Colorado handles titles at the county level, not the state DMV. What trips people up isn’t difficulty — it’s sequence. The lien release, the emissions test and the completed form all have to be in hand before the county visit, and missing one means a second trip.
Just moved to Colorado? You have 90 days rather than 60, and an out-of-state title needs a VIN verification. Start with transferring your license to Colorado.
The short version
- The seller provides the emissions test in Front Range counties — and it can’t be one already used for a prior registration.
- Buyer: 60 days. Seller: 5 days. Colorado is comparatively generous to buyers and strict with sellers.
- There’s no online option. Private-party transfers happen in person at your county motor vehicle office.
Colorado Title Transfer Deadlines: 60 Days and 5 Days
| Deadline | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| 60 days | Buyer | Title and register under C.R.S. § 42-6-116 |
| 5 days | Seller | Report the transfer of ownership |
Sixty days is generous by national standards. Miss it and a $25 penalty applies, plus $25 for each additional month, capped at $100 — with possible interest on unpaid Specific Ownership Tax on top.
The seller’s obligation is tighter and easier to overlook: report the transfer within 5 days through myDMV or at a county office. Until that’s filed, the vehicle is still associated with you.
Who Pays for the Emissions Test in Colorado?
The seller — and this catches people out, because it’s the reverse of how registration works.
If the vehicle will be registered in the Denver-metro or northern Front Range emissions area, the seller must provide a passing emissions test that has not already been used for a prior registration. A certificate you used at your own last renewal doesn’t count.
The affected area covers all or parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties.
Not every vehicle needs one. Gasoline vehicles of model year 2019 or newer are currently exempt, and new vehicles carry a seven-model-year exemption. Usefully, if the vehicle is sold with at least 12 months remaining on that exemption, no test is required at the time of sale.
Colorado has no periodic statewide safety inspection, so emissions is the only test in play.
How to Transfer a Colorado Car Title Step by Step
Step 1: What the Seller Does
- Clear any lien first. The release takes longer than people expect and nothing else can proceed without it.
- Get the emissions test if the buyer will register in the affected counties, and make sure the certificate is unused.
- Endorse the title — sign the seller’s section and enter the odometer reading where disclosure applies.
- Keep your plates. Colorado plates stay with the owner, and the buyer cannot drive on them once title transfers.
- Report the transfer within 5 days via myDMV or your county office.
Step 2: What the Buyer Brings
- The fully assigned title
- Form DR 2395, Application for Title and/or Registration — fill this in at home, not at the counter
- A bill of sale (Form DR 2173)
- Secure and Verifiable Identification
- Proof of Colorado liability insurance, if registering at the same visit
- The emissions certificate, where applicable
- Form DR 2698 VIN verification, if the title is from another state
Incomplete submissions are rejected, so check the packet before you leave home.
Step 3: Visit Your County Motor Vehicle Office
All standard private-party transfers must be done in person at the buyer’s county office. There’s no online route.
Counties operate independently — some close Fridays, some are appointment-only. Check yours before you drive over. Payment is by cash, check or card, though card processing fees vary by county.
Both parties don’t need to attend. The buyer handles it alone with a properly signed title.
If you need to drive the vehicle before the visit, get a temporary registration permit rather than using the seller’s plates.
Does a Colorado Car Title Need to Be Notarized?
Not for a standard private sale. The seller endorses the title and that’s sufficient — no notary, no witness.
Three situations do call for notarization:
- Out-of-state titles, in some circumstances
- Certain gift transfers, particularly of older vehicles
- Power of attorney — Form DR 2175, if someone is signing on another person’s behalf
If you’re using a POA because the seller can’t attend, get that notarized in advance. It’s the most common reason a Colorado transfer needs a notary at all.
Do You Need a Bill of Sale in Colorado?
Strongly advisable, and Colorado publishes an official version — Form DR 2173, Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle.
It matters more here than in some states because sales tax is calculated on the purchase price, and the bill of sale is what documents it. The county collects state, county, city and special-district tax all at once, so the figure you record drives a bill that can run into four figures.
It also fixes the sale date, which starts both the buyer’s 60 days and the seller’s 5 days.
Include the VIN, make, model, year, odometer reading, sale price, date and both signatures. Notarization isn’t required.
Colorado Title Transfer Fees and Sales Tax
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $7.20 |
| Lien filing fee, if applicable | $40 |
| Sales and use tax | 2.9% state plus local |
| Late penalty | $25, then $25 per month, max $100 |
| Specific Ownership Tax | Based on original MSRP |
The title fee is trivial; the tax isn’t. Colorado’s 2.9% state rate is the lowest in the country, but county, city and special-district rates stack on top — reaching around 8.81% in Denver. On a $22,000 car that’s roughly $1,900 collected at the counter.
Use Colorado’s Sales Tax Lookup tool to confirm the combined rate for the county of registration, not where you bought the vehicle.
You’ll also pay first-year Specific Ownership Tax and registration at the same visit. Our guide to Colorado registration renewal explains how SOT is calculated, because it’s based on original MSRP rather than what you paid.
Colorado Car Title Transfer FAQs
No. Standard private-party title transfers are county counter transactions only. Sellers can file their 5-day ownership report through myDMV, but the transfer itself needs an in-person visit.
Run the vehicle through the state’s Motor Vehicle Verification System to confirm it hasn’t been reported stolen, and check its title history on the federal NMVTIS database for salvage, flood or fraud brands.
No. The certificate provided at sale must not already have been used for a prior registration. Ask for a fresh one before money changes hands.
You’ll need Form DR 2698, a VIN verification, completed by a Colorado law enforcement officer, licensed dealer or licensed emissions station before the county can title it.
No. Colorado plates belong to the seller, who keeps them. Driving on them after the title transfers isn’t permitted.
Two things account for most Colorado title problems: sellers who don’t realize the emissions test is theirs to buy, and buyers who arrive at the county counter with an incomplete packet and have to come back.
Add Comment