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Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo)

Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo)

Ley 45/1990 — Codigo de Comercio Art. 1677

CONTRATO DE LEASING OPERATIVO

Contrato de Leasing Operativo — Ley 45 de 1990 — Código de Comercio Art. 1677

CLÁUSULA 1 — PARTES CONTRATANTES

ARRENDADOR: [Lessor Name], NIT [Lessor NIT], con domicilio en [Lessor Address], representado por [Lessor Rep Name], CC [Lessor Rep CC].

ARRENDATARIO: [Lessee Name], NIT/CC [Lessee NIT], con domicilio en [Lessee Address], representado por [Lessee Rep Name], CC [Lessee Rep CC].

CLÁUSULA 2 — DESCRIPCIÓN DEL BIEN

El ARRENDADOR otorga al ARRENDATARIO el uso y goce temporal del siguiente bien bajo la modalidad de leasing operativo, sin transferencia de la propiedad:

Tipo de bien: [Asset Type]. Descripción: [Asset Description]. Valor comercial: [Asset Value]. Estado al momento de la entrega: [Asset Condition].

CLÁUSULA 3 — PLAZO

El presente contrato de leasing operativo inicia el [Start Date] y termina el [End Date]. Al vencimiento, el ARRENDATARIO restituirá el bien al ARRENDADOR en las condiciones previstas en la Cláusula 8. El presente contrato no incluye opción de compra — el ARRENDADOR conserva la plena propiedad durante toda la vigencia del contrato y tras su vencimiento.

CLÁUSULA 4 — CANON DE ARRENDAMIENTO

El ARRENDATARIO se obliga a pagar al ARRENDADOR un canon mensual de arrendamiento de [Canon Amount] pesos colombianos (COP), más IVA del 19% conforme al Artículo 420 del Estatuto Tributario, pagadero el día [Payment Day] de cada mes mediante transferencia bancaria a la cuenta designada por el ARRENDADOR.

El ARRENDATARIO practicará retención en la fuente al 3.5% sobre cada canon de arrendamiento de bienes muebles conforme al Artículo 401 del Estatuto Tributario. El ARRENDADOR expedirá factura electrónica por cada canon conforme al Decreto 358 de 2020.

Depósito de garantía: [Deposit Amount]. El depósito será devuelto al ARRENDATARIO dentro de los treinta (30) días calendario siguientes a la restitución del bien en condiciones satisfactorias, descontando los valores adeudados por daños que excedan el desgaste natural.

CLÁUSULA 5 — MANTENIMIENTO Y REPARACIONES

Responsabilidad del mantenimiento preventivo: [Maintenance Responsibility]. Conforme al Artículo 1985 del Código de Comercio, el ARRENDADOR es responsable de las reparaciones mayores necesarias para mantener el bien en condiciones de uso, mientras que el ARRENDATARIO es responsable del mantenimiento ordinario y las reparaciones menores atribuibles al uso normal.

El ARRENDATARIO operará el bien conforme a las especificaciones del fabricante y no podrá modificarlo, alterarlo ni desarmarlo sin autorización previa y escrita del ARRENDADOR.

CLÁUSULA 6 — SEGUROS

El ARRENDATARIO mantendrá cobertura de seguro integral sobre el bien arrendado durante toda la vigencia del contrato: [Insurance Coverage]. El ARRENDADOR será designado como beneficiario y asegurado adicional en todas las pólizas. El seguro deberá ser expedido por una compañía vigilada por la Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia.

CLÁUSULA 7 — USO PERMITIDO

El ARRENDATARIO utilizará el bien arrendado exclusivamente para su propósito comercial previsto y en cumplimiento de toda la normativa colombiana aplicable. El ARRENDATARIO no podrá subarrendar, ceder, pignorar ni gravar el bien sin consentimiento previo y escrito del ARRENDADOR. El ARRENDATARIO asume plena responsabilidad por los daños, multas o sanciones derivados del uso indebido u operación incorrecta del bien.

CLÁUSULA 8 — DEVOLUCIÓN DEL BIEN

Al vencimiento o terminación anticipada del presente contrato, el ARRENDATARIO restituirá el bien al ARRENDADOR en el lugar que éste indique, en buen estado de conservación, tomando en cuenta el desgaste natural por uso normal. Se realizará una inspección conjunta documentada en un acta de devolución. Los daños que excedan el desgaste natural serán cargados al ARRENDATARIO al costo de reparación o reposición.

CLÁUSULA 9 — TERMINACIÓN ANTICIPADA

El presente contrato podrá darse por terminado antes de su vencimiento por: acuerdo mutuo escrito; incumplimiento material de cualquiera de las partes con aviso escrito de quince (15) días calendario y oportunidad de subsanar; fuerza mayor o caso fortuito conforme a los Artículos 64 y 1604 del Código Civil; o pérdida total o destrucción del bien. La terminación anticipada por el ARRENDATARIO sin justa causa requiere aviso escrito de treinta (30) días calendario y el pago de una penalidad equivalente a tres (3) cánones mensuales.

CLÁUSULA 10 — SOLUCIÓN DE CONTROVERSIAS

Cualquier controversia derivada del presente contrato será sometida en primera instancia a negociación directa por treinta (30) días calendario. Si la negociación fracasa, la controversia será resuelta por un árbitro único designado por el Centro de Arbitraje y Conciliación de la Cámara de Comercio de [City], aplicando el derecho sustancial colombiano.

OTORGAMIENTO Y FIRMA

El presente Contrato de Leasing Operativo se suscribe en dos (2) ejemplares originales en [City] el [Date], en cumplimiento de la Ley 45 de 1990 y el Código de Comercio.

Arrendador (Lessor)

[Lessor Rep Name]

Signature

Arrendatario (Lessee)

[Lessee Rep Name]

Signature

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What Is a Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo)?

Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo) is a commercial contract governed by Ley 45 de 1990, the Codigo de Comercio (Decreto 410 de 1971) Article 1677, and the regulatory framework issued by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC), through which a leasing company (locador or arrendador) grants the temporary use and enjoyment of a specific asset — equipment, machinery, vehicles, technology infrastructure, or other productive goods — to a lessee (locatario or arrendatario) in exchange for periodic lease payments (canones de arrendamiento), without transferring ownership of the asset during the contract term.

The Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia Circular Basica Juridica (Circular Externa 029 de 2014) Part II Title I Chapter IV classifies leasing operations into two principal categories: leasing financiero (financial leasing, where the lessee has the option to purchase the asset at the end of the term) and leasing operativo (operational leasing, where the lessor retains ownership and the lessee returns the asset at contract expiration). Operational leasing under Colombian law functions as a specialized rental arrangement governed by the Codigo de Comercio mercantile lease provisions and Ley 45 de 1990 Article 2, which authorized financial institutions and compagnias de financiamiento comercial to conduct leasing operations in Colombia.

The Estatuto Tributario (ET) Articles 127-1 and 128, as modified by Ley 1819 de 2016 (Reforma Tributaria) and Ley 2277 de 2022, establish the tax treatment of operational leasing. Under operational leasing, the lessor maintains the asset on its balance sheet and claims depreciation deductions under ET Article 128, while the lessee deducts the full canon de arrendamiento as an operating expense under ET Article 107 (deductions for expenses necessary to produce income). The lessee does not capitalize the asset nor claims depreciation — a fundamental distinction from financial leasing treatment. The DIAN (Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) Concepto Unificado de Leasing (Concepto 001 de 2003) and subsequent pronouncements have clarified that operational leasing canones are fully deductible as operational expenses provided the contract meets the regulatory requirements.

IVA (Impuesto al Valor Agregado) at 19% applies to operational leasing canones under ET Article 420, as the transaction constitutes a service rendered in Colombian territory. The lessor must issue facturas electronicas (electronic invoices) for each canon payment under Decreto 358 de 2020 and DIAN Resolucion 000042 de 2020. For vehicle leasing, the Ministerio de Transporte registration requirements under Ley 769 de 2002 (Codigo Nacional de Transito) and Decreto 1079 de 2015 apply — the vehicle remains registered in the lessor's name throughout the operational lease term.

The Superintendencia de Sociedades has established through its doctrinal pronouncements that operational leasing contracts between non-financial entities (empresas del sector real) are valid commercial agreements governed by the general mercantile lease provisions of the Codigo de Comercio Articles 1973-2003, even when the lessor is not a supervised financial institution. Colombian companies — SAS (Sociedades por Acciones Simplificadas) under Ley 1258 de 2008, sociedades limitadas, and sociedades anonimas — frequently use operational leasing for fleet management, technology equipment, industrial machinery, and medical equipment, avoiding the capital expenditure and balance sheet impact of outright purchase.

The Normas Internacionales de Informacion Financiera (NIIF/IFRS) adopted in Colombia through Ley 1314 de 2009 and Decreto 2420 de 2015 (Decreto Unico Reglamentario de las Normas de Contabilidad) require classification of lease arrangements under NIIF 16 (Arrendamientos), which eliminates the distinction between operating and finance leases for lessees' financial reporting purposes — lessees must recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for most leases. However, the tax treatment under the Estatuto Tributario maintains the operational/financial leasing distinction for income tax deduction purposes.

When Do You Need a Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo)?

Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia is required whenever a company or individual engages a lessor to obtain the temporary use of productive assets without acquiring ownership, preserving capital and maintaining balance sheet flexibility under Colombian commercial and tax law.

Manufacturing companies in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, and Bucaramanga that need industrial machinery, CNC equipment, production lines, or specialized tools without the capital outlay of purchase use operational leasing agreements to access productive assets while deducting the full canon as an operating expense under Estatuto Tributario Article 107.

Transportation and logistics companies requiring vehicle fleets — trucks, vans, delivery vehicles — enter operational leasing arrangements with compagnias de financiamiento comercial or fleet management companies, with the vehicles remaining registered to the lessor under Ley 769 de 2002 and Decreto 1079 de 2015. Fleet operational leasing allows companies to manage vehicle lifecycles, maintenance obligations, and insurance coverage through the lessor.

Technology companies and startups registered with the Camara de Comercio needing servers, networking equipment, laptops, and specialized software infrastructure use operational leasing to access current technology without the risk of obsolescence inherent in outright purchase. The Ministerio de Tecnologias de la Informacion y las Comunicaciones (MinTIC) has promoted technology leasing as a mechanism for digital transformation under Ley 1341 de 2009.

Medical clinics, hospitals, and healthcare providers regulated by the Superintendencia Nacional de Salud that require diagnostic imaging equipment (MRI, CT scanners), laboratory instruments, and surgical equipment use operational leasing to access high-cost medical technology. INVIMA (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos) registration of medical devices remains with the equipment owner (lessor) during the operational lease term.

Construction companies that need heavy equipment — excavators, cranes, concrete mixers, bulldozers — for specific projects use operational leasing to match equipment availability with project timelines, returning the equipment upon project completion without the burden of ownership, storage, and depreciation.

Under Ley 45 de 1990 and the Codigo de Comercio Article 1677, a properly structured operational leasing agreement protects both parties by defining the asset specifications, canon payment schedule, maintenance responsibilities, insurance requirements, and return conditions at contract expiration.

Parties in Colombia should prepare a Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under the Codigo de Comercio (Decreto 410 de 1971), the Camara de Comercio maintains the Registro Mercantil of Colombian companies. The Ley 1258 de 2008 governs Sociedades por Acciones Simplificadas (SAS). The Superintendencia de Sociedades supervises corporate governance. The DIAN (Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) administers the Impuesto de Renta and IVA under the Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989). Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

What to Include in Your Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo)

A valid Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia under Ley 45 de 1990 and the Codigo de Comercio must contain the following essential elements to be commercially effective and to qualify for operational leasing tax treatment under the Estatuto Tributario.

Party Identification (Datos de las Partes): Full identification of the lessor (locador/arrendador) — company name (razon social), NIT (Numero de Identificacion Tributaria), Camara de Comercio registration number, and cedula de ciudadania (CC) of the representante legal. For supervised financial entities: Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia license number. Full identification of the lessee (locatario/arrendatario) — company name, NIT, Camara de Comercio registration, and representante legal identification. Both parties' RUT (Registro Unico Tributario) classification for withholding tax purposes.

Asset Description (Descripcion del Bien): Detailed specification of the leased asset — make, model, serial number, year of manufacture, technical specifications, current condition, and appraised value. For vehicles: license plate number (placa), VIN (numero de identificacion vehicular), SOAT policy number, and Ministerio de Transporte registration details. For machinery: capacity, certifications, and safety compliance documentation. The asset description must be sufficiently detailed to identify the specific unit being leased.

Lease Term (Plazo del Contrato): Start date and end date of the operational lease. Under operational leasing, the term should not exceed the useful life of the asset — if the lease term covers substantially all of the asset's useful life, the arrangement may be reclassified as financial leasing under NIIF 16 and the Estatuto Tributario, affecting the tax treatment. Renewal options and conditions should be specified.

Canon de Arrendamiento (Lease Payment): Monthly or periodic canon amount in Colombian pesos (COP), payment due dates, and payment method. The canon should reflect fair market rental value — below-market canones may trigger DIAN scrutiny under transfer pricing rules (ET Articles 260-1 through 260-11) for related-party transactions. IVA at 19% applies to each canon payment under ET Article 420. Late payment interest (intereses moratorios) at the maximum rate authorized by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia.

Security Deposit (Deposito de Garantia): Amount of the security deposit (typically 1-3 months' canon), conditions for its retention and return, and whether it earns interest during the contract term. The deposit secures the lessee's obligations regarding asset return in good condition and payment of any outstanding canones.

Maintenance and Repairs (Mantenimiento y Reparaciones): Allocation of maintenance responsibilities between the parties — preventive maintenance (mantenimiento preventivo), corrective maintenance (mantenimiento correctivo), and major repairs (reparaciones mayores). Under the Codigo de Comercio Article 1985, the lessor is responsible for major repairs necessary to maintain the asset in usable condition, while the lessee is responsible for ordinary maintenance and minor repairs, unless the parties agree otherwise.

Insurance (Seguros): The lessee's obligation to maintain thorough insurance coverage — poliza todo riesgo (all-risk policy) covering damage, theft, and third-party liability — with the lessor named as beneficiary (beneficiario) and additional insured. Insurance must be issued by a company supervised by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia. Minimum coverage amounts and deductible limits should be specified.

Asset Return (Devolucion del Bien): Conditions for returning the asset at contract expiration — acceptable condition standards, inspection procedures, location for delivery, and consequences of returning the asset in damaged or deteriorated condition beyond normal wear and tear (desgaste natural). The lessee's obligation to remove any modifications or accessories installed during the lease term, unless otherwise agreed.

Forms-legal.com provides this Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia template as a practical instrument for structuring asset utilization without ownership transfer. Companies entering high-value leasing arrangements should consult a Colombian abogado comercialista to confirm proper classification under the Estatuto Tributario and NIIF 16.

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@misc{formslegal-operational-leasing-agreement-colombia,
  author       = {{Forms Legal}},
  title        = {Operational Leasing Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Leasing Operativo) (Colombia)},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/colombia/business/contracts/operational-leasing-agreement-colombia}},
  note         = {Free legal document template}
}

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