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Online Vehicle Registration Renewal FAQs

What counties are participating in online registration renewal?

Currently, only vehicles registered in the following counties are eligible for online renewal: Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Custer, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, San Miguel, Sedgwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma

What does the Online Vehicle Registration Renewal Application do?

The Online Vehicle Registration Renewal is a service that allows you to renew your motor vehicle registration online to avoid mailing or going to your county in person. The process of renewing your vehicle’s registration can be completed quickly and easily from any computer with an internet connection. By using either a credit card, debit card, or online check.
Please Note:

  • Upon completion of your online transaction, please allow up to 30 business days for delivery of your vehicle’s registration documents and validation tabs
What will I need to begin my renewal?

Before starting your renewal you will need:

  • The license plate number for the vehicle you are renewing (view non-eligible license plates).
  • Current emissions test data on file for the vehicle you are renewing (if applicable).
  • Current insurance information on file for the vehicle you are renewing.
  • Your credit card, debit card, or checking account information.
  • A valid email address.

You may also wish to reference your registration renewal reminder card for additional information.

How long will it take to get my renewal documents?

After completing the online portion of the application and confirmation of sufficient funds from your payment source data will be electronically sent to your County Motor Vehicle Office for processing. Once they have received and processed your data, it can take up to 15 business days for you to receive your renewal documents by postal mail.

Who do I contact if I have a problem?

If you experience an application-related issue, please contact Colorado.gov by calling (800) 970-3468 outside of Denver, or (303) 534-3468 in the Denver area. You can also email support at support@www.colorado.gov . If you have a question about vehicle eligibility, renewal fees, or any policy-related questions, please contact your County Motor Vehicle Office directly. Get help finding your County Motor Vehicle Office

Who is Colorado.gov?

Colorado.gov is the official web portal of the State of Colorado and a collaborative effort between the Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) and Colorado Interactive, Inc. a Denver-based, wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm, NIC Inc. The goal of Colorado.gov is to help Colorado government entities web-enable citizen and business services to make State government more accessible for constituents. Oversight of the portal is provided by SIPA. For more information, please visit: http://www.colorado.gov/sipa

What is the expiration date for vehicle registration renewals?

The expiration date for vehicle registration renewals, as defined by Colorado State Statute (42-3-114), is as follows: 42-3-114. Expiration. Statute text: Every vehicle registration under this article shall expire on the last day of the month at the end of each twelve-month registration period and shall be renewed, upon application by the owner, the payment of the fees required by law, and in accordance with section 42-3-113 (3), not later than the last day of the month following the date of expiration. No license plates other than those of the registration period to which they pertain shall be displayed on a motor vehicle operated on the highways of Colorado. A person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B traffic infraction. For more information, please visit the Colorado State Revised Statutes. See also: Grace Period

What is the “Grace Period” for vehicle registration renewals?


The “Grace Period” for vehicle registration renewals refers to a period of one month beyond the last day of the month at the end of each twelve-month registration period. As defined by Colorado Statute, renewals are required to be completed “not later than the last day of the month following the date of expiration.” This one month period is known as the “Grace Period”. For more information, please visit the Colorado State Revised Statutes. See also: “ Expiration Date ”

Can I renew online, and then pick up the renewal information at an office?

Upon completion of your renewal online, your validation tab (renewal sticker) and registration receipt will be mailed to you. You will not be able to pick them up at an office.

Can I use my receipt as proof if I get pulled over if I haven’t received my new registration?

If you are within 15 days of the end of the grace period, you will get a receipt which, when accompanied by the vehicle's expired Colorado Registration/Ownership Tax Receipt, shall act as the vehicle's registration for 15 days from the online renewal date and must be available to law enforcement upon request.

Can I renew multiple vehicles in one transaction?

No, this option is currently not available.

If my vehicle registration has expired, can I still renew online?

Yes, you can renew online after your vehicles registration has expires

My insurance is valid but an error is displaying that I do not have valid insurance and not allowing me to proceed with renewing my vehicle online, why?

Your insurance provider is responsible for providing insurance information to update your vehicle record. Please contact your insurance provider to determine if they have transmitted your insurance information to the Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles. If you have recently activated or renewed your insurance, it may take several days before that information is updated to allow online renewal. It is recommended that you bring your proof of insurance and any other documentation necessary for your renewal to your county motor vehicle office and renew your registration in-person.

Why does the system not allow me to renew online?

There are several potential reasons why you may not be able to renew online:

  • Your county does not participate in online renewal program.
  • Your vehicle registration is not due for renewal.
  • Your license plate type cannot be renewed online
  • Your registration is past the expiration date and outside of the grace period
  • You need to satisfy certain requirements before you can renew:
    • Required emissions check
    • Insurance not on file
  • You were registered with one of the military plates issued by the Vehicle Services Section and not by your county.
Military Personnel

Certain military plates are exempt from taxes and fees. Vehicles registered with an exempt military plate issued by the Vehicle Services Section are automatically renewed for you. There is no need for you to complete an online renewal process. Please contact Vehicle Services Section with any questions at (303)205-5608. Military license plates information may be obtained at the Title and Registration website.

General Instructions

Plate Number Entry
To begin your online vehicle registration, enter the license plate number of the vehicle you wish to renew in the “Plate Number Entry” screen. You can enter the plate number with or without dashes. Press the “Continue” button to begin the process. Please note that some license plate types are not eligible for renewal online ( view non-eligible license plate types ). If you have entered a license plate that is not eligible for renewal, the application will alert you. The vehicle you wish to renew must have current emissions (if required) and insurance information on file with your County Motor Vehicle Office. If the vehicle you are renewing does not have emissions or insurance information on file, you will be alerted and asked to try back later or contact your county motor vehicle office to renew in person or by mail. 

Please note: Emissions test data is updated within 2 to 3 business days. If you have recently completed your emissions test, please try again later.

Address Verification The Online Vehicle Registration Renewal application will only allow you to proceed if you have a current address on file with your county Motor Vehicle Office. You must confirm that you have updated your vehicle registration address with your County Motor Vehicle office one month prior to the month of registration expiration otherwise you may not receive your registration renewal and tabs in the mail and may be remitting your registration renewal to the wrong county. You must notify your county motor vehicle office of your address change one month prior to the expiration month of your registration. After that time the address change and renewal must be completed in the office of the county clerk in the office in which you now reside.

Vehicle Information The application will display the vehicle information for the license plate number you have entered. Review the information displayed on this page carefully to ensure that it matches the vehicle you wish to renew. If the vehicle information displayed does not match the vehicle you wish to renew, choose the “Re-enter plate number” button or the “Cancel” button to exit the online renewal process. If the vehicle information displayed matches the vehicle you wish to renew, press the “Continue” button. Vehicle information displayed includes: 

  • Plate Number 
  • County 
  • Vehicle Make 
  • Vehicle Year 
  • VIN (last 6 digits only) 
  • Type 
  • Renewal Fee 

Vehicle Summary The Vehicle Summary page lists the vehicle(s) you have stored in your renewal queue. From this page, you can add another vehicle for renewal or remove a vehicle from your renewal queue. When you have added all of the vehicles you wish to renew, press the “Checkout” button to begin the checkout process. 

Checkout: Payment Type Selection The checkout portion of the application collects your payment and billing information and allows you to pay by electronic check, debit card, or credit card. Begin the checkout process by selecting the type of payment method you wish to use. Your online renewal transaction will show up as “VEHICLE REGISTRATION” on your bank or credit card statement.

Banking Information Depending on the payment type you selected, you will be asked to enter your bank, debit, or credit card information in the fields provided.

Customer Payment Information Enter your billing information as it relates to the credit card, debit card, or bank account being used to process your payment. Be sure to enter the name exactly as it appears on the card. A phone number and email address are required. You will also receive a receipt of your transaction via email.

Query and Billing Disclosure The Query and Billing Disclosure lists the details of your transaction prior to submission. This provides you an opportunity to verify that all information is correct before proceeding. To edit any section, press the “Edit” button located within each section area. If everything presented is correct and you agree to the charges as presented, press the “Agree/Continue” button. If you don’t agree with the charges and wish to complete your renewal offline, press the button labeled “Disagree/Exit”. Please note, but pressing the “Disagree/Exit” button you will lose any renewal data already entered into the system.

Can I renew my diesel vehicle online

Yes, diesel vehicles are eligible for online renewal