How to Choose Licensed Special Ground Transportation in Colombia: 2026 Checklist

The operating license (habilitacion) is the authorization granted by Colombia's Ministry of Transport to a legal entity to provide Special Public Ground Motor Transportation Service. Without it, a company simply has no legal right to carry passengers under this modality.

This concept is regulated in Chapter 6, Title 1, Part 2, Book 2 of Decree 1079 of 2015, also known as the Single Regulatory Decree for the Transport Sector. The license is neither permanent nor automatic: the Ministry, together with the Superintendency of Ports and Transport, can verify at any time whether the company maintains the conditions that gave rise to the authorization, in accordance with Resolution 315 of 2013.

For the contracting party, the operating license represents the first line of defense. A licensed company has demonstrated to the competent authority that it possesses the legal, financial, technical, and operational structure to transport people safely. If you hire an unlicensed company, you not only expose your employees to physical risks, but legal liability falls directly on your organization in the event of an accident.

The license covers three main contract objects within the special modality: school transport, corporate transport, and tourism transport. Each has its own particularities, but all share the obligation to comply with the base regulations.

Decree 1079 of 2015 compiles all transport sector regulations in Colombia. For special transportation purposes, the most relevant articles are found in Chapter 6 and establish the following pillars:

Licensing requirements. The company must submit a formal application to the competent Territorial Directorate of the Ministry of Transport, proving its principal domicile, organizational structure, audited financial statements, vehicle replacement program, and an approved Strategic Road Safety Plan (PESV).

Transport capacity. Decree 478 of 2021 modified the rules on operational and global transport capacity. The company must demonstrate financial sustainability and submit a vehicle deployment plan justifying each registered vehicle. Additionally, it must prove ownership of at least 10% of the total vehicles that make up its operational capacity.

Decision period. Once the application is filed, the authority has up to 90 business days to resolve it. This means the license results from an exhaustive review, not a fast-track procedure.

FUEC obligation. Each service must be covered by the Unique Contract Extract Form (FUEC), a document that contractually and legally links the vehicle, the driver, and the company to the specific contracted service. Without a FUEC, the vehicle operates illegally.

Ongoing verification. The Superintendency of Ports and Transport can audit the company at any time. If it finds that licensing conditions have lapsed, it can require correction within three months or initiate a sanctioning process that can lead to license cancellation.

These pillars are not theoretical. They are the same criteria that transit authorities apply during highway enforcement operations and that the Superintendency reviews in its document audits.

Before signing any special transport contract, validate these 10 points with documentary evidence:

1. Valid operating license resolution. Request a copy of the resolution issued by the Ministry of Transport. Verify it has not been suspended or canceled by checking with RUNT or the Superintendency of Ports and Transport.

2. Active tax ID and consistent corporate purpose. The Chamber of Commerce certificate of existence and legal representation must include special passenger transport within its corporate purpose.

3. Authorized operational transport capacity. Confirm that the company has approved operational capacity and that the vehicles offered are part of that capacity. A vehicle not formally registered is an illegal vehicle.

4. Valid operating card for each vehicle. This document, issued by the Ministry of Transport, certifies that the vehicle is authorized to operate under the special modality. It is valid for two years and must be renewed.

5. Current mandatory insurance (SOAT) and vehicle inspection. Both documents must be valid at the time of service. A vehicle without valid SOAT compromises coverage in any accident.

6. Contractual and extra-contractual liability insurance policies. The company must have policies covering transported passengers. Verify amounts, validity periods, and that the insurer is duly registered with the Financial Superintendency.

7. Registered Strategic Road Safety Plan (PESV). Under Law 1503 of 2011 and Resolution 40595 of 2022 from the National Road Safety Agency, every transport company must have its PESV formulated, implemented, and registered. Request evidence of registration.

8. Drivers with appropriate license category and special transport certification. Drivers must hold a valid license in the category corresponding to the vehicle type. Additionally, verify that the company conducts document checks, medical exams, and breathalyzer tests.

9. Documented preventive maintenance program. Resolution 315 of 2013 requires companies to have their own preventive inspection and maintenance program for their entire fleet. Request the schedule and maintenance logs.

10. Systematic FUEC issuance. Each service must have its FUEC issued before the trip begins, with complete contract, vehicle, driver, origin, and destination data. Demand a copy for every service.

If your provider cannot demonstrate all of these points, you are facing a risk you should not assume.

In Colombia's special transport market, informal operators offer attractive rates but lack the legal structure to operate. These are the most common red flags:

No operating license presented. If the provider avoids the request, makes excuses, or presents an expired document, discard them immediately. The license is public and verifiable.

Vehicles with private plates. Special transport vehicles must have public service plates (white background). A vehicle with private plates has no operating card and is not registered with any licensed company.

No FUEC issued or issued manually and irregularly. The FUEC has a standardized format defined by Resolution 3068 of 2014 and subsequent amendments. If the provider does not deliver it, fills it in by hand without a consecutive number, or cannot generate it in their system, it is a clear sign of informality. We recommend reading our article on the FUEC and its legal importance for more details.

Drivers without corporate identification. A serious company identifies its drivers with a uniform or credential, maintains a record of their documents, and can provide assigned driver details before the service.

Quotes without invoices or contracts. Special transport is a public service provided under a contract. If your provider only charges in cash, does not issue invoices, or does not formalize the contractual relationship, they are operating outside the law.

Complete absence of insurance or policies with minimal coverage. Ask directly about liability policies. A provider that cannot show them probably does not have them.

Promises of unlimited availability without fleet backing. If they offer 50 vehicles but cannot prove they are registered in their operational capacity, they may be subcontracting informal vehicles to meet demand. This transfers the risk to you as the contracting party. To understand the legal consequences of hiring informal transport, see our article on the risks of hiring unauthorized transportation.

The Unique Contract Extract Form (FUEC) is the document that covers each individual special transport service. It was adopted through Resolution 3068 of 2014 and subsequently adjusted by Resolution 6652 of 2019. Verifying it correctly is one of the most effective actions you can take as a contracting party.

Step 1: Request the FUEC before the trip. The document must be generated and available before the vehicle starts its route. Never accept a FUEC delivered after the service.

Step 2: Verify the contracting party's data. The FUEC must indicate the contracting company's name or legal name, tax ID, and contract purpose. Confirm these match your framework contract.

Step 3: Confirm the vehicle data. Plate number, brand, model, class, and internal number must correspond to the vehicle that actually arrives to provide the service. If the vehicle differs from the one registered in the FUEC, the document loses validity.

Step 4: Validate the driver information. Full name, ID number, and driver's license number must be recorded. The driver operating the vehicle must be the same person listed in the FUEC.

Step 5: Check the consecutive number and validity. Each FUEC has a unique consecutive number assigned by the transport company. The validity must cover the entire period of the contracted service.

Step 6: Verify origin and destination. The FUEC must specify the authorized route. A service operating outside the registered origin-destination is outside regulatory coverage.

Step 7: Check online when possible. Some technology platforms and the Ministry of Transport's own system allow validation of FUEC authenticity. Use these resources to confirm the document has not been forged.

The FUEC is not a bureaucratic formality; it is proof that the service is legally constituted. An accident occurring without a valid FUEC leaves passengers and the contracting party in a situation of total legal vulnerability.

At Transportes Ejecutivos, we operate under a non-negotiable premise: full regulatory compliance is the foundation of any reliable special transport service.

Valid operating license from the Ministry of Transport. Transportes Ejecutivos holds a current operating license resolution to operate in the Special Public Ground Motor Transportation modality. This document is available for client review at any time.

Registered fleet with operating cards. Every vehicle in our fleet is formally registered within our operational transport capacity and has a valid operating card, current SOAT, and approved vehicle inspection.

Systematically issued FUEC. We generate the Unique Contract Extract Form for every service through our management system, ensuring traceability, valid consecutive numbers, and compliance with Resolution 3068 of 2014.

Current liability insurance policies. Our passengers are protected by contractual and extra-contractual liability policies with coverage exceeding legal minimums, issued by recognized insurers registered with the Financial Superintendency.

Implemented and registered PESV. Our Strategic Road Safety Plan is formulated, implemented, and registered in accordance with National Road Safety Agency regulations, including fatigue management protocols, breathalyzer testing, continuous training, and preventive maintenance.

Professional, verified drivers. All our drivers hold valid licenses in the corresponding category, undergo periodic medical exams, evaluated driving tests, and continuous training in road safety and customer service.

Nationwide coverage with the same standard. We operate in over 40 Colombian cities maintaining the same level of regulatory compliance in each one. Whether it is an executive transfer in Bogota, a tourism service in Cartagena, or a corporate transport in Medellin, our clients have the certainty that every point on this checklist is met.

When you hire Transportes Ejecutivos, you are not just hiring a vehicle with a driver. You are hiring legal peace of mind, protection for your passengers, and the backing of a company that understands that the operating license is not a minor requirement but the foundation of a serious transport service.