What is Pico y Placa in Medellín in 2026?
It is a driving restriction on private vehicles based on the last digit of the plate. Since 3 August 2026 it applies Monday to Friday, from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., continuously, in Medellín and the other municipalities of the Aburrá Valley.
Which plates does it apply to?
- Monday: plates ending in 5 and 8
- Tuesday: plates ending in 1 and 4
- Wednesday: plates ending in 0 and 2
- Thursday: plates ending in 3 and 6
- Friday: plates ending in 7 and 9
Are rental cars exempt?
No. The restriction applies to all private vehicles, whether owned or rented. However, hybrid and electric cars are exempt under the current rules.
If you're visiting, this is the local rule most likely to derail a day of your trip. The good news is that it's predictable and easy to plan around.
Hours and rotation in force since 3 August 2026
Hours: Monday to Friday, between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Outside that window — at night, in the early morning, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays — you can drive with any plate. This rotation runs until 29 January 2027.
| Day | Restricted last digit (private and official cars) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 5 and 8 |
| Tuesday | 1 and 4 |
| Wednesday | 0 and 2 |
| Thursday | 3 and 6 |
| Friday | 7 and 9 |
Two details that often cause confusion:
- Private and official cars: the last digit of the plate counts.
- Two- and four-stroke motorcycles: the first digit counts, on those same days.
The rotation changes every semester by municipal decree, precisely so the restriction doesn't always fall on the same drivers. If your trip is after the next change, check the current calendar on the Medellín city or Mobility Secretariat website before setting out.
Why Pico y Placa exists in the Aburrá Valley
It's a traffic and air-quality measure: on each working day, vehicles whose plate ends in certain digits are barred from circulating. In the Aburrá Valley there's an extra reason — geography. The valley is hemmed in by mountains, and in March and October pollution builds up, which tends to tighten the measure temporarily.
The restriction applies in Medellín and the other municipalities of the metropolitan area with the same rotation and the same hours.
How to check whether your rental car is restricted
- Look at the last digit of the vehicle's plate — it's on the contract and on the car — and find it in the table above.
- Keep the window in mind: 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
- Check whether a special air-quality measure is active, typically in March and October.
When arranging delivery you can simply ask which digit the plate you'll be assigned ends in. It's information given freely, and it lets you organise your week before you arrive — or request a vehicle whose digit doesn't clash with your critical day.
Fines for breaking Pico y Placa in Medellín
Driving on your restricted day and window is a type C offence under Colombia's National Traffic Code (article 131, section C, item 14). On top of the fine, the vehicle can be impounded, which means tow truck and pound costs charged to the driver.
How much is the fine in 2026?
The penalty equals 15 daily legal minimum wages: about 875,452 COP in 2026, not counting the tow and pound days if the vehicle is impounded. The amount is updated every year with the minimum wage.
Where can you pay the fine?
In Medellín you can pay online through the Mobility Secretariat's Movilidad en Línea platform or at its service offices. If you take the road-safety course at a Comprehensive Service Centre (CIA) authorised by RUNT, you get a discount: 50% if the course and payment are completed within 5 business days of a ticket issued by an officer (or 11 business days from notification for a camera ticket), and 25% in the following 15 days.
If the car is a rental
There are two scenarios:
- If an officer stops you: the ticket is issued against the driver. You pay, plus the tow and pound costs, plus the lost time.
- If it's a camera ticket: it arrives against the plate, meaning in the owner's name. The agency passes it to whoever was driving on that date, and it's deducted from the deposit.
That's the direct link to your money: camera tickets are the reason the deposit is released after 8 business days rather than on the day you hand the car back. The full detail is in how the deposit and camera tickets work.
Exceptions and exempt vehicles
Do hybrid and electric cars have Pico y Placa?
No. Hybrid and electric vehicles are exempt from Pico y Placa in Medellín, provided that status appears on the vehicle registration and in RUNT; the exemption is automatic. If you're staying several days and need to drive every day without thinking about the plate, renting a hybrid solves the problem outright.
It is, in fact, the strongest argument for that category on longer stays: you get the fuel saving on the valley's hills plus freedom of movement. You can see which hybrid cars are available for rent and compare.
Are diplomatic vehicles exempt?
The decree's exceptions include official representation and national-security vehicles, which carry official or diplomatic plates. A rental car has a private plate, so this exception doesn't apply even if the driver is a diplomat: on its digit's day, the car has Pico y Placa.
Other common exceptions are emergency and home-healthcare vehicles, vehicles carrying perishable food, armoured vehicles of level 3 or above, hearses and vehicles transporting people with disabilities that have been registered in advance. In addition, in Medellín the restriction doesn't apply on some roads, such as Avenida Regional, Autopista Sur, the Las Palmas road and the rural districts (corregimientos).
Pico y Placa in neighbouring municipalities
The Aburrá Valley is ten conurbated municipalities — Medellín, Bello, Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta, La Estrella, Caldas, Copacabana, Girardota and Barbosa — and in the second half of 2026 they all apply the same rotation and the same hours. Exempt roads, however, are set by each municipality.
Outside the valley there is no Pico y Placa: the roads to Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia, the Suroeste and José María Córdova airport are all clear. Which makes restricted days, ironically, the best days to leave the city.
How to plan your week around it
- Schedule your highway trips on your restricted day. Leave early, return late, and the rule never touches you.
- Use the free windows: before 5:00 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m. Setting off at 4:30 a.m. for Guatapé or Santa Fe is perfectly legal even on your day.
- Weekends and holidays: no Pico y Placa for private vehicles. Colombia has a lot of public holidays; check the calendar.
- If your plan is 100% urban and Monday to Friday, consider a hybrid from the outset.
- Coordinate your delivery date with the plate in mind: when booking you can ask for a vehicle whose digit doesn't clash with your key day.
With a little planning, the restriction stops being a problem and becomes just another line in the itinerary — like the weather or the tolls. If you're filling those days with outings, the list of things to do with the car helps you organise them.
Before you rent
Three practical facts: the minimum rental is 48 hours, delivery within the Aburrá Valley is free, and the deposit is 2,000,000 COP for mid-range and 2,500,000 COP for high-end vehicles. If you'll be driving in the city for the first time, it's worth reading these tips for driving in Medellín, and if it's your first rental in Colombia, the guide to renting a car covers the whole process. You can see full availability for car rental in Medellín before deciding.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the Pico y Placa in Medellín today?
Since 3 August 2026 the rotation for private and official cars, by the last digit of the plate, is: Monday 5 and 8; Tuesday 1 and 4; Wednesday 0 and 2; Thursday 3 and 6; Friday 7 and 9. For two- and four-stroke motorcycles the first digit of the plate applies on those same days.
Can I drive if my plate ends in an even number on odd days?
In Medellín, Pico y Placa doesn't work by even and odd numbers or even and odd dates: each weekday, two fixed digits are restricted (Monday 5 and 8; Tuesday 1 and 4; Wednesday 0 and 2; Thursday 3 and 6; Friday 7 and 9). Your car can drive every weekday except the one matching its last digit.
What hours does Pico y Placa apply in Medellín?
Monday to Friday, between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Outside that window, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, there is no restriction for private vehicles.
Does Pico y Placa apply to rental cars in Medellín?
Yes. The restriction goes by the last digit of the plate, regardless of whether the vehicle is private, rented or from another city. There is no exemption for tourists or for rental vehicles.
How much is the Pico y Placa fine in Medellín?
The penalty equals 15 daily legal minimum wages — about 875,452 COP in 2026 — and can include impoundment of the vehicle, with tow and pound costs charged to the driver.
Do hybrid cars have Pico y Placa in Medellín?
No. Hybrid and electric vehicles registered as such in RUNT are exempt from the restriction, which makes them the best option for longer stays where you need to drive every day.
How often does the digit rotation change?
Every semester, by municipal decree, so the restriction doesn't always fall on the same drivers. The current rotation runs from 3 August 2026 to 29 January 2027.
Is there Pico y Placa at weekends?
It doesn't apply to private vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. Colombia has plenty of public holidays, so check the calendar if your trip falls on a long weekend.
What if I get a camera ticket after returning the car?
It arrives against the plate, in the owner's name, and is passed to whoever was driving on that date. That's why the deposit is released after 8 business days: it's the time the system takes to reflect those infractions.
Does Pico y Placa apply on the road to the airport?
No. The restriction operates inside the Aburrá Valley, and the Las Palmas road is exempt. The roads to José María Córdova, Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia and the Suroeste are clear once you leave the valley.
