Laws in Colombia
How Colombia is classified on 36 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Euthanasia
- Euthanasia legal Active voluntary euthanasia is legal for terminally ill and non-terminal patients in Colombia.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
- Surrogacy
- Unregulated Colombia has no clear rules regarding surrogacy, relying on natural childbirth laws and paternity lawsuits.
- Organ Donor Consent
- Opt-out (presumed consent) Colombia introduced an opt-out policy in 2017 where all people are presumed donors.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Banking ban / restricted Cryptocurrency is legal to hold but banks are barred from handling it.
Daily Life
- Drinking in Public
- Legal Public drinking is legal after the Supreme Court struck down ordinances that had banned it.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban Colombia requires all indoor workplaces and public places to be smoke-free.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Colombia banned the testing and commercialization of cosmetics on animals in 2020.
- Dog Meat
- Banned Dog meat consumption is illegal nationwide.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 14–15 The age of consent is 14.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal and regulated in Colombia, limited to designated tolerance zones.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available, including unilaterally without fault.
- Non-Binary Recognition
- Limited recognition Colombia recognizes non-binary gender via court orders and mandates government facilitation, but lacks a general legal framework.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Same-sex couples can jointly petition to adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned Private and public schools are banned from using physical abuse, though applicability to indigenous communities is unclear.
- Military Conscription
- Active conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Decriminalized Recreational possession is decriminalized — a fine at most, not a criminal offence.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- E-Cigarettes
- Legal / lightly regulated E-cigarettes are legal, subject to an age limit.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.