Abstract Introduction Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common type of cancer in the world. In Latin America, data on HCN are limited by the scarcity of population‐based cancer registries. Objective To describe survival and changes in the time trends of incidence and mortality rates of HCN with data from the Cali Cancer Population Registry (Colombia) during 1962‐2018. Method Males and females of any age residing in Cali were included. The trends in incidence rates (1962‐2016) and mortality (1984‐2018) were analysed by calculating the mean annual percentage change (APC). Five‐year net survival was estimated for the four 5‐year periods of 1996‐2015 using the Pohar‐Perme method. Results During 1962‐2015, 5,110 new cases of HNC were recorded: 1,506 in the larynx, 1,377 in the oral cavity, 487 in the nose and paranasal sinuses, 643 in the oropharynx, 603 in the salivary glands and 360 in Naso‐Hypopharynx region. The incidence rates of HNC decreased significantly at all subsites, except in those associated with the human papillomavirus. Between 1984 and 2018, there were 1,941 deaths attributed to HNC, and the mortality rate decreased significantly. The 5‐year age‐standardized net survival was 43.2% in 1996‐2000, remained stable during the following decade, and for 2011‐2015 it was 50.9%. Conclusion The incidence and mortality of HNC in Cali decreased significantly during the study period in both sexes.