Colorado title and registration, step by step
Which forms, which fees and which deadlines. For a car bought in the state and for one you bring from another.
In Colorado the title is issued by Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (Colorado DMV). The title can be on paper or electronic, and since August 12, 2026 any party to the transaction — not just the lender — may request whichever version they prefer (§ 42-6-109(1), as amended by HB 26-1041). Before that date the law required a paper title if either party was outside Colorado or if the buyer paid entirely in cash; that requirement is gone. If the car already has a Colorado title, the county usually issues the new title the same day (§ 42-6-137(7)); if it comes from another state, the state prints it and mails it. While there is a loan, the title stays in the owner's name with the lien noted.
Where it happens. At the county Motor Vehicle office where you live, run by the County Clerk and Recorder. The state DMV handles almost no private titles. Only your own county's office can serve you. Confirm the deadline and the event that starts it for your transaction: a purchase, receipt of the signed title or a move into the state can have different rules. Late-fee information in the state sources: $25 per month, max $100.
Case 1: you bought a car in Colorado (private seller)
What the seller hands you
- The title with the transfer section completed: your name and address, sale price, date, odometer reading and the seller's signature (both owners if two names are joined by "and").
- If there was a loan: a lien release from the bank, or the lien already removed from the title.
- A bill of sale with VIN, price and signatures. You need it for the sales tax.
What you bring to the office
- The state forms (below), completed.
- The signed title and the bill of sale.
- Applicable insurance or financial-responsibility documents: Liability 25/50/15: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, $15,000 for property damage. Colorado is not a no-fault state and does not require PIP: the at-fault driver's insurer pays. Two coverages come included unless you reject them in writing: $5,000 of medical payments coverage, which pays before your health insurance, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). Do not reject them without thinking it through: the Division of Insurance estimates 15% to 20% of drivers are uninsured.
- Valid photo ID.
- Payment: title, registration, plate and sales tax if not paid yet.
Case 2: you bring a car from another state
- Everything above, plus: A car with an out-of-state title needs a physical VIN verification on form DR 2698, done by a Colorado law enforcement agency, a licensed Colorado dealer or a licensed Colorado emissions testing station. The Colorado title is processed by the state and mailed in 4 to 6 weeks.
- The original out-of-state title (or the bank's letter if it holds it for the loan).
- Tax: 2.9% state plus the city, county and special-district taxes (such as RTD, 1.1% in the Denver area) of the place where you register the car. In a private sale you pay nothing to the seller: everything is paid at the county office when you register. On a trade-in only the difference is taxed. Tax you paid in another state is credited against Colorado's.
Forms
- DR 2395 — Application for Title and/or Registration
- DR 2173 — Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale (with odometer statement)
- DR 2698 — Verification of Vehicle Identification Number (out-of-state car)
- DR 2710 — Branded Title Disclosure (seller)
- DR 2539A — Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt
Fees — confirm current amounts (Colorado DMV)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title (new, transfer or out-of-state) | $7.20 |
| Duplicate title | $8.20 |
| Lien notation on the title, plus the county recording fee | $7.20 |
| Late registration fee (after 60 days) | $25 per month, max $100 |
| Annual registration, base fee by weight: up to 2,000 lb / 2,001–4,500 lb / over 4,500 lb | $6.00 / $6.00 + $0.20 per 100 lb over 2,000 / $12.50 + $0.60 per 100 lb over 4,500 |
| Age of vehicle fee: under 7 years / 7–9 years / 10 years or older | $12 / $10 / $7 |
| Clerk hire fee (per transaction) | $4 |
| Individual temporary plate (up to 60 days), state fee | $2 |
| Specific Ownership Tax, annual: based on the car's age and original value; collected with registration | Valor gravable = 85 % del MSRP original; tasa anual: 2.10 % el primer año, 1.50 % el segundo, 1.20 % el tercero, 0.90 % el cuarto, 0.45 % del quinto al noveno, y $3 fijos del décimo año en adelante (C.R.S. § 42-3-107(9) y (10)) |
| Road safety surcharge, annual with registration, by weight: up to 2,000 lb (and motorcycles) / 2,001–5,000 lb / 5,001–10,000 lb | $16 / $23 / $28, menos $3.70 en todo periodo de registro que empiece entre el 1 de septiembre de 2025 y el 1 de septiembre de 2027 (C.R.S. § 43-4-804(1)(a)) |
| Bridge safety surcharge, annual with registration, by weight: up to 2,000 lb / 2,001–5,000 lb / 5,001–10,000 lb — the statute sets a cap, not an amount | hasta $13 / $18 / $23 (C.R.S. § 43-4-805(5)(g)) |
Amounts come from the linked state sources and can change. This guide distinguishes source checkpoints from narrow claim reviews; confirm the total for your transaction before you go. A dash means an amount has not been confirmed here.
Sales tax
2.9% state plus the city, county and special-district taxes (such as RTD, 1.1% in the Denver area) of the place where you register the car. In a private sale you pay nothing to the seller: everything is paid at the county office when you register. On a trade-in only the difference is taxed. Tax you paid in another state is credited against Colorado's.
If you sell: protect yourself
Confirm which sale notice, plate return or registration cancellation applies to your situation; keep written proof of the handover. Colorado requires no notice of sale: the seller is released from liability on handing over the car and the signed title (§ 42-3-115(4)). Keep a copy of bill of sale DR 2173. The plates belong to the seller: remove them, and they expire on transfer; they do not move to another car, except personalized or special plates. The buyer may drive for up to 36 hours with the bill of sale signed with time and date and proof of insurance, if bought on a weekend, holiday or between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.; after that a county temporary plate (up to 60 days) or registration is needed. Keep copies of the title, filed notices and handover date to answer later registration, toll or ownership questions.
Mistakes that cost
- Missing the deadline. Check the deadline and consequence for your transaction; filing periods and penalties do not all start from the same event.
- Title with cross-outs or correction fluid. Ask the issuing agency which correction or replacement document it accepts before using it.
- Buying with an "open" title (signed by a previous owner, not the person selling to you). Confirm the ownership chain and the documents the agency requires before paying.
- Showing up without in-state insurance. Confirm the insurance or financial-responsibility documents required for your situation.
Keep the records; check the official process
Sources
- Colorado DMV — Titling a Vehicle
- Colorado DMV — Expiring Temporary Tags (60 days, $25/month late fee)
- Colorado DMV — Motor Vehicle Registration Fees fact sheet
- C.R.S. 2024, Title 42 — § 42-6-110 (60 days), § 42-6-137 (title fee $7.20), § 42-3-103, § 42-3-112 (late fee), § 42-3-306 (registration fees), § 42-3-203(3) (temporary plates)
- Colorado Division of Insurance — Auto Insurance (minimum liability)
- Adams County Motor Vehicle — Private party purchase (title fee $7.20, late fee)
- Colorado Department of Revenue — Sales & Use Tax Topics: Motor Vehicle Sales (rev. July 2026); rate in C.R.S. § 39-26-106
- DR 2395 — Application for Title and/or Registration
- DR 2173 — Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale (with odometer statement)
- DR 2698 — Verification of Vehicle Identification Number (out-of-state car)
- DR 2710 — Branded Title Disclosure (seller)
- DR 2539A — Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt
This guide informs; it is not legal or financial advice, nor an offer, quote or appraisal. Every figure carries its source and date; check it is still current before you decide.