Car Title/Registration Fees (Denver: 2015, inspection, income)

[cowboyxjon]

I've always had good luck at the Bear Valley branch in Denver. It always seems to be deserted mid-month and mid-day to the point where I drive across town specifically to go to that branch when I need something.

I've also gone to the Welton Street branch once during a lunch hour (mid-month, on a Thursday) and the line moved surprisingly quickly, though I've heard horror stories about wait times at that particular branch.

[jeepgirl27]

Originally Posted by BrianAggie95

Ok, getting ready for our move next month and I have been collecting information on all those little tidbits that are so beaurocratic....

Like getting a CO Drivers License and getting my cars titled/registered in CO.

So here is the link for you to go to to read about getting a CO Driver's License.. Department of Revenue - Division of Motor Vehicles:

DL Fees are $15.60 for a 5 year license.. ok nothing... And you have to prove residency to get one, so you either need to have a job, or have lived in CO for 90 days.

Here is the link for Vehicle Registration..
Department of Revenue - Division of Motor Vehicles:

Fees for registering a vehcile are much harder to find... as each county has some differences on this... What I donot understand is the "Specifc Ownership Fees" These fees are based on the age of the vehicle and the price when new. Now I looked up Denver County and got the following numbers:
Year of Service Rate:
1st Year 2.1%
2nd Year 1.5%
3rd Year 1.2%
4th Year .9%
5th - 9th Year .45%
10th Year and older $3.00



So let me see if I get this right. on a $30,000 car, that is say 7 years old, I have to pay $135 for this? (30,000 * .45%) Is this right? If it was new, I have to pay $630...(30,000*2.1%) whoa..... Now there is a hidden tax about CO I didn't know about.. Glad I don't buy new cars anymore.. OUCH.. is this correct?

On my 96 jeep I paid over $300 for my plates...yes I couldnt believe it.
on my 88 jeep I paid for my temp tags that were only good for 45 days $170 then for my plates after the 45 day $110....damn

[skydiverMN]

old post, but is there anything special for someone who has a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) from another state? I'm not an active commercial driver, but kept it up seeing it only cost a few extra dollars. CO costs for having a commercial driver's license?

[dallas_tx]

Originally Posted by wankel7

At least the fees are tax deductible...at least I think?

Wow. Paying an absurdly high vehicle tax, and then being thankful it can be deducted from the state taxes you also pay

Makes me thankful for zero state income tax in Texas, and car registration of about $55/year.

[Scuba n Snow]

I am trading my car in for a new car before moving my belongings to CO - does anyone know if I can just have it registered immediately in CO instead of buying the title and registration here only to transfer it shortly after. I will already have a Colorado drivers license when I buy the new car and since it will be new I assume I won't need the emissions.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by dallas_tx

Wow. Paying an absurdly high vehicle tax, and then being thankful it can be deducted from the state taxes you also pay

Makes me thankful for zero state income tax in Texas, and car registration of about $55/year.

Yeah, but then you have to live in Texas And nothing is free. They get you one way or the other. I lived in TX for two years and I think they make up the money in speeding tickets. I have never seen a state so covered in speed traps in my life!

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Scuba n Snow

I am trading my car in for a new car before moving my belongings to CO - does anyone know if I can just have it registered immediately in CO instead of buying the title and registration here only to transfer it shortly after. I will already have a Colorado drivers license when I buy the new car and since it will be new I assume I won't need the emissions.

If you buy it new and then bring it straight to CO to register it, be prepared for a couple months of hassles, phone calls, and delays. The deal is that each state has different regulations and paperwork that don't always translate well to another state's paperwork and regulations. If you buy a new car in Denver, the dealership fills out all the appropriate paperwork and submits it to your county DMV office. If you buy the car in another state, I guess you could tell them to send all the paperwork to Denver DMV (if you're moving to Denver county... you have to go to a DMV in your county of residence) but when they receive it in Denver, I guarantee they will reject it back to the dealer in your old state and want something different. You would probably need a VIN verification and they might require an emissions test (not sure on the test).

The dealer where you bought it will collect tax based on where you bought it. If I recall correctly, if the tax is lower where you bought the car, the DMV in Colorado will charge you the difference between the higher CO rate and what you paid out of state. So you can't get out of taxes.

So it can be done, but it's a huge hassle. I worked at the DMV in the mid '90s in Denver and recall people being very frustrated when trying to bring a new car in from another state.

[dallas_tx]

Originally Posted by denverian

Yeah, but then you have to live in Texas And nothing is free. They get you one way or the other. I lived in TX for two years and I think they make up the money in speeding tickets. I have never seen a state so covered in speed traps in my life!

I'm not sure about speeding tickets, but property taxes are substantially higher in Texas. That being said, the amount of home you get per dollar is also higher in Texas (i.e. the same money will, in general, buy you a nicer house).

In the end, it may be close to a wash, but I would give Texas the edge in overall tax burden. Especially if you are renting and don't own a home. I've done some comparisons on luxury single bedroom apartments between North Dallas (Plano / Richardson) and North Denver (Broomfield area), and Denver is about ~$200/month higher for a similarly equipped unit.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by dallas_tx

I'm not sure about speeding tickets, but property taxes are substantially higher in Texas. That being said, the amount of home you get per dollar is also higher in Texas (i.e. the same money will, in general, buy you a nicer house).

In the end, it may be close to a wash, but I would give Texas the edge in overall tax burden. Especially if you are renting and don't own a home. I've done some comparisons on luxury single bedroom apartments between North Dallas (Plano / Richardson) and North Denver (Broomfield area), and Denver is about ~$200/month higher for a similarly equipped unit.

Yeah, it's kind of hard to compare. I doubt if the overall burden is that different from state to state. Or maybe certain segments of the population have a lower tax burden compared to the same segment in another state. But if you have paved roads, public schools, police, etc., you're going to pay for it all one way or another. And based on the crappy roads in CO, you'd think we were a very low tax state.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by denverian

Yeah, it's kind of hard to compare. I doubt if the overall burden is that different from state to state. ....

Generally true. States like TX, FL and a few others have no state income tax, so they make it up on the real estate taxes, etc. Here in COLO, our state income tax is low, property taxes are low, and the state raises revenue by placing "fees" on many things, like car registration.

Per this 2005 data, COLO is 37th lowest, with a total state/local tax burden of 9.5%, while TX is 43rd lowest with a total state/local tax burden of 9.3% which in my opinion the difference isn't worth mentioning.

One thing about FL is the homeowners insurance on older homes (built before the most recent strengthening of building codes) can be quite high due to the hurricane hazard down there. People considering retiring to FL need to know that as it amounts to quite a high "tax" of sorts.