Speed camera fines in a Colombian rental car: who pays and when

Short answer: if a camera catches you committing an offense in a rental car in Colombia, the fine is not sent to you but to the vehicle owner, which is the rental company. It arrives weeks later, usually after you have returned the car, and the company knows who had it from the rental contract. That is why rental companies hold a deposit after drop-off.

In Colombia these camera tickets are called fotomultas. This guide explains how the process works under Colombian law, where the cameras are on the road from El Dorado Airport, and how to avoid a fine you could have avoided.

What is a fotomulta?

It is a traffic ticket issued on evidence from an automatic system —a camera— rather than from an officer on the road. In Bogotá the city’s Mobility Department calls them Cámaras Salvavidas (“lifesaver cameras”) and they run 24 hours a day, every day.

Besides speeding and running red lights, the cameras flag cars driving without valid SOAT insurance or a current technical inspection, and cars in restricted zones or time slots. The first two are the rental company’s responsibility, not yours: a proper rental car leaves with both documents valid.

Who receives the fine if the car is a rental?

The registered owner, which for a rental car is the company. Law 1843 of 2017, which regulates camera fines in Colombia, requires the traffic authority to send a copy of the ticket and its evidence to the vehicle owner within three business days of validating the offense.

The company knows who had the car at the time of the photo from the rental contract. That is why the contract records the exact pick-up and drop-off times: they decide whether the offense happened during your rental. Check them before you sign.

How long does a camera fine take to arrive?

Weeks, not minutes. Between the photo, the authority’s validation and delivery to the owner, time passes, so the fine usually shows up after the customer has returned the car, sometimes after they have left the country.

That is what the security deposit is for. At Andes Auto Rental the deposit is 30% of the rental amount, paid when you pick up the car and refunded 15 days after you return it. If there was a ticket during your rental, it is deducted from the deposit; if there was nothing, you get the full amount back.

How is it paid, and is there a discount?

Colombia’s National Traffic Code offers a discount on the fine if it is paid within set deadlines and the driver takes a traffic-rules course. The deadlines run from notification, and the notification goes to the company. Bogotá’s Mobility Department explains the procedure (in Spanish) on its page about what to do when you get a ticket.

In practice: if you know you went through a red light or past a camera too fast, say so when you return the car. It gets settled sooner, with the discount, and nothing is left pending in your name.

To check whether a person or a vehicle has outstanding traffic fines in Colombia there is SIMIT, the national traffic-fine information system.

Are there cameras on the road from El Dorado Airport?

Yes. Avenida El Dorado (Calle 26) links the airport with central Bogotá, and since September 12, 2026 it has new cameras. The Mobility Department installed 18 cameras on three corridors —NQS, Avenida de Las Américas and Avenida El Dorado—; on Calle 26 they are at Carrera 17 (eastbound to westbound) and Carrera 25 (westbound to eastbound), according to the city’s announcement.

They are the newest cameras, not the only ones. The city publishes the full list of locations on bogota.gov.co.

What are the speed limits in Colombia?

Maximums are set by Law 2251 of 2022. Any stretch can have a lower posted limit, and the sign always wins:

• Urban roads: 50 km/h maximum (about 31 mph).
• School and residential zones: up to 30 km/h.
• National and departmental highways: 90 km/h maximum.
• Divided highways designed without pedestrian crossings: up to 120 km/h.

Colombia uses kilometers per hour everywhere. If your car at home shows miles, keep that in mind the first day.

How to avoid a camera fine in a rental car

• Use a navigation app that warns about cameras and limits. The Colombian data SIM included with the rental covers this from the moment you leave the airport.
• Brake on amber; do not speed up. Red-light cameras record crossing on red, and the stop line counts.
• Ask for the last digit of the plate when you collect the car and check Bogotá’s pico y placa driving restriction for those days: driving in a restricted slot is also caught on camera.
• Keep the drop-off time in writing. A photo taken after you returned the car is not yours.

What if a traffic officer gives me the ticket?

That is a different procedure: the officer hands you the ticket on the spot and it is in your name. Ask for a copy and tell the rental company the same day. Our guide to renting a car in Colombia as a foreigner explains which documents you may be asked for at a checkpoint and why you should never offer money.

If you are collecting the car at the airport, the step-by-step is in our guide to renting a car at Bogotá airport, and the available cars, with their details, are in our fleet.