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Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble)

Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble)

Codigo Civil Arts. 823-866 — Decreto Ley 960 de 1970

CONTRATO DE USUFRUCTO DE INMUEBLE

Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble — Código Civil Arts. 823-866 — Decreto Ley 960 de 1970

CLÁUSULA 1 — PARTES

Entre [Owner Name], identificado(a) con [Owner CC], domiciliado(a) en [Owner Address], teléfono [Owner Phone] (en adelante el "NUDO PROPIETARIO");

Y [Usufructuario Name], identificado(a) con [Usufructuario CC], domiciliado(a) en [Usufructuario Address], teléfono [Usufructuario Phone] (en adelante el "USUFRUCTUARIO");

Las partes celebran el presente Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble conforme a los artículos 823-866 del Código Civil, sujeto a las siguientes condiciones:

CLÁUSULA 2 — INMUEBLE OBJETO DEL USUFRUCTO

El NUDO PROPIETARIO constituye un derecho real de usufructo en favor del USUFRUCTUARIO sobre el siguiente inmueble:

Dirección: [Property Address]

Matrícula Inmobiliaria (ORIP): [Matricula]

Ficha Catastral (IGAC): [Ficha Catastral]

Área: [Property Area] | Tipo: [Property Type]

Descripción: [Property Description]

El NUDO PROPIETARIO declara que el inmueble se encuentra libre de hipotecas, embargos, condiciones resolutorias y cualquier limitación que impida la constitución del presente usufructo, según se acredita con el certificado de tradición y libertad expedido por la ORIP.

CLÁUSULA 3 — TIPO Y DURACIÓN DEL USUFRUCTO

Tipo de usufructo: [Usufruct Type], conforme al artículo 825 del Código Civil.

El usufructo inicia el [Start Date].

CLÁUSULA 4 — USO PERMITIDO Y SUBARRENDAMIENTO

El USUFRUCTUARIO destinará el inmueble exclusivamente para: [Permitted Use].

CLÁUSULA 5 — CONTRAPRESTACIÓN

CLÁUSULA 6 — OBLIGACIONES DEL USUFRUCTUARIO

El USUFRUCTUARIO asume las siguientes obligaciones conforme a los artículos 823-866 del Código Civil:

6.1

Conservar la forma y sustancia del inmueble conforme al artículo 823, y restituirlo al término del usufructo en el mismo estado en que lo recibió, con la natural deducción del desgaste por uso normal.

6.2

Pagar las expensas ordinarias de conservación conforme al artículo 845 — mantenimiento de rutina, reparaciones menores y gastos similares de sostenimiento.

6.3

Pagar el impuesto predial (conforme a la Ley 44 de 1990) durante el período de usufructo.

6.4

Pagar los servicios públicos domiciliarios y la cuota de administración (conforme a la Ley 675 de 2001, si aplica) durante el período de usufructo.

6.5

Elaborar un inventario y un informe de estado del inmueble al inicio del usufructo conforme al artículo 834, a expensas del USUFRUCTUARIO.

CLÁUSULA 7 — OBLIGACIONES DEL NUDO PROPIETARIO

7.1

Pagar las expensas extraordinarias — reparaciones estructurales mayores y mejoras de capital — conforme al artículo 846 del Código Civil.

7.2

No perturbar el goce pacífico del USUFRUCTUARIO sobre el inmueble durante el período de usufructo.

7.3

El NUDO PROPIETARIO conserva el derecho a vender o hipotecar la nuda propiedad, sujeto al usufructo inscrito. Cualquier comprador o acreedor hipotecario adquirirá el bien con sujeción al presente usufructo.

CLÁUSULA 8 — CAUCIÓN

Tipo de caución conforme al artículo 834 del Código Civil: [Caucion Type].

El USUFRUCTUARIO deberá constituir una caución por valor de [Caucion Amount] COP para garantizar la conservación y restitución del inmueble.

CLÁUSULA 9 — EXTINCIÓN DEL USUFRUCTO

El presente usufructo se extingue por las causales establecidas en los artículos 855-866 del Código Civil: vencimiento del plazo fijo; muerte del USUFRUCTUARIO (usufructo vitalicio); consolidación de la nuda propiedad y el usufructo en una misma persona; declaración judicial por abuso o deterioro grave del inmueble; renuncia expresa del USUFRUCTUARIO mediante escritura pública; o destrucción del inmueble conforme al artículo 862.

Al extinguirse el usufructo, el USUFRUCTUARIO entregará el inmueble al NUDO PROPIETARIO dentro de los treinta (30) días calendario siguientes, en el estado documentado en el inventario inicial, con la natural deducción del desgaste por uso normal. La anotación del usufructo será cancelada en la ORIP conforme a la Ley 1579 de 2012.

CLÁUSULA 10 — REGISTRO

El presente usufructo deberá formalizarse mediante escritura pública ante la [Notaria], conforme al Decreto Ley 960 de 1970, e inscribirse en la ORIP de conformidad con la Ley 1579 de 2012 en el folio de matrícula inmobiliaria del bien. El usufructo constituye un derecho real oponible erga omnes desde su inscripción. Los derechos de registro serán asumidos por el USUFRUCTUARIO.

CLÁUSULA 11 — SOLUCIÓN DE CONTROVERSIAS

Cualquier controversia derivada del presente contrato será resuelta por el Juzgado Civil del Circuito de la ubicación del inmueble, conforme al Código General del Proceso (Ley 1564 de 2012).

FIRMAS

El presente Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble se suscribe en dos (2) ejemplares originales en [City], el [Date], en cumplimiento de los artículos 823-866 del Código Civil.

Nudo Propietario (Bare Owner)

[Owner Name]

Signature

Usufructuario (Usufruct Holder)

[Usufructuario Name]

Signature

Maintained by Vladislav Sergienko, Founder·Template last modified: ·Report an error

What Is a Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble)?

Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble) is a real property contract governed by Codigo Civil Articles 823-866 through which a property owner (nudo propietario) grants to another person (usufructuario) the real right (derecho real) to use and enjoy (usar y gozar) a specific real property, including the right to collect its fruits (frutos naturales and frutos civiles such as rental income), while preserving the substance (sustancia) of the property and returning it to the nudo propietario upon expiration of the usufruct term or the occurrence of the extinguishing condition.

Codigo Civil Article 823 defines the usufruct (usufructo) as a real right (derecho real) to enjoy a thing belonging to another (cosa ajena), with the obligation to preserve its form and substance (forma y sustancia), and to return it to the owner at the end of the usufruct. Article 824 distinguishes the usufruct from the mera tenencia (bare possession) and establishes that the usufructuario holds the property as a derecho real inscrito (registered real right) in the folio de matricula inmobiliaria at the Oficina de Registro de Instrumentos Publicos (ORIP) under Ley 1579 de 2012. Article 825 establishes the two types of usufruct by duration: usufructo a plazo fijo (fixed-term usufruct) that expires on a specified date, and usufructo vitalicio (lifetime usufruct) that terminates upon the death of the usufructuario.

The constitution of a usufruct over real property in Colombia requires the execution of an escritura publica before a Notario Publico under Decreto Ley 960 de 1970 (Estatuto del Notariado) — Codigo Civil Article 826 requires the solemn form (forma solemne) for the constitution of usufructs over real property. The escritura publica must be registered at the ORIP corresponding to the property's circulo registral under Ley 1579 de 2012 — upon registration, the usufruct appears as an annotation (anotacion) in the property's folio de matricula inmobiliaria, alerting third parties to the existence of the usufruct and its terms. The Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro (SNR) supervises the registration process.

The usufructuario acquires the right to occupy the property, to use it for the purposes established in the usufruct agreement, and to collect frutos civiles (rental income) if the usufruct agreement permits subletting — Codigo Civil Article 832 allows the usufructuario to lease the property to third parties unless the constituting instrument prohibits it. The usufructuario bears the obligation to maintain the property in good condition (conservar la cosa en buen estado), to pay ordinary maintenance expenses (expensas ordinarias de conservacion) under Codigo Civil Article 845, and to pay the impuesto predial (property tax under Ley 44 de 1990) and utility services (servicios publicos domiciliarios) during the usufruct period.

The nudo propietario retains ownership (dominio) of the property but cannot use or enjoy it during the usufruct period — the Corte Suprema de Justicia Sala Civil has established that the nudo propietario's rights are limited to: selling or mortgaging the nuda propiedad (bare ownership, which is the ownership minus the usufruct right); demanding the preservation of the property's substance; and recovering full ownership upon termination of the usufruct. The nudo propietario bears the obligation to pay extraordinary expenses (expensas extraordinarias) — major structural repairs and capital improvements — under Codigo Civil Article 846.

Usufructs over real property are commonly used in Colombian estate planning (planificacion sucesoral) — parents transfer ownership of their property to their children (who become nudos propietarios) while retaining a usufructo vitalicio that allows them to continue living in the property until death. This arrangement is executed through an escritura publica de donacion con reserva de usufructo before a Notario Publico, and effectively transfers the property outside the succession estate (masa sucesoral) while protecting the donor's lifetime right of occupancy. The Corte Suprema de Justicia has confirmed the validity of this estate planning mechanism, subject to the mandatory inheritance shares (legitimas) established by Codigo Civil Articles 1226-1259.

When Do You Need a Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble)?

Usufruct Agreement Colombia is necessary whenever a property owner wishes to grant another person the legal right to use, occupy, and enjoy real property while retaining bare ownership (nuda propiedad) under Codigo Civil Articles 823-866.

Parents in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Bucaramanga, or any Colombian city who wish to transfer property ownership to their children during their lifetime while retaining the right to live in the property need a usufructo vitalicio (lifetime usufruct) — this estate planning mechanism, executed through escritura publica de donacion con reserva de usufructo before a Notario Publico under Decreto Ley 960 de 1970, allows the parents to transfer the nuda propiedad while retaining occupancy rights until death, effectively removing the property from the succession estate (masa sucesoral) and avoiding future succession proceedings (proceso de sucesion) under the Codigo General del Proceso (Ley 1564 de 2012).

Property owners who wish to grant family members — elderly parents, siblings, adult children — the right to occupy a specific property without transferring ownership need a fixed-term usufruct (usufructo a plazo fijo) under Codigo Civil Article 825. The usufruct provides the beneficiary with a registered real right (derecho real inscrito) at the ORIP under Ley 1579 de 2012, offering stronger protection than a simple loan-for-use contract (comodato) which creates only personal rights.

Investors who purchase real property and wish to separate the income-producing right from the bare ownership — for example, granting a management company the usufruct to operate a commercial property, hotel, or vacation rental while the investor retains the nuda propiedad — use the usufruct structure to create a defined income-sharing arrangement with registered third-party effectiveness.

Divorcing spouses negotiating property division through acuerdo de divorcio before a Notario Publico or before the Juez de Familia may use the usufruct to allow one spouse to retain occupancy of the family home while the other spouse retains or receives the nuda propiedad — Ley 258 de 1996 (afectacion a vivienda familiar) interacts with the usufruct regime in these situations.

Municipal and departamental government entities granting the use of public real property to private parties for specific purposes — parks, cultural centres, sports facilities — may constitute usufructs or similar real use rights under administrative law provisions, though these arrangements are subject to additional regulatory requirements under Ley 80 de 1993 (Estatuto General de Contratacion de la Administracion Publica).

Before constituting a usufruct, both parties should obtain a current certificado de tradicion y libertad from the ORIP to verify the property's ownership status and existing encumbrances, and consult a Colombian abogado to confirm the usufruct terms comply with Codigo Civil Articles 823-866.

What to Include in Your Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble)

A valid Usufruct Agreement Colombia under Codigo Civil Articles 823-866 must contain the following essential elements for constitution through escritura publica and registration at the ORIP under Ley 1579 de 2012.

Identification of the Parties: Full legal name and cedula de ciudadania (CC) of the nudo propietario (bare owner who grants the usufruct) — the person who retains ownership of the property minus the use rights. Full legal name and CC of the usufructuario (usufruct holder) — the person who receives the right to use and enjoy the property. For corporate parties: razon social, NIT (Numero de Identificacion Tributaria) from the DIAN, and CC of the representante legal with Camara de Comercio certificado de existencia y representacion legal. Contact addresses and telephone numbers for both parties.

Complete Property Description (Descripcion del Inmueble): Physical address including departamento, municipio, barrio, and nomenclatura. Matricula inmobiliaria number from the ORIP — the unique identifier in Colombia's property registry system under Ley 1579 de 2012. Ficha catastral from the Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi (IGAC) or municipal catastro office. Area in square metres — area privada and area construida for propiedad horizontal under Ley 675 de 2001. Property type and detailed description. Current certificado de tradicion y libertad confirming the nudo propietario's ownership and the property's encumbrance status.

Usufruct Type and Duration (Tipo y Duracion del Usufructo): Specification of the usufruct type under Codigo Civil Article 825: usufructo a plazo fijo (fixed-term — specifying the start and end dates) or usufructo vitalicio (lifetime — terminating upon the death of the usufructuario). Codigo Civil Article 828 establishes that the maximum duration of a usufruct granted to a natural person is the lifetime of the usufructuario, and for a corporate entity (persona juridica) the maximum duration is thirty (30) years. The usufruct commencement date and any conditions precedent or subsequent (condiciones suspensivas or resolutorias) affecting the usufruct.

Permitted Use (Uso Permitido): Specification of the permitted use of the property — residential occupancy, commercial operation, agricultural exploitation, or other defined purpose. Whether the usufructuario may sublease (subarrendar) the property to third parties — Codigo Civil Article 832 permits subleasing unless the constituting instrument expressly prohibits it. Any restrictions on modifications, renovations, or changes to the property's structure or use.

Obligations of the Usufructuario: Preservation of the property's form and substance (forma y sustancia) under Codigo Civil Article 823 — the usufructuario must return the property in the same condition, allowing for normal wear and tear (deterioro natural). Payment of ordinary conservation expenses (expensas ordinarias de conservacion) under Codigo Civil Article 845. Payment of impuesto predial (property tax under Ley 44 de 1990) during the usufruct period. Payment of utility services (servicios publicos domiciliarios) and cuota de administracion (under Ley 675 de 2001 if applicable) during the usufruct period. Preparation of an inventory (inventario) and condition report (descripcion del estado) of the property at the commencement of the usufruct — Codigo Civil Article 834 requires the usufructuario to prepare an inventory at their own expense before taking possession.

Obligations of the Nudo Propietario: Payment of extraordinary expenses (expensas extraordinarias) — major structural repairs and capital improvements — under Codigo Civil Article 846. Non-interference with the usufructuario's enjoyment of the property during the usufruct period. The nudo propietario retains the right to sell or mortgage the nuda propiedad, but any purchaser or mortgagee takes subject to the registered usufruct.

Caucion (Security Bond): Codigo Civil Article 834 requires the usufructuario to provide a caucion (security bond) guaranteeing the preservation and return of the property — the parties may agree on the type (personal guarantee, bank guarantee, insurance policy) and amount of the caucion, or may expressly waive this requirement (clausula de exoneracion de caucion) as permitted by the same article.

Termination Grounds (Causales de Extincion): Codigo Civil Articles 855-866 establish the grounds for usufruct termination: expiration of the fixed term; death of the usufructuario (for usufructo vitalicio); consolidation — when the usufructuario acquires the nuda propiedad or vice versa; judicial declaration of termination for abuse (sentencia judicial por destruccion o deterioro grave); express renunciation by the usufructuario; and fulfillment of a resolutory condition.

Forms-legal.com provides this Usufruct Agreement Colombia template to support the constitution of usufructs over real property. Both parties should consult a Colombian abogado to confirm compliance with Codigo Civil Articles 823-866 and to properly register the usufruct at the ORIP.

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APA

Forms Legal. (2026). Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble) (Colombia) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/colombia/real-estate/property/usufruct-agreement-colombia

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BibTeX
@misc{formslegal-usufruct-agreement-colombia,
  author       = {{Forms Legal}},
  title        = {Usufruct Agreement Colombia (Contrato de Usufructo de Inmueble) (Colombia)},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/colombia/real-estate/property/usufruct-agreement-colombia}},
  note         = {Free legal document template}
}

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