CO · Expiry & renewal tracking
Don't let any linked vehicle go more than two months without documented preventive maintenance
Colombian passenger transport companies must give each vehicle preventive maintenance at least every two months, at a specialised centre and with a record per vehicle (Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013). A non-compliant company must remedy within three months or lose its licence and operating permit (Article 9).
Road passenger transport companies are responsible for carrying out, directly, the preventive maintenance of the public-service vehicles linked to their fleet, through a specialised centre and at the vehicle owner's expense (Article 2 of Resolución 315 de 2013 of the Ministry of Transport). Preventive maintenance is the series of interventions and repairs made to the vehicle to anticipate faults or defects; inspection or checking activities do not count as preventive maintenance. Corrective maintenance is carried out at any time when a fault is found (Article 3).
Preventive maintenance is performed on each vehicle in the periods set by the company, guaranteeing maintenance at least every two (2) months. The original wording of Article 3 said 'bimensual'; Resolución 378 de 2013 clarified that this was a typing error and that maintenance must take place at least every two (2) months. The company keeps a maintenance record (ficha de mantenimiento) for each vehicle, recording the interventions and repairs carried out, with day, month and year, the specialised centre and the mechanical engineer who performed them and the detail of the work; corrective interventions are listed in the same record with the company's approval. Records must follow the resolution and be kept, for every vehicle, permanently available to the inspection, surveillance and control authorities (Article 3, as clarified by Article 1 of Resolución 378 de 2013).
Decreto 1079 de 2015 contains the same duty for the Special Public Road Passenger Transport service (transporte especial): the licensed company must guarantee two-monthly preventive maintenance in a specialised centre for each linked vehicle, and corrective maintenance when needed; preventive maintenance means mechanical intervention on the vehicle, and inspections are not maintenance (Article 2.2.1.6.8.13(4)). To obtain and keep its licence in that modality the company files its inspection and preventive maintenance programme and the vehicle inspection and maintenance form in line with Resolución 315 de 2013 (Article 2.2.1.6.4.1(10)), and the programme designed by the company must be strictly followed by the vehicle owner whatever the form of fleet linkage (Article 2.2.1.6.8.10). Independently of maintenance, all passenger, freight and mixed transport companies carry out a daily readiness check (alistamiento) of each vehicle between the last dispatch of the day and the first of the next (Article 4 of Resolución 315 de 2013). The annual technical-mechanical inspection and the operation card are separate obligations with their own rules.
At a glance
| What it is | Interventions and repairs to anticipate faults; inspections and checks do not count (Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013) |
|---|---|
| Minimum frequency | Every two (2) months per vehicle, in periods set by the company (Article 3, as clarified by Resolución 378 de 2013) |
| Who does it | The transport company, directly, through a specialised centre and at the owner's expense (Article 2) |
| Proof | Maintenance record per vehicle: date, specialised centre, mechanical engineer and detail of work; corrective interventions too (Article 3) |
| Retention | Each vehicle's record permanently available to inspection, surveillance and control authorities (Article 3) |
| Special transport | Two-monthly preventive maintenance in a specialised centre for each linked vehicle (Article 2.2.1.6.8.13(4) of Decreto 1079 de 2015) |
| Readiness check | Daily, between the last dispatch of the day and the first of the next, for passenger, freight and mixed companies (Article 4 of Resolución 315 de 2013) |
| If not met | Demand to remedy within three months, then cancellation of the licence and operating permit under Article 48 of Ley 336 de 1996 (Article 9) |
Resolución 315 de 2013 is addressed to road passenger transport companies (Articles 2 and 3); Article 8 extends its duties to authorised private school transport. Other modalities follow the licensing rules of their own chapter of Decreto 1079 de 2015.
Who is responsible?
The licensed transport company: it must carry out preventive maintenance directly, contract the specialised centre and keep each vehicle's record (Articles 2 and 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013). The owner bears the cost and, in special transport, must strictly follow the maintenance programme designed by the company, under both the full-administration and the affiliation contract (Article 2.2.1.6.8.10 of Decreto 1079 de 2015). The company may not receive any economic benefit from the choice of specialised centre (Article 3, paragraph).
If the deadline passes
If a vehicle goes more than two months without preventive maintenance or without a record proving it, the company breaches a safety condition of its licence. The Ministry of Transport, with the Transport Superintendence, may check at any time whether the company still meets the conditions on which its licence and permit were granted; if not, it is required to remedy the shortfall within the following three (3) months and, once that period has passed, the licence and operating permit are cancelled under Article 48(a) and (g) of Ley 336 de 1996 (Article 9 of Resolución 315 de 2013). In special transport, guaranteeing two-monthly maintenance is one of the licensed company's obligations (Article 2.2.1.6.8.13 of Decreto 1079 de 2015). A vehicle repaired on the road in an emergency may not continue the service, and the company must provide a replacement, except for a puncture (Article 5).
'Bimensual' meant every two months
Resolución 315 de 2013 spoke of 'bimensual' maintenance; nine days later Resolución 378 de 2013 clarified that the minimum is one maintenance every two (2) months, and Decreto 1079 de 2015 uses the word 'bimestral'. Records must reflect that rhythm per vehicle, not per fleet: each vehicle has its own date.
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add each linked vehicle as a record, with its plate, and enter as the expiry date the day two months after the last preventive maintenance written in its record.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day; in a two-month cycle the 30-day reminder marks the halfway point and the 14-day one leaves time to book the specialised centre.
- The specialised centre or fleet coordinator can upload the updated maintenance record through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account; then move the date forward by two months.
- Assign the operations or road-safety team as responsible; if the date passes with no maintenance recorded, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later, before the vehicle builds up time out of compliance.
Frequently asked questions
- How often must preventive maintenance be done?
- At least every two (2) months per vehicle, in the periods set by the company (Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013, as clarified by Article 1 of Resolución 378 de 2013).
- Does an inspection count as preventive maintenance?
- No. Preventive maintenance consists of interventions and repairs to anticipate faults; inspection or checking activities cannot be treated as such (Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013). Decreto 1079 de 2015 repeats that inspections are not maintenance (Article 2.2.1.6.8.13(4)).
- What must the maintenance record contain?
- The interventions and repairs carried out, with day, month and year, the specialised centre and mechanical engineer who performed them and the detail of the work; also corrective interventions with date, centre, technician, detail and the company's approval (Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013).
- Who pays for maintenance?
- The company carries it out directly through a specialised centre, at the vehicle owner's expense (Article 2 of Resolución 315 de 2013).
- Does the record replace the technical-mechanical inspection?
- No. The technical-mechanical and emissions inspection is a separate obligation, which the passenger company must arrange directly for its linked vehicles through the diagnostic centre it selects (Article 1 of Resolución 315 de 2013).
Sources
- Resolución 315 de 2013 of the Ministry of Transport, Articles 2, 3, 4 and 9 (Régimen Legal de Bogotá, District Legal Secretariat; in Spanish)
- Resolución 378 de 2013 of the Ministry of Transport, clarifying Article 3 of Resolución 315 de 2013 (Régimen Legal de Bogotá, District Legal Secretariat; in Spanish)
- Decreto 1079 de 2015, Single Regulatory Decree of the Transport Sector, Articles 2.2.1.6.4.1, 2.2.1.6.8.10 and 2.2.1.6.8.13 (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo; in Spanish)
Last checked: Oct 14, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for preventive maintenance record, every two months (Colombia)
A ready template for preventive maintenance record, every two months (Colombia) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each preventive maintenance record, every two months (Colombia) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each preventive maintenance record, every two months (Colombia) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.