Vehicle Title - General Information

Beginning with model year 2011 vehicles, the odometer disclosure is required for every transfer of ownership for the first 20 years of that vehicle’s life. Exemptions are:

• Vehicles that are 20 years or older
• Vehicles with a gross weight rating of more than 16,000 lbs
• Trailers (not self-propelled)

The seller must either:

• Provide the vehicle’s “actual mileage” as shown on the vehicle odometer mechanism and certify the mileage by checking the “actual mileage” box; or
• Disclose if the mileage is unknown if the seller knows the reading is inaccurate by checking the  “not actual mileage”; or
• Disclosing that the odometer’s mileage reading is higher than the odometer can physically record by checking the  “mileage in excess of mechanical limits”.
• Print their name as it appears on the title in the “Seller’s Printed Name” area in the Assignment of Owner section.
  • If the seller does not print their name as shown on the face of the title, a Statement of One and the Same, DR 2421, is required. First initial/last name is not acceptable for the seller or the seller's agent.
• Sign the disclosure statement in the “Seller’s Signature” area in the Assignment of Owner section.

The buyer must:

• Look at the odometer information completed by the seller to make sure it is correct, by verifying the odometer reading displayed on the vehicle's odometer mechanism. If it is not, a new title will need to be obtained by the seller, to complete it accurately (see Note).
• Print name as you would like it to appear on the new title, in accordance with your secure and verifiable identification (see DR 2841), in the “Buyer’s Printed Name” area in the Assignment of Owner section. If your name in the Assignment of Owner section does not match your secure and verifiable identification exactly as shown on your ID, then a Statement of One and the Same, DR 2421, is required.
• Sign the disclosure statement in the “Buyer’s Signature” area in the Assignment of Owner section. Cannot use the owner's first initial and last name OR "doing business as" in this section.

The date of sale and the purchase price must be written on the back of the title, unless a separate bill of sale is also included.

Note: Not completing the odometer disclosure accurately can lead to a reduction in vehicle value. Make sure it is completed accurately or you could end up with unfixable issues.

If you purchase your vehicle through a private sale or transfer, you will need to transfer the ownership of your vehicle at your county motor vehicle office. Click here to learn more about buying and selling.

You will need the properly endorsed title and odometer disclosure (see below), secure and variable identification (DR 2841), a bill of sale is recommended (required if the sale price is not listed on the title), and a VIN inspection if the vehicle is coming in from out of state. The title transfer fee is $7.20.

Find DR 2841 on our Forms page here.

• If you are requesting a duplicate title and your name has changed since the vehicle was titled, you will need to provide documentation supporting the name change (like marriage or divorce documentation), along with your Secure and Verifiable ID (see DR 2841 on the Forms page here).
• If you want to change your name on a title that has a current lien on it, you will need to reach out to your lienholder.
• If you have your vehicle’s title and want to change the name, you will treat it like a title transfer and sign off as the seller with the old name to transfer as the buyer with the new name.
  • Documentation supporting the name change (like marriage or divorce documentation) will need to accompany your Secure and Verifiable ID (see DR 2841 on the Forms page here).
  • This will be completed at your county motor vehicle office. Click here to find your county motor vehicle office.

To change the name(s) listed on your vehicle title, you essentially perform a title transfer to the new combination of owners. Please follow these steps:

• Endorse the Title: The current owner(s) must sign the back of the title, authorizing the transfer to the new owner(s) or additional owner(s).
• Check for Liens: If your vehicle has a lien, please contact your lienholder.
• Choose Your Ownership Type: If you are adding a name, you will need to decide how you wish to hold ownership. See Form DR2383 for more details:
  • Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship: If one owner passes away, the surviving owner automatically becomes the sole owner. This transfer requires a copy of the death certificate and the survivor's signature.
  • Tenancy in Common: Ownership is held by two or more people, potentially in unequal shares. If an owner passes away, their share goes to their estate to be divided according to their will or state law. This transfer requires documentation appointing a personal representative for the deceased owner.
     

To title a vehicle in the name of a trust, you must provide a Trustee's Statement for Certificate of Title DR2175 as part of the application. 

Click here to visit the Forms page.

There is no age requirement for titling a vehicle. However, secure and verifiable documentation (SVID) is required (DR 2841). If the owner does not have a driver license, another SVID option would need to be met.

If you are taking title on a vehicle whose sole owner is deceased you will need:

• Letters of Testamentary or Administration or Small Estates for the owner showing who can sign for the vehicle.
• A death certificate for the vehicle's owner.

If it is a Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship (vehicle owned by two people) then the surviving owner can sign the title with a copy of the death certificate.

If there are two owners and one is deceased and the other has a Power of Attorney (POA), the Letters of Testamentary or Administration or Small Estates would be needed for the deceased owner and the POA would be needed for the other owner to show who can sign the title.

Note: The DR 2009 (see Forms page here) can be used in lieu of Letters of Testamentary or Administration or Small Estates if it was previously completed by the deceased owner.

Lienholders (banks and individuals) can add liens to vehicles through the county motor vehicle offices. The bank/lender should send the lien documentation to the customer’s county for processing, along with the following:

• DR 2395 Application for Title
• Security agreement (all pages)
• Lien filing fees ($40)
• Title fee ($7.20)
• Certificate of Title

If your vehicle had a loan, a lien release is required before a duplicate title can be issued, unless the lien has reached its maturity date, which is 10 years from the date filed, on a motor vehicle.  If you have a lien on a manufactured home, trailer coach, motor home, multipurpose trailer, or truck tractor, those are for the duration of the lien as indicated by the maturity date on the security agreement.

Lender Held: If your lender was sent the physical title, they should send the title to you either stamped that the lien was released or with a letter on company letterhead. You can then take these documents, along with the DR 2539A, and the $7.20 fee to your county motor vehicle office. Click here to visit the Forms page.

Electronic Liens and Titles (ELT): If your lender utilized the ELT program, the title was kept electronically; once the lienholder notifies the state the lien has been satisfied, it will be released in the system and a new title will be sent to the owner at the address the lien holder has on file. The owner should ensure that their address is always current with their lienholder. Click here to learn more about ELT.

For liens filed in Colorado:

The lienholder on the title itself must sign the lien release or may be released on a separate lien release letter. The name of the lienholder on the letter must match the name of the lienholder printed on the face of the title. All lien releases will require an agent's signature and date of release.

The letter must be on company letterhead and include the following:

• Vehicle description (year, make, VIN)
• Titled owner's name(s)
• Agent's signature
• Signed under penalty of perjury in the second degree (CRS 42-6-125) or notarized
• Date lien released

Note: Letterhead is not required if the lien holder is an individual, not a corporation/company. A copy of the lien release is acceptable.

For Liens not filed in Colorado:

Lien releases for out-of-state and Colorado titles with a notation of "NOT FILED IN COLORADO" must all have the agent's signature and the date the lien was satisfied. A lien release on the face of a Colorado title is unacceptable if the lien was not filed in Colorado. A separate lien release letter is required. 

When an out-of-state lien release form is unavailable, a separate lien release letter will be accepted on the lienholder's letterhead. It must include:

• Vehicle description (year, make, VIN)
• Titled owner's name(s)
• Agent's signature
• Signed under penalty of perjury in the second degree (CRS 42-6-125) or notarized
• Date lien released

Note: Letterhead is not required if the lien holder is an individual, not a corporation/company. A copy of the lien release is acceptable.

If a lienholder has been recorded, the lienholder should be shown on the back of your vehicle’s registration. You can also visit myDMV here to complete a “Vehicle Record Search”. This will provide you with your records of this vehicle, including the lienholder. Only the owner listed on the title document can request the VRS (required before the search), unless the requester has power of attorney (DR2175). Visit the myDMV Online Services Help Center here for more information on Record Searches.

The FDIC may be able to assist in issuing a lien release in the following cases:

• If the lien holder is a bank or savings and loan that failed and was placed into FDIC Receivership.
• If the lien holder is an active or recently dissolved Subsidiary of a failed bank or savings and loan.
• If the loan was paid off to the bank or savings and loan before the Institution failed.
• If the loan was paid off to the FDIC after the bank or savings and loan failed.

If you have any questions regarding the FDIC's ability to assist with a lien release, contact FDIC DRR Customer Service at 888-206-4662 between 8 am and 4 pm CST Monday through Friday (except federal holidays) or visit the FDIC website here.

• You purchased a vehicle and never received the title.
• The title you received was improperly signed or is missing signatures or the odometer disclosure.
• The original title was not signed by the owner listed on the title.

To be eligible, the vehicle must be physically located in Colorado.

If the vehicle is over 25 years old, see "Bonding Checklists" below.

While the exact steps are detailed on official checklists (see below), the general procedure involves these key steps:

1. Get a Certified VIN Inspection: Your first step is to have the vehicle inspected by a certified professional. This is to verify the vehicle's identity.
2. Conduct a Title Record Search: You must request a formal title record search from the DMV using form DR 2489A. This search will identify the last known owner and any lienholders.
3. Notify Owners & Lienholders: If the search finds any previous owners or lienholders, you must attempt to contact them via certified mail to give them a chance to claim the vehicle or release their lien.
4. Get a Surety Bond: You must purchase a surety bond from an insurance company. This bond must be for two times the appraised value of the vehicle. This bond protects the state and any potential future claimants (like a previous owner) in case your claim of ownership is disputed.
5. Apply for Title: You will submit your bond, the VIN inspection report, your record search results, and all other required application forms to your county motor vehicle office for review, it will then be reviewed by the state with directional information to follow.

• DR 2908: for trailers 2000lbs or less
• DR 2922: if it is not in one of the categories above

Vehicles over 25 years old:
If a vehicle is over 25 years old, a bond will not need to be purchased. See the below checklists:

• DR 2462: if the vehicle is over 25 years old
• DR 2463: for manufactured homes over 25 years

Click here to view these forms on the Forms page.

If you are bonding for title in another state/jurisdiction other than Colorado, you may be required to do a record search in Colorado if the vehicle was last titled here. If you are currently in another state/jurisdiction (address outside of Colorado), you can only complete this process by mailing in DR 2489A (Forms page). Please discuss the bonding process and its requirements with the state/jurisdiction you now live in.

Click here to view form DR 2489A on the Forms page.

A rebuilder’s title may be issued to a motor vehicle valued principally because of the vehicle’s early date of manufacture, design, historical interest or value as a collector’s item. All of the following requirements must be met:

• Motor vehicle is NOT roadworthy
• The motor vehicle is at least 25 years old
• The components on the motor vehicle include at least a rolling chassis
• No acceptable ownership documents are available
• Motor vehicle is physically located in Colorado

See Form DR 2187 Rebuilder’s Checklist for the procedure and documentation needed (available on the Forms page here).

A regular certificate of title is issued to a motor vehicle that has been previously issued a rebuilder’s title after the vehicle has been rebuilt.

Documents Required for Titling:

• DR 2704 Colorado Certified VIN Inspection
• Rebuilder’s Certificate of Title
• Any additional Manufacturer's Statement of Origin and/or Bill of Sale
• DR 2239 Rebuilder’s Title to a Regular Title Declaration of Facts
• DR 2408 Application for Colorado Assigned Vehicle Identification Number (if applicable)
• Secure and Verifiable Identification
• Surety Bond

See Form DR2187 Rebuilder’s Checklist for the procedure and documentation needed (available on the Forms page here).

If a vehicle was left for storage, under an agreement, the Mechanic and Storage lien procedure may be started when there has been no contact for a minimum of 30 days.

• Examples:
  • A landlord may use this procedure if a tenant abandons a vehicle on the premises if an agreement exists for storage of the vehicle.
  • A landowner may have an agreement to let someone park or leave a vehicle on their property until a specific date, and it is then abandoned.
• Procedure:
  • Based on the vehicle, follow the bonding steps in the appropriate “Bonding Checklist” (listed above)
  • Complete DR2438
  • DR2711: Checklist

Checklists and forms can be found on the Forms page here.

A "branded title" indicates a vehicle's history and is a permanent designation on the vehicle’s title. Colorado law requires any owner or dealer to disclose any title brand before selling or trading the vehicle via the DR2710 Branded Title Disclosure Statement. Brands may affect the value of a vehicle.

Colorado brands include:

• Salvage
• Rebuilt from salvage
• Nonrepairable
• Flood damaged
• Odometer tampered with
• Brand designation by another state
• Lemon law buyback vehicle

A "salvage vehicle" is a car, truck, or other vehicle that has been damaged (by a crash, fire, flood, accident, etc.) so badly that the cost to repair it for safe road use is more than its retail market value before the damage occurred.

Important Note: Classic vehicles (collector's items, horseless carriages, or street rods) are not considered salvage vehicles.

What You Need to Do

• If you own a salvage vehicle and plan to sell it: You can apply for a salvage certificate of title (DR2410) before the sale or transfer.
• If you buy a salvage vehicle: You must get a salvage certificate of title in your name within 60 days of the purchase date (unless the transaction is tax-exempt).
• If an insurance company takes ownership of a salvage vehicle: They must apply for a salvage certificate of title before they transfer it to a new owner.
• If you keep your vehicle after an insurance company settles a salvage claim: You must apply for a salvage certificate of title in your name.

When Can I Drive It?

A vehicle with a salvage title cannot be driven on the road. It can only be used on the highway once it is fully repaired and a "rebuilt from salvage" title has been issued.

"Parts Only" Vehicles

Vehicles sold using only a bill of sale as "parts only" cannot be titled in Colorado (See Junks below). They can only be used for parts to fix another vehicle.

Rebuilt from Salvage

A rebuilt from salvage title can be obtained when repairs have been completed on a salvage vehicle and the vehicle has now been deemed roadworthy through a P.O.S.T. certified inspection. Follow the DR 2415 Checklist for the requirements. Click here to visit the Forms page.

Click here to learn more about P.O.S.T. certified inspections.

A vehicle designated as "junk" in Colorado is no longer considered a motor vehicle. It is illegal to drive on Colorado roads and its title is canceled.

How to avoid buying a "junk" vehicle:

• Always run a VIN check.
• Ensure you have the most current title.
• Check that the title or bill of sale is not stamped with phrases like "parts only," "junk," or "not for resale."

Important: Colorado does not issue a title for any vehicle that has ever been classified as "Junk" in its history, even if other states allow it to be rebuilt and retitled.

If a vehicle has been titled in Colorado, is physically located in Colorado, but the title has been lost and the records have been purged, an owner may complete and follow the directions given on the DR 2116 (see the Forms page here) to gain a Colorado title. The vehicle must not have been titled/registered in any other state since being titled in Colorado and must not have any liens.

When a vehicle has been stolen and not recovered, you can apply for an Unrecovered Theft Title via the DR 2593 (see the Forms page here). A police report must have been filed and any required taxes must have been paid to your county motor vehicle office. See the DR 2593 for additional requirements and information.

• A Certificate of Permanent Location: which is used when the Manufactured Home is permanently affixed to the ground. Proof of ownership must be surrendered. Future transfers of ownership will be completed by deed.
• A Certificate of Permanent Location for Manufactured Home Subject to a Long-Term Land Lease: which is used when a Manufactured Home is permanently affixed to real property subject to a long-term lease that has an express term of at least ten years.
• A Certificate of Removal: which is used when the Manufactured Home is removed from its permanent location.
• A Certificate of Destruction: which is used when a Manufactured Home is destroyed, dismantled, or sold or otherwise disposed of as salvage.
• An Affidavit of Real Property: which is used to acknowledge a Manufactured Home is permanently affixed prior to July 1, 2008. It must include a statement from the County Assessor that the Manufactured Home has been valued with the land, a statement from the County Treasurer that all taxes have been paid, and a record search completed to verify that there is no active title on State records. This form is completed when no title is available for a Manufactured Home that is permanently affixed.
• A Manufactured Home Transfer of Declaration: contains information to assist the Assessor in determining the value of real property and the Manufactured Home. This form is completed by buyers/sellers concerning the sale of the Manufactured Home.

These certificates and forms are available from the Division of Taxation here. 

• Ownership document: a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) or Title
  • Document must show (WIDTH) x (LENGTH)
  • If there are no ownership documents and the manufactured home is 25 years or older, DR 2463 In Lieu of Bond for Manufactured Home 25 Years Old or Older form should be followed (found on the Forms page here).
  • If the home is less than 25 years old follow the Bonding process
• Original Authentication of Paid Ad Valorem Taxes form
  • Or a certified copy produced by the county clerk’s office to be a true and exact copy of the original is also acceptable.
    • An agent for the County Clerk may certify a faxed copy if the copy was faxed directly to the county clerk’s office from the county treasurer’s office.
    • An original Authentication of Paid Ad Valorem Taxes is not required if the surrendering document is a MSO.
• Purchase price of manufactured home
• Sales Tax (if applicable)
• Security Agreement (if applicable)
  • Must include maturity date of lien
• Additional Supporting Documents (if applicable and asked for)

If the manufactured home has no Identification number or if the number has been destroyed, obliterated or mutilated, the additional documents below must also be provided, along with the required documents listed above.

• A DR 2698 Verification of Vehicle Identification Number (found on the Forms page here)
  • Verification that there is no identification number
• A DR 2503 Assignment of Manufactured Home I.D. Number (found on the Forms page here)
  • A new identification number will be affixed in the door frame or fuse box

OHV are vehicles designed primarily for use off of the public highways and generally and commonly used to transport persons for recreational purposes. They are titled with your county motor vehicle office and registered with CO Parks & Wildlife. Title costs, taxes and fees are the same as with motor vehicles. 

The following is required for titling:

• Proof of ownership*, which can include either:
  • A properly endorsed title, or
  • Manufacturer Certificate of Origin (MCO)/Manufacturer Statement of Origin (MSO), or
  • Current Colorado Parks and Wildlife OHV registration
• Completed DR 2395 Title Application

Liens may be filed on OHV in the same manner as motor vehicles (see above in Lien section)

*If no proof of ownership can be produced, the bonding process will have to occur (see above). No surety bond is required if any of the following apply:

• OHV is 25 year or older (a certified VIN inspection and notarized BOS within 24 months of purchase are required)
• OHV was moved to CO from a state not issuing certificates of title for OHV
• OHV is used and held as inventory by a power sports dealer
• OHV was owned by an agency of the US or another state or a political subdivision thereof
• OHV was owned by an agricultural producer and used strictly for agricultural purposes

EVTR helps save Coloradans time and will give them more service options, helping streamline County Motor Vehicle Office transactions. EVTR contracted service providers work with dealerships and other businesses to provide title and registration services that can be done at the point of sale or the location of the business, regardless of the customer's county of residence.

Are you a business interested in completing EVTR transactions through one of our existing EVTR service providers or interested in becoming an EVTR Service Provider? Click here to learn more about EVTR.