.
Think of it as the property's CV
Just as a CV tells you where a person has worked, the certificate tells you whose hands a property has passed through and what commitments it has today. And as with a CV, you read the whole thing, not just the first line.
How does the certificado de tradición y libertad work?
- 1
Get the registration number
Each property has a folio de matrícula inmobiliaria. It is on the deed or on bills such as the property tax.
- 2
Request the certificate
You request it online from the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro or at the records office, for a small fee.
- 3
Read the entries from the bottom up
The last entry is the most recent. It shows the current owner and what was registered after.
- 4
Look for live limits
Check for mortgages, seizures, lawsuits or family-home protection that a later entry hasn't cancelled.
An example with numbers
An illustrative certificate, unrelated to any real property, with five entries in order.
| Entry 1 | Sale: A sells to B |
|---|---|
| Entry 2 | Mortgage by B in favour of a lender |
| Entry 3 | Mortgage cancelled |
| Entry 4 | Sale: B sells to C |
| Status today | Owner C, no live limits |
The mortgage in entry 2 no longer counts because entry 3 cancelled it. That's why you read the whole certificate: a limit only stops counting when another entry lifts it.
Where do you see it at Circular Urban?
When a Circular Urban project runs a property, the project's supporting documents let you check the asset. If the project includes the certificado de tradición y libertad, you'll find it with the other documents.
- Project Documents, on each project's page.
- The participation agreement, which describes the project's asset.
What changes in your finances once you get it
You check before you trust
You read the official document instead of relying on what you're told.
You ask for a recent one
The certificate shows the status on the day it was issued; an old one may miss the latest.
You ask better questions
If you see a limit, you know to ask how and when it will be lifted.
Common mistakes
- Myth
If a mortgage shows up, the property has a problem.
- In reality
A later entry may have cancelled it. What matters is whether it is still live.
- Myth
A certificate is valid forever.
- In reality
It reflects the status on the day it was issued. That's why a sale calls for a recent one.
- Myth
Only the owner can request it.
- In reality
Anyone can request it with the property's registration number.
Test yourself
A certificate shows a seizure in entry 5 and its cancellation in entry 7. Is the seizure still live?
Keep learning
Helps to know first
This content is educational. Every participation carries risks inherent to the project, including the possibility of partial or total loss, and results are subject to each project's actual performance.
