Social Registry of Households: why your household is already included

Every now and then a family writes to us asking where they can register for the Social Registry of Households, Because she saw on social media that without that step they're going to take away her subsidies. We have to give the same answer every time: that procedure doesn't exist. And it doesn't exist because your home is already in. Social Registry of Households This is the basis on which the Colombian government decides what aid you can access, and it's built automatically using information that other entities already have about you. What is within your control is keeping that information up to date.

What is the Social Registry of Households and who administers it?

It is an information system of the National Planning Department (DNP) It gathers socioeconomic data on the population in one place to target social spending. In the entity's own words, it serves for "targeting, designing public policies, and monitoring the living conditions of households," and contains information on all citizens and residents of Colombian territory.

Their rule of the game is in the Decree 890 of 2022, The decree, which regulated its creation, administration, and operation, is based on Articles 2, 3, and 4 of Decree Law 812 of 2020. This decree places the design and operation under the purview of the National Planning Department (DNP), through its sub-directorate of targeting and poverty. It is not managed by the Department of Social Prosperity, a mayor's office, or a private entity.

Do I have to register in the Social Registry of Households?

No. There is no registration, no form, and no deadline. The registry isn't populated by people signing up; it relies on the interoperability of administrative records where your family is already listed. If someone offers to "register" you, whether for free or for a fee, they're not doing you a favor: they're asking for your information for something that doesn't need intermediaries.

This is important for the families we support, because the fear of being left out is precisely what scams exploit. The useful question isn't "Where do I register?", but «"Do the records I'm already listed in tell the truth about my home today?"». If your family moved, grew, lost an income, or became the caretaker of an elderly person, and that hasn't been updated, the classification the State sees is still the old one.

What can you do today at the Social Window?

The citizen contact point is the DNP Social Window, which the entity defines as the digital interoperability infrastructure that connects the Sisbén IV, the Social Registry of Households, and the new income-based targeting system. From there, without paying and without intermediaries, a household can:

• Check your Sisbén score and that of each member.
• See which social programs you can access based on your group.
• Update household information when family composition or living conditions change.
• Request a survey visit if you haven't already received one; this is the way to... register in the Sisbén.
• Review the history of benefits and transfers you have already received.

These five actions are, in practice, all the real control a family has over its place in the system. That's why we emphasize the survey so much: it's the gateway, and everything else depends on it. Sisbén groups that provide access to subsidies.

What changes with the Universal Income Registry in 2026?

This is the big change of the year, and it's best to understand it without alarm. Universal Income Registry (RUI) It originated with Article 70 of Law 2294 of 2023 and classifies the population based on an estimate of individuals' and households' income, rather than solely on housing conditions and the surrounding environment. Decree 875 of 2024 It regulated that gradual transition, which comes into effect in the second half of 2026.

The Single Registry of Individuals (RUI) is built upon the existing Social Registry of Households and combines three sources: income observed in administrative records (social security contributions, withholding tax, income tax), income estimated based on socioeconomic characteristics, and self-reported information from citizens, which can be updated at least once a year. The National Planning Department (DNP) reports 55.1 million people in the registry: 12.8 million with observed income, 17.9 million with estimated income, and 18.4 million with both.

The service was so popular that on August 2, 2026, the DNP (National Planning Department) issued a notice warning of intermittent service and recommending users access it during off-peak hours. If you experience issues loading, it doesn't mean you've been logged out of the system.

Does the Sisbén disappear with the RUI?

No. We're quoting the exact words of the National Planning Department (DNP) because headlines are circulating that claim the opposite: "The Sisbén system isn't disappearing: it remains the primary source of data, now integrated within the Social Registry of Households (RSH)." The Sisbén survey continues to be the system's most important input and remains the process that depends on you.

Confusing the two has a concrete cost: families stop updating their survey believing that "it is no longer useful" and are classified with data from years ago, just when it is decided who enters the programs.

What records does your household information come from?

Here's the detail that almost no one publishes, which explains why there's no registration. According to the DNP's technical note, the registration integrates 28 databases of national entities (6 that help identify populations, 7 with socioeconomic information on households and individuals, and 15 with beneficiaries of programs and aid) plus 1,832 territorial bases built in conjunction with regional and municipal governments. Today, the DNP website reports 11.5 million registered households, more than 58 social programs, and 1,103 municipalities covered.

Source: List of administrative sources of the Social Registry of Households, technical note from the National Planning Department (Planning & Development magazine, August 2023). It is a selection of the 28 national databases.

Common mistakes we see in families

• Pay to "enroll" or to "move up a group". Neither of these services is free or managed by third parties. If someone offers you something else, it's a scam; the official process for obtaining it is the only one that exists. change group in the Sisbén.
• Let the survey expire after a move. The system continues to read the old address and composition, and that determines access to programs like the Citizen's Income requirements.
• Submit your ID card through links received via WhatsApp or Facebook. The official channel is the DNP portal; any similar domain that asks for the document number should be viewed with suspicion.

Frequently asked questions about the Social Registry of Households

How do I check if I am in the Social Registry of Households?
You can check at the DNP's Social Window using your document type and number. There's no need to create an account or pay anything.

Does the Social Registry of Households provide money?
No, it's an information system for targeting; payments are made by the entity of each program, according to the subsidy payment schedule.

Can I request that my data be corrected?
Yes. Updating and correcting information is a right, and can be done through the entity that provides the data or via the Social Services Office.

Does being on the register guarantee me a subsidy?
No. Being registered is a requirement to be considered, but each program has its own requirements, as is the case with the Mi Casa Ya requirements.

How Hepacom accompanies you

At the Hechos Para la Comunidad Foundation, we work for the right to decent housing in Colombia, And understanding this chain is part of the process: a large portion of housing subsidies are allocated based on the rankings derived from these records. A family with up-to-date information is in a position to compete; one with outdated data is not.

If you have any questions about your case, write to us at donaciones@hepacom.org or visit our website contact. We provide free guidance. Hepacom does not charge for registration nor does it manage payments for any State program.

Last updated: August 2026. Information guide. The procedure is carried out by the official entity. Always verify through the official channel: the DNP Social Registry of Households form. Hepacom does not charge or manage payments.