Registering a Car in CO (Arvada, Boulder: apartment, lease, car registration)

[livecontent]

My 1994 Auto, which I bought new, was registered this year for $24.92 ($21.92 Lic. Fee + $3.00 Own. Tax). It has been the same for 3 years. The car has just gone past 67,000 miles.

Some Points to consider:

1. If you buy new, buy a car that mets your minimum requirement, less cost, less tax.

2. Try to buy an used car that is several years old, driven by a little old lady or man, with low mileage.

3. Taxes go to the minimum when it is 10 years old and stays there.

4. If you have a car, use it sparingly, maintain it, and make it last so you can have good use after 10 years when it is cheap to register.

5. If you are into going to remote trailheads, buy a good reliable "beater" that does not attract attention. Too many fancy pants "yuppie" hikers, with their high priced shiny cars, found no car at the trailhead when they returned--or a car stripped of the showy and expensive wheels and tires.

6. Best suggestion, do not buy a car--it is a bad investment. Put your money into investments that tend to increase in value over time. You will have more of an ego boost with a large financial portfolia then a large fancy car.

7. Do as I do, have a car, use it when needed, but many times use public transportation, walk, use a bicycle, to extend the lifetime of the auto that owns you.

Livecontent
with simple wants and needs and increased wealth.

[mnaallen]

When my daughter moved to Denver in July '06, we also transferred the title into her name only, so did that when we got her CO plates. She drives a 2000 Focus, and I don't believe it didn't cost more than $150 total to transfer the title and get the plates. Your car will need to pass emmissions inspection in order to license it in CO. That only takes about an hour of time and something like $40 total.

Hope this helps.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by onthamove

how much does this typically cost? i know it will vary from car to car but do you all have any examples of how much it cost some of you all that moved to colorado? speciafically in jefferson or denver counites??? after you pay for the tag license and registration what does the total usually come out to be? and also is there any charge with insurance companies who will have to transfer all your payment info from out of state? any info would be greatly appreciated

Call the local county clerk's office of the county you will be living in and ask them what you need to do and how much it will cost to register your particular vehicle. You will also have to have a VIN inspection done by the local police or sheriff's department when you get to Colorado, and the vehicle will be subject to Colorado emission inspection if you are in one of the metro counties. You will also have to have proof of Colorado auto insurance when you register the vehicle. The ownership tax and registration fee is based on the age, price, and weight of the vehicle you are registering. Be forewarned, auto insurance in Colorado is often more expensive than in other states.

Once you move to Colorado, you have 30 days to register and title your vehicle there. Contrary to what another poster said about keeping his Florida plates "as long as possible," going beyond the 30 days is against the law, and is a fineable offense. I knew one particular county that had a lot of "transplants" moving in and who apparently were not registering their vehicles within the 30 days. The county officials got sick of hearing from residents who were following the law complain about all the people who weren't. So, the local police and sheriff's deputies canvassed door-to-door. At any house where they saw an out-of-state plate, they would determine if the vehicle's owner was living there and if he or she had been there over 30 days. If so, the vehicle owner was ticketed and instructed to IMMEDIATELY register the vehicle in Colorado, or face another citation. According to a friend of mine who worked in that county, several hundred citations were issued in just a few days--that in a county with about 30,000 population. Interestingly, in the course of this, the law enforcement folks found several stolen vehicles and couple of wanted felons.

[mnaallen]

What exactly is a VIN inspection? Is it some kind of physical inspection or is it more of a vehicle history trace? The reason I ask is that my daughter was not required to have any type of physical inspection of the car by local or county police. The only physical-type inspection that was done was the emmissions check.

[jazzlover]

In a VIN inspection, the police officer or sheiff's deputy physically compares the Vehicle Identification Number on the vehicle to that stated on the out-of-state title/registration. He then issues a certificate stating that the two numbers match. The county clerk will not register a vehicle that has been titled in another state without this inspection being performed and the certificate presented at time of registration.

[mnaallen]

Thanks for the explanation of VIN inspection. I went with my daughter to the DMV, and she was not required to have this done to change her registration from MN to CO. Neither did her roommate, whose car was previously registered in WI. Maybe the rules have changed since last year...or maybe it depends on what state the car is being transferred from? Hard to say.... I know they did have to have proof of insurance indicating their CO address, and pass the emmissions test. It wasn't a complicated process and I was very impressed with the efficiency of the folks at the DMV.

Don't forget also that you'll need to get a CO driver's license. We had heard horror stories of day-long waits there. Not sure if the stories were exaggerations or if we just were there on the right day and time, but it was very quick...in and out of there in 20 minutes! Need your current driver's license, social security number and proof of residence, such as a utility bill, rent receipt, etc.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by FoRuMRideR420

All you have to say is your not staying in CO you actually think there people who don't come out here for the whole winter season i bet i have my FL plates for at least a year without any problems. When I lived in Florida i had MA plates for over a year and never even got questioned. If i get fined big whoop but i HIGHLY doubt anything will happen. I see a ton of license plates from all over so i'm really not worried

Always somebody trying to "beat the system"--when all that is getting beaten is other taxpayers who have to make up the difference. And people wonder why residents start to resent transplants!

Right from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles website:

New Resident

If you have recently moved to Colorado, you must apply for a Colorado title and registration for your vehicle within 30 days from establishing Colorado residency. You will need to apply in the County Motor Vehicle Office in the county where you reside. The following documents are required:

Secure and Verifiable Identification

Your out of state title or current out of state registration.
If you are registering a gasoline powered vehicle and live in Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and parts of Adams and Arapahoe counties, you must show proof of a Colorado vehicle emissions test. Effective January 1, 2007, the basic gasoline emissions program area that consists of the counties of Larimer, Weld and El Paso no longer require emissions testing for gasoline powered vehicles. Diesel vehicles must still be inspected prior to registration in the diesel emissions program area which consists of the full counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, parts of Adams and Arapahoe, El Paso, Larimer and Weld counties.

A vehicle identification verification form (DR 2395) completed by a law enforcement officer, a licensed Colorado motor vehicle dealer or a licensed Colorado emissions testing station.

A current and accurate odometer reading.

Proof of vehicle insurance coverage (insurance card, copy of insurance policy or letter from your insurance company on the company's letterhead paper).
If a lien exits on an out of state title, the lienholder's name and address must be provided if not shown on the out of state title or registration.
Trucks weighing between 4,501 and 10,000 pounds being titled for the first time in Colorado must be accompanied by one of the following documents to certify the weight:
Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)
Valid registration or title which specifies the weight
A certified weight slip
Once you arrive at the county Motor Vehicle office, you will need to pay the title and registration fees.

Your Colorado title will be mailed to you if there are no liens filed against the vehicle. If there is a lien, the title will be mailed to the lienholder. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.


Colorado Statute is not ambiguous. Stated in Sec. 42-3-103, Colorado Revised Statutes:

(4) (a) Within thirty days after becoming a resident of Colorado, an owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered by subsection (1) of this section shall register such vehicle with the department, irrespective of such vehicle being registered within another state or country. A person who violates this paragraph (a) is subject to the penalties provided in section 42-6-139.

As to the penalty, 42-6-139 states:

(3) A person who knowingly violates any of the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, section 42-3-103 (4) (a), section 42-6-140, or any rule of the director promulgated pursuant to this part 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of five hundred dollars.

So, if people want to lie and cheat to beat the system, I guess that's up to them, but it just makes the people who follow the law pay more taxes to make up for the deadbeats.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by FoRuMRideR420

im keeping my FL plates for as long as possible......then i have a reason to drive like i dont know where im going

you have 30 days i believe to register in Colorado.

If I remember, the cost is based on the sales price of the car.

you must also find out if your year car has to have an emissions test. 25 years and older are required one test when transferring to Colorado. You get collectors plates and do not have to have it tested again, registration for collector cars are in 4 year increments. after that its a yearly test up to 93? where its bi year test, and brand new cars are exempt.

[mnaallen]

They must have done the VIN inspection at the Emissions check. That makes it convenient and one less appointment to make!

Onthemove, as for the steps to take, I'd go this route....

Get your driver's license (from the CO driver's license site):

Requirements for a New Resident with an Out-of-State License

This is a bit like a trade-in, considering you show up at a driver license office with proof of legal presence (see acceptable document list) and your Social Security number, ready to relinquish the out-of-state license. You are also required to take a vision test. If you are under 18 you will need to have an Affidavit of Liability and Guardianship signed by a parent or guardian.

Then, get proof of insurance that shows your CO address and CO DL number.

Next, get your emissions test done and make sure they also do the VIN verification:

Air Care Colorado (http://www.aircarecolorado.com/maps/network.htm - broken link)

Lastly, take all the documentation above, plus the vehicle title to the DMV and register your car. If you just get the standard plates, you'll likely get them right away. If you want vanity plates or a specialty version, such as Denver Broncos plates, they will probably take longer to get. But you'll be given a window card to show that you have registered the car.

One other thing, (and I'm merely pointing this out, not trying to be argumentative) on the vehicle registration site, the definition of establishing residency is:

You must register your vehicle (or vehicles) within 30 days of establishing Colorado residency. Residency is defined by being in-state for a string of 90 days, owning a business or being employed in the state, or just having a Colorado license in your wallet.

I interpret this to mean that you could have up to 120 days to register your car, IF you lived there 90 days without a job. Looks like the 30 day clock starts ticking once you are employed or get your DL. And realistically, since you have to have the DL first, and have to provide proof of legal presence to get that, it would seem that it would be rather tricky to get it all done within 30 days of moving! Especially if you are starting a new job and most of this has to be done during business hours. I'm certainly not saying to let it go as long as possible, or try to beat the system. Just that it will take a bit of time and planning!

This has all been good review for me, as I have a checklist of things that we will need to do when we get our house built and move out there.

[jasonhinphx]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

I got a 1995 Ford Explorer probably worth only about $3000.00, what would I be paying about to register this old hog out in Colorado?

Motor Vehicle - Frquently Asked Questions