Colombia rewrote its police code, and Medellin felt it first
I remember when the new national police code landed on January 30, 2017. Everyone in Medellin was talking about it, mostly because nobody understood the whole thing. Colombia gave the country a six month grace period before any fines actually got charged, so both locals and visitors had time to catch up before their wallets took the hit. That window is long gone now, and the rules are very much active, so it pays to know what will actually cost you money if you push your luck.
Some of these rules sound obvious. Others surprised me the first time I heard them, especially the ones around public transport and social media. Here’s what actually made the list, and what each one runs you.
The fines that matter most for anyone spending real time here
Read through this list before your first week is over. Some of it is common sense, some of it is Medellin-specific, and a couple of these will catch you off guard.
- Pee in an alley or against a tree and expect a 736,000 COP fine if someone catches you.
- Employers can no longer require a pregnancy test before they hire you. Good law, and any employer who tries it anyway pays 160,000 COP.
- Post something on social media that damages someone’s dignity or invades their privacy and you’re on the hook for 325,328 COP. Think before you upload that video of a stranger losing it on the metro.
- Take your dog out and pick up after it, or pay 82,000 COP.
- Seniors and pregnant women always get the right of way on public transportation. Push past them or cut in front of them and it costs 80,000 COP.
- Throw a party in a residential building? Keep the volume down or it’s 328,000 COP.
- Medellin doesn’t shy away from public affection, you’ll see it everywhere in Parque Lleras and Parque Poblado. Attack anyone in the LGBT community, physically or verbally, and the fine is 657,000 COP.
- Skip a bus or metro fare and it runs you 325,000 COP.
- Call in a fake emergency and it costs 657,000 COP, plus you waste resources someone else might actually need.
- Buy a stolen phone and add 160,000 COP on top of whatever you paid for it. Phone theft is a real problem here, so skip the guy selling suspiciously cheap electronics on the street.
- Disrespect or attack a police officer and the fine jumps to 657,000 COP.
- Disturb a church, temple, cemetery, clinic, or library and it costs 328,000 COP.
- Start a fight in public and you’re paying 160,000 COP before anything else even happens.
- Physical assault on another person costs 393,440 COP.
- Cause or allow physical, verbal, psychological, or sexual abuse against someone’s will, in public or private, and the fine is 786,880 COP. This one carries real weight, and it should.
- Let your pet dig through trash bags or containers and you’re looking at 98,360 COP.
- Sexual or exhibitionist acts in public spaces cost 328,000 COP.
- Eat or smoke on the public transportation system and pay 80,000 COP.
- Damage or block station doors or buses and it costs 325,000 COP.
- Carry weapons or dangerous chemicals and the fine is 250,000 COP, on top of whatever criminal charges follow.
What this actually means once you’re living here day to day
None of this is designed to trap tourists. Most of it targets behavior that was already a problem long before the code existed: littering, noise complaints, phone theft, harassment. Treat people and public spaces with basic respect and you’ll never see a fine. The one people trip over most often is the social media rule, since a lot of visitors post first and think later. Ask before you film someone, and you’ll be fine.
It’s not a matter of where, but when. Time is precious and my time spent living and experience the cultures of this world is what I lust for. This is why I created this website, to share true, genuine experiences and not just typical touristy info. Travel, the love of coffee, and food!