Titling A Vehicle

Requirements

Take the required documents below to your county motor vehicle office. You will need to pay the vehicle title fees, registration fees and any applicable sales tax.

Proof of Insurance (If registering the vehicle at the same time),
Secure and Verifiable Identification,
The current title or other ownership documents properly endorsed by the previous owner,
Proof of a Colorado vehicle emissions test, if applicable, gas vehicles, diesel vehicles
Odometer disclosure complete,
A bill of sale for sales tax purposes,
If a lien is to be recorded, an acceptable mortgage document (security agreement) must be provided. The mortgage document must be an original, carbon copy, or a certified copy and must contain vehicle description - year, make, vehicle identification number or VIN, lienholder's name and address, lien amount, and owner's signature.
Vehicles 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
- Valid registration or title which specifies the weight
  - If weight is not shown on one of the above listed documents, a certified weight slip is required
If there is more than one owner of the vehicle, all owners are required to declare their intent to have the Certificate of Title issued in Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship. This may be accomplished by completing the Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship Acknowledgement of Intent form located within the Title and/or Registration Application.
If the vehicle was titled in another state or is being transferred on an out-of-state MSO, a Verification of Vehicle Identification Number form is required to be completed by either:
- A Colorado law enforcement officer
- A licensed Colorado motor vehicle dealer
- A licensed Colorado emissions testing station

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

Out-of-State Titles

After becoming a Colorado resident, you have 90 days to register your vehicle. Effective January 1, 2010 all states are required to comply with Federal Law 28 CFR Part 25, National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). The purpose is to protect states, individuals, and commercial consumers from motor vehicle title fraud. In order to comply with this Federal requirement, the ability to print a title over the counter by the County Motor Vehicle Office (same day title) has been disabled for all title applications with an out-of-state title as the supporting document. The Colorado Certificate of Title will be processed and mailed by the State Title Section. If your vehicle was titled in another state, fill out the Verification of Vehicle Identification Number form, completed by either:

A Colorado law enforcement officer
A licensed Colorado motor vehicle dealer
A licensed Colorado emissions testing station

Please contact the State Title Section at 303-205-5608 for additional information.

Lien Filing

Lien filing is handled at the county motor vehicle office in the county where the vehicle is located. Lien extensions are processed at the local county clerk's office. Lien filing is for ten years except for multipurpose trailers, trailer coaches, truck tractors, manufactured homes and motor homes that are subject to maturity dates designated by the lienholder.

See: Office locations