How much is the deposit to rent a car in Bogotá?

At Andes Auto Rental it depends on the vehicle, and we confirm it with your quote. It is paid when you pick up the car. The booking is made separately with 30% of the rental price.

Is the deposit a charge or a hold?

It is a charge: the amount leaves your account or card, and we return it 12 to 15 business days after you drop off the car.

How can I pay the deposit?

By bank transfer to Davivienda or Bancolombia, with digital wallets (Nequi, Daviplata, Dale or NuBank) or by credit card, on a card terminal or through a payment link. It can also come from someone else’s account if you send their details with the payment.

When is the deposit returned?

12 to 15 business days, counted from the business day after you return the car. That window exists because traffic tickets are sent weeks after the offence.

Do I get the full deposit back?

If you paid by bank transfer or digital wallet, you get 100% back. If you paid by credit or debit card, you get the net amount received after taxes. In both cases anything left pending from the rental is deducted.

What does the deposit cover?

The 20% deductible for theft or total loss, partial damage under 2 Colombian monthly minimum wages (SMMLV), camera fines and traffic tickets from your dates, and anything left pending for washing, tolls, parking, delivery fees, extra time, fuel or the mobility fee.

Rental

Security deposit when renting a car in Colombia: how it works

Security deposit for a rental car in Colombia: what it depends on, what it covers, how to pay and how it comes back in 12 to 15 business days.

Updated 25 September 20264 min read

Handover of keys and rental contract in front of a white Volkswagen Nivus

Short answer: at Andes Auto Rental the security deposit amount depends on the vehicle, it is paid when you pick up the car by bank transfer, digital wallet or credit card, and it comes back 12 to 15 business days after you drop it off. It is a charge, not a hold on your credit limit.

Don’t confuse it with the booking: to book, you pay 30% of the rental price. The deposit is separate and is left on pick-up day.

It is the part of renting that raises the most questions, especially among foreign travelers. This guide explains each step and the reason behind each deadline.

See the deposit page and the payment link

What the security deposit is

It is an amount the customer leaves when picking up the car and the agency returns after drop-off. It exists to cover what is not known on the day you return the car, such as traffic fines that arrive weeks later, and what insurance leaves out.

What it depends on and how to pay

Amount: depends on the vehicle. We confirm it with your quote, before you book.
When: when you pick up the car. The booking is paid separately, with 30% of the rental price.
Type of payment: a charge, not a hold on your card’s credit limit.
Bank transfer: to Davivienda or Bancolombia.
Digital wallets: Nequi, Daviplata, Dale or NuBank.
Credit card: on a card terminal or through a payment link.

If the payment comes from someone else’s account, send us along with it the source account number and bank name, the account holder’s details, and their name, ID number, phone, address and email.

What the deposit covers

The deductible for theft or total loss: full-coverage insurance covers 80% and the deposit covers the remaining 20%.
Partial damage under 2 Colombian monthly minimum wages (SMMLV). It is quoted and we let you know before deducting it.
Camera fines and traffic tickets from your rental dates.
Rental costs: washing, tolls, parking, delivery fees, extra time and fuel.
The mobility fee (pico y placa), if needed.

Only what is left pending when you return the car is deducted. Injuries to people are covered by SOAT, not by the deposit.

Why it comes back in 12 to 15 business days

In Colombia traffic tickets and camera fines are sent to the vehicle owner, which for a rental is the agency, and they don’t arrive the same day. Law 1843 of 2017 gives the authorities three business days to send a ticket after validating it, but validation and delivery take time, so the fine usually shows up after the car has been returned.

That is why the deposit is held for 12 to 15 business days, counted from the business day after drop-off: to cover those late notices. We go into detail in our guide to camera fines in a rental car. If you want to check yourself, tickets can be looked up on SIMIT with an ID number or the plate.

How much comes back and how

Paid by bank transfer or digital wallet: you get 100% of the deposit back.
Paid by credit or debit card: you get the net amount received after taxes.

We return it wherever you are: by reversing your credit card transaction, by transfer to a bank or digital wallet in Colombia, through PayPal, or by MoneyGram or a similar wire service. It can also go to someone else’s account with your prior authorization.

How to get it all back

Leave the deposit by bank transfer or digital wallet: that way 100% comes back.
Respect pico y placa and speed limits: 50 km/h on urban roads and 30 km/h in school and residential zones.
Return the car at the agreed time and with the same fuel level it had when you got it.

Questions about your deposit? Message us on WhatsApp

The figures in this guide were verified against official sources on the update date. Tolls and rates are adjusted every year.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the deposit to rent a car in Bogotá?: At Andes Auto Rental it depends on the vehicle, and we confirm it with your quote. It is paid when you pick up the car. The booking is made separately with 30% of the rental price.
Is the deposit a charge or a hold?: It is a charge: the amount leaves your account or card, and we return it 12 to 15 business days after you drop off the car.
How can I pay the deposit?: By bank transfer to Davivienda or Bancolombia, with digital wallets (Nequi, Daviplata, Dale or NuBank) or by credit card, on a card terminal or through a payment link. It can also come from someone else’s account if you send their details with the payment.
When is the deposit returned?: 12 to 15 business days, counted from the business day after you return the car. That window exists because traffic tickets are sent weeks after the offence.
Do I get the full deposit back?: If you paid by bank transfer or digital wallet, you get 100% back. If you paid by credit or debit card, you get the net amount received after taxes. In both cases anything left pending from the rental is deducted.
How is the deposit returned if I have already left Colombia?: By reversing your card transaction, by transfer to a bank or wallet in Colombia, through PayPal, or by MoneyGram or a similar wire service. It can also go to someone else’s account with your prior authorization.
What does the deposit cover?: The 20% deductible for theft or total loss, partial damage under 2 Colombian monthly minimum wages (SMMLV), camera fines and traffic tickets from your dates, and anything left pending for washing, tolls, parking, delivery fees, extra time, fuel or the mobility fee.