City guide
Forming a SAS in Cartagena
In Cartagena a SAS is registered with the Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena. It is a city of tourism, hospitality, and property, so two questions come up often: what happens if a partner contributes real estate, and what extra registrations the activity requires. We have not yet verified its virtual process.
Your Chamber of Commerce
Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena
Virtual availability being verified. Write to us and we'll confirmCámara de Comercio de Cartagena ↗The steps in Cartagena
- 1
Check that the company name is available
100% onlineSearch the name in RUES (the national business registry). The check is nationwide: if the name already exists in any mercantile registry in the country, the Chamber will reject your filing.
- 2
Draft the bylaws (private document)
100% onlineThe bylaws are signed as a private document by all shareholders, no notary in your case. Paid packages generate them from your answers; the free path is your Chamber's standard proforma.
- 3
File your SAS with the Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena
To be confirmed for your cityComplete file for the Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena. If a property is contributed, that contribution requires a public deed and you should confirm with the Chamber how to file. Also confirm whether the channel is virtual or in person.
- 4
Finalize the NIT/RUT with DIAN
100% onlineOnce the Chamber registration is approved, the NIT is assigned and the RUT is finalized with DIAN, typically 1 to 2 additional business days. This registration is free: be wary of anyone charging you to 'process the NIT'.
- 5
Open the business bank account
Online with in-person validationLet's be upfront: today no major bank opens the account 100% remotely. All of them require in-person or video validation of the legal representative. Minimum opening deposits: from COP $0 (Davivienda/DAVIbank) and COP $100,000 (Bancolombia) up to COP $5,000,000 (BBVA). Confirm the current figure before you go.
- 6
Enable e-invoicing with DIAN
100% onlineE-invoicing enablement is done online with DIAN and is what lets you issue valid invoices to companies and the government, one of the main reasons to formalize.
- 7
Every year: renew the mercantile registration
100% onlineThe recurring obligation of a SAS: renew the registration with your Chamber in the first months of each year (the traditional deadline is March 31). Not a formation step, but note it now.
If a partner contributes real estate
This is the one case that genuinely requires a notary, and only for that contribution, not the whole incorporation. If in Cartagena a partner will contribute a property as capital (for example, a building that will become a lodging business), the contribution is formalized by public deed. Bring to the notary the signing parties' IDs, the bylaws or draft deed identifying the property and its assigned value, and the title certificate (certificado de tradición y libertad). Mark that option on the fourth question of the checklist with Cartagena preselected and you will see the steps adjusted.
Extra registrations depending on the activity
Incorporating the SAS is not always the only thing the activity requires. If your business provides tourism services, for instance, it may need sector-specific registrations, such as the National Tourism Registry (Registro Nacional de Turismo). Those requirements are outside our incorporation guide; confirm them with your Chamber, the sector authority, or your accountant before opening to the public.
How to confirm the channel with the Cartagena Chamber
We do not yet know whether the Cartagena Chamber of Commerce currently offers fully virtual SAS incorporation, and we will not guess. Check its official site (cccartagena.org.co) or write to us at hola@formaliza.co: we will confirm the path before you pay or file.
Approximate fees
Mercantile registration for a small SAS: roughly COP $75,000 to $120,000, formula-based on declared assets. RUES form: about COP $4,300. DIAN tax ID registration: free. Confirm the exact amount in your Chamber's official calculator before filing.
Cámara de Comercio de Cartagena ↗Verified as of August 2026
Frequently asked questions about forming a SAS in Cartagena
Do I need a notary to form a SAS in Cartagena?+
Not in the vast majority of cases: a SAS is formed by private document. Only if a partner contributes real estate as capital does that specific contribution require a public deed.
Does my tourism business need anything beyond the SAS?+
It may need sector-specific registrations, such as the National Tourism Registry. They are separate from incorporation; confirm them with your Chamber or your accountant.
How much does it cost to form a SAS in Cartagena?+
Official fees depend on declared assets: registration of roughly COP $75,000 to $120,000 for a small SAS, plus the RUES form (about COP $4,300); the tax ID is free. The Cartagena Chamber confirms the exact amount; the Formaliza package is separate.
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