The Right of Petition in Colombia 2026: Deadlines and Format
## What is the right of petition?
The right of petition (derecho de petición) is enshrined in article 23 of the Colombian Constitution and regulated by Law 1755 of 2015. It allows anyone to submit requests to public authorities, or to certain private parties, and receive a substantive response.
It's free, doesn't require a lawyer, and can be filed in writing, verbally, or electronically.
Response deadlines
| Type of petition | Deadline |
|---|---|
| General petition | 15 business days |
| Documents and copies | 10 business days |
| Public information | 10 business days |
| Consultations with authorities | 30 business days |
If the agency can't respond within that deadline, it must notify you before the deadline expires and explain why. The extension is capped at 15 additional days.
Who can I file a right-of-petition request with?
- Public entities: always (Ministries, mayor's offices, governor's offices, the DIAN, public EPS health insurers, etc.)
- Private parties providing public services: EPS health insurers, public utility companies, banks (in their capacity as service providers)
- Private organizations regarding fundamental rights or collective interests
How to draft it correctly
An effective right-of-petition request should include:
- City and date
- Dear [title and name of the recipient at the entity]
- Identification of the petitioner: name, ID number, address, and phone number
- Purpose: "Through this document, exercising the right of petition enshrined in article 23 of the Constitution and Law 1755 of 2015, I hereby request..."
- Facts: a clear, concise account of the situation
- The specific request: exactly what you're asking for (information, a response, an action)
- Notification details: the email or address where you'll receive the response
- Signature
If they don't respond within the deadline
The agency's silence has consequences:
- A tutela for violation of the right of petition: judges grant tutelas for failure to respond. The ruling requires a response within 48 hours.
- Positive administrative silence: in some cases, silence in response to a request amounts to acceptance of it (article 83 of the CPACA, the Administrative Procedure Code).
- A disciplinary complaint: if the responsible official failed in their duties.
Requesting documents
Everyone has the right to access public documents. An agency can deny access only in cases involving: - Documents classified for national security reasons - Third parties' personal data protected by law - Confidentiality expressly established by law
If an agency improperly denies access to documents, a tutela action is available.
Has a public agency or company gone weeks without responding to you? Drafting the right-of-petition request correctly and following up can break the deadlock. We can guide you.
El asistente jurídico digital de Jurídiconline analiza tu situación específica. La revisión inicial es gratuita.
