City guide
Forming a SAS in Medellín
In Medellín and in more than 100 Antioquia municipalities, the Cámara de Comercio de Medellín para Antioquia (CCMA) runs a virtual SAS filing tool. Together with Bogotá, it is the other place where we have confirmed fully virtual filing: here is what it covers, what to check, and what comes after registration.
Your Chamber of Commerce
Cámara de Comercio de Medellín para Antioquia
Virtual filing confirmedVirtual SAS filing tool: covers Medellín plus 100+ Antioquia municipalities.
Covers: Medellín, Bello, Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, Rionegro, Guarne +100…
CCMA ↗The steps in Medellín
- 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 Medellín para Antioquia
100% onlineVirtual filing confirmed. Virtual SAS filing tool: covers Medellín plus 100+ Antioquia municipalities. During registration you complete the mercantile registration, the RUES form, and the tax-responsibilities annex (Anexo de responsabilidades tributarias); the old separate Pre-RUT step no longer exists. Approximate fees for a small SAS: registration ≈ COP $75,000 to $120,000 (formula-based on declared assets) + RUES form ≈ COP $4,300. Check the exact amount in your Chamber's official calculator.
- 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.
What the CCMA virtual filing tool covers
The CCMA does not serve only Medellín: its virtual SAS filing tool covers Medellín and more than 100 Antioquia municipalities, including Bello, Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, Rionegro, and Guarne. So the first step is confirming that your company's main domicile falls within that coverage. In the checklist you can choose your municipality on the first question, or "Another Antioquia municipality" if it is not listed.
As of August 2026, this is what we verified: virtual SAS filing with the CCMA. As in any city, the NIT/RUT with DIAN is finalized online and the bank account requires in-person or video validation. If you doubt your municipality's coverage, write to us before filing.
The same process with different domiciles
Two partners who live in Envigado and work in Medellín need to decide which will be the company's main domicile. Both municipalities are within the CCMA's coverage, so the flow is the same, but the domicile will be written into the bylaws and the certificate of existence and legal representation. Pick the one you will actually use. The bylaws must also state each shareholder's domicile, so have that data ready.
Common mistakes when forming a SAS in Antioquia
The ones that repeat most, and how to avoid them:
- Not checking the name in RUES nationwide. A name that is free in Antioquia may be registered elsewhere, and the Chamber rejects the filing.
- Not having the legal representative's ID issue date at hand. Chamber virtual tools usually ask for it to validate the electronic signature.
- Declaring a capital that does not match what the shareholders will actually contribute. There is no minimum capital, and the registration fee is formula-based on declared assets.
- Assuming a real-estate contribution changes nothing. It is the only case that requires a public deed, only for that contribution, and it changes the Chamber step.
- Going to the bank without asking about the minimum opening deposit, which ranges from COP $0 (Davivienda/DAVIbank) and COP $100,000 (Bancolombia) up to COP $5,000,000 (BBVA).
From registration to operating: what comes next
Once the registration is approved come the NIT/RUT with DIAN (free, typically 1 to 2 more business days), the bank account with the certificate of existence and legal representation, and e-invoicing enablement. If you will hire from day one, before the first employee you must register the company with an ARL and enroll the worker in health, pension, and the family compensation fund. The checklist with Medellín preselected builds that sequence from your answers, and the pricing shows which package adds your generated bylaws.
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.
CCMA ↗Verified as of August 2026
Best times to avoid queues
We do not have our own data for this city yet. As general guidance, weekday mornings tend to be quieter than end of month. We will refine this with real client feedback.
We update this with real feedback from our clients.
Frequently asked questions about forming a SAS in Medellín
Which municipalities does the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia cover?+
Medellín and more than 100 Antioquia municipalities, including Bello, Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, Rionegro, and Guarne. If yours is not on that list, choose "Another Antioquia municipality" in the checklist or write to us to confirm.
Can I form a SAS in Medellín without going to the Chamber?+
Yes, through the CCMA's virtual SAS filing tool, which is the path we verified as of August 2026. Check in the checklist whether your case adds in-person steps, for example a real-estate contribution.
What data should I have ready before filing with the CCMA?+
ID documents for each shareholder and the legal representative (with the issue date), the name already checked in RUES, the capital, the domicile, and the corporate purpose. In the paid packages we generate the bylaws from your answers.
How much does it cost to form a SAS in Medellín?+
The CCMA's official fees are formula-based on declared assets: for a small SAS, registration is roughly COP $75,000 to $120,000, plus the RUES form (about COP $4,300); the DIAN tax ID is free. Verify the exact amount on the CCMA's site. The Formaliza package is separate: see the pricing.
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