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Old 05-13-2009, 04:04 PM
 
56 posts, read 191,594 times
Reputation: 20

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Hey everyone.

I am moving in about 2 weeks from Arizona to Denver to start a graduate program at the Fitzsimons medical campus. I need to get a CO driver's license as well as my car registered in CO so I can start establishing my CO residency for tuition purposes.

My questions are:
1. Do I have to live in CO for a certain period of time before they will give me a CO license?

2. Can I go to any DMV to get this paperwork done, or does it have to be in my county? (I am living right near the campus in Adams county)

3. Do you recommend a certain DMV office in my area?


Any special tips or recommendations on how to get through this process smoothly? I have tried to research these questions online but everything seems hazy.

Thanks!!
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Old 05-13-2009, 10:05 PM
 
Location: Denver
968 posts, read 1,035,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
1. Do I have to live in CO for a certain period of time before they will give me a CO license?
Any Colorado resident can get a Colorado driver's license. You become a Colorado resident once you become employed in Colorado, or once you have resided within Colorado for 90 days. If you're here strictly for school and are not employed, you technically have to wait 90 days (I'm not sure how strictly this is enforced though)

Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
2. Can I go to any DMV to get this paperwork done, or does it have to be in my county? (I am living right near the campus in Adams county)
You have to make 2 stops - one at any DMV to get your license and a second trip to a county clerk office (the county in which you live) to register your car. No, you cannot do them at the same place.

When you go to get your license make sure to bring a birth certificate (issued by the state, not a city or county) or passport. You might also have to prove either employment in CO or residence for 90 days - I'm not sure how that works.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
3. Do you recommend a certain DMV office in my area?
They all suck. Wherever you go, I'd recommend getting there 20 to 30 minutes before they open (better than getting there mid day and waiting 2 or 3 hours).
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Old 05-13-2009, 11:39 PM
 
Location: Denver--->Atlanta--->DC
573 posts, read 2,499,968 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramanboy33 View Post
They all suck. Wherever you go, I'd recommend getting there 20 to 30 minutes before they open (better than getting there mid day and waiting 2 or 3 hours).
I usually go to the one in Parker...doesn't seem to be as much of a zoo.
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Old 05-14-2009, 01:26 AM
 
Location: Denver, CO
1,627 posts, read 4,205,513 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramanboy33 View Post
Any Colorado resident can get a Colorado driver's license. You become a Colorado resident once you become employed in Colorado, or once you have resided within Colorado for 90 days. If you're here strictly for school and are not employed, you technically have to wait 90 days (I'm not sure how strictly this is enforced though)
Does "90 days" pertain only to the state's residency definition (i.e. for purposes of voting, etc...) and not tuition residency (which would be one year of established residency if I read university information correctly?)

Residency requirements sometimes seem a bit mysterious to me so I just wanted to get clarification. Cheers.
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Old 05-14-2009, 01:47 AM
 
56 posts, read 191,594 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zenkonami View Post
Does "90 days" pertain only to the state's residency definition (i.e. for purposes of voting, etc...) and not tuition residency (which would be one year of established residency if I read university information correctly?)

Residency requirements sometimes seem a bit mysterious to me so I just wanted to get clarification. Cheers.
This is exactly my question. The school doesnt seem to care about the "90 days of living etc etc etc". From their standpoint, I am a "Resident" as soon as my CO lease starts. **However, they seem to go by the Issue date on the drivers license to determine the politically correct date as to when I have "arrived".

I am going to try the DMV when I get there and just pray I can get a license.
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Old 05-14-2009, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Denver
968 posts, read 1,035,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
This is exactly my question. The school doesnt seem to care about the "90 days of living etc etc etc". From their standpoint, I am a "Resident" as soon as my CO lease starts. **However, they seem to go by the Issue date on the drivers license to determine the politically correct date as to when I have "arrived".

I am going to try the DMV when I get there and just pray I can get a license.

Straight from the Colorado revised statute:

"'In-state student' means a student who has been domiciled in Colorado for one year or more immediately preceding registration at any institution of higher education in Colorado for any term or session for which domiciliary classification is claimed...."

It seems to me the beginning date of a lease or closing date on a real estate transaction would be the preferred way to determine when your being domiciled in Colorado began. If the tuition officer rejected this date and instead used one 90 days later from your driver's license I would appeal the decision. I'm pretty certain you'd win.

You seem to know this already, but keep in mind:

"(e) No person may establish a domicile in Colorado solely for the purpose of changing a student's classification for tuition purposes from out-of-state to in-state. Any student who is classified for tuition purposes as an out-of-state student at the time of registration at an institution and who personally or through his parent, his guardian, or the person who provides substantial support to him seeks to establish Colorado domicile while registered shall be presumed to seek to establish Colorado domicile solely for tuition purposes in the absence of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

(f) The following may be considered evidence of domicile even though no one of these criteria, if taken alone, may be considered as conclusive evidence of domicile:

(I) Employment in Colorado, other than that normally provided on a temporary basis to students by an institution of higher education or other temporary employment;
(II) Ownership of residential real property in Colorado;
(III) Graduation from a high school located in Colorado;
(IV) Continued residence in the state of Colorado during periods when not enrolled as a student or during periods between academic sessions;
(V) Acceptance of future employment in the state of Colorado;
(VI) Vehicle registration in Colorado;
(VII) Any other factor peculiar to the individual which tends to establish the necessary intent to make Colorado a permanent home;
(VIII) Voter registration in Colorado."

So if you plan on paying in-state tuition, I'd make sure to register your car here, register to vote here, and live here for a Summer outside of class.
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Old 05-14-2009, 10:42 AM
 
2,437 posts, read 8,160,012 times
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But like someone else said, not sure how strictly enforced those residency rules are. I did wait well over 90 days before going to get my new license and plates, mostly out of procrastination, but when I did finally go they did not ask me anything about employment or how long I'd been living here. They just asked me to fill out my address and other info and then had me write out a check. One thing you should know is: they'll make you go by a car dealership first to get vin verification before I could get my new plates. If you want to save some time at the DMV, you should drive by any new or used car dealer first and have them do that -- it's free -- and they don;t even seem to mind doing it.

All in all, it was a lot easier to get my new DL and Plates here than I thought it would be.... And I'm always grateful to be getting less 'stink eye' out on the road now that my CA plates are gone.
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Old 05-14-2009, 12:36 PM
 
56 posts, read 191,594 times
Reputation: 20
Thanks for the advice/input everyone!

Ramanboy:
My program is 3 years in length, with no summer vacations, so I will be here full-time without leaving except for the occasional holiday.


Treedonkey:
Do they have the VIN-Verification forms at the dealerships or do I need to print one and bring it with me? Where can I find them?

Thanks!
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Old 05-14-2009, 12:42 PM
 
2,437 posts, read 8,160,012 times
Reputation: 1532
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
Thanks for the advice/input everyone!

Ramanboy:
My program is 3 years in length, with no summer vacations, so I will be here full-time without leaving except for the occasional holiday.


Treedonkey:
Do they have the VIN-Verification forms at the dealerships or do I need to print one and bring it with me? Where can I find them?

Thanks!
The dealership I went to had them, the DMV can also give you one, or download it here:
police.colostate.edu/VIN.pdf
and print it
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Old 05-14-2009, 01:22 PM
 
Location: Denver
968 posts, read 1,035,056 times
Reputation: 367
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
Thanks for the advice/input everyone!

Ramanboy:
My program is 3 years in length, with no summer vacations, so I will be here full-time without leaving except for the occasional holiday.
Registering your car here, registering to vote in CO, and filing your 2009 taxes in the state of Colorado should be enough to appease the tuition judges.

I went to college in Oregon and while there changed everything over to Oregon registrations except that I filed my taxes in Colorado. When I moved back here, I signed up to take two evening classes at Metro just for fun and I was initially categorized as out-of-state for tuition. I protested, told them I filed my taxes in Colorado, and 2 minutes later I was paying in-state tuition. They seem to be pretty reasonable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pcollins22 View Post
Treedonkey:
Do they have the VIN-Verification forms at the dealerships or do I need to print one and bring it with me? Where can I find them?

Thanks!
You'll most likely also have to have you car emission tested (find out and do this before you go to the DMV). The emission testing facilities can also do a VIN check.
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