C.R.S. Section 42-3-115
Registration upon transfer

  • rules
  • definitions

(1)

Repealed.

(2)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2), the transferee, before operating or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle upon a highway, shall register the vehicle.

(b)

A transferee may operate a motor vehicle on the highway before registering it if:

(I)

The vehicle is exempt from registration pursuant to section 42-3-103 or 42-3-104; or

(II)

The vehicle has been temporarily registered pursuant to section 42-3-203 (3); or

(III)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(A)

The transferee has purchased the motor vehicle within the last thirty-six hours from a person who is not a motor vehicle dealer under part 1 of article 20 of title 44;

(B)

The vehicle was purchased either on a Saturday, on a Sunday, on a legal holiday, or between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.;

(C)

The vehicle is being driven from the place where the transferor stored the vehicle to the place where the transferee intends to store the vehicle;

(D)

The owner possesses, in the vehicle, a bill of sale that shows the time and date of sale and that is signed by both the buyer and seller; and

(E)

The owner possesses, in the vehicle, proof of insurance as required by section 42-4-1409.

(3)

If a title to or interest in a motor vehicle is transferred by operation of law, as upon inheritance, devise, or bequest, order in bankruptcy of insolvency, execution, sale, repossession upon default in performing the terms of a lease or executory sales contract, chattel mortgage, secured transaction, or otherwise, the registration thereof shall expire, and the vehicle shall not be operated upon the highways unless the vehicle is registered; except that a person repossessing the vehicle pursuant to rights granted by a mortgage or applicable law may operate the vehicle upon the highways from the place of repossession to the vehicle’s new place of storage, either upon displaying upon such vehicle the number plates issued to the former owner or without displaying number plates but under a written permit obtained from the department or the police authorities with jurisdiction over such highways and upon displaying upon such vehicle a placard bearing the name and address of the person authorizing and directing such movement, plainly readable from a distance of one hundred feet during daylight.

(4)

The owner of a motor vehicle who has made a bona fide sale or transfer of such owner’s title or interest and who has delivered possession of such vehicle and the certificate of title, properly endorsed, to the purchaser or transferee shall not be liable for any damages thereafter resulting from negligent operation of such vehicle by another.

(5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

[Editor’s note:
This version of subsection (5)(a) is effective until January 1, 2024.]
Except as otherwise provided in subsections (5)(b) and (5)(c) of this section, on and after January 1, 2022, whenever the owner of a motor vehicle that is Class C personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(c), transfers or assigns the owner’s title or interest, the number plates issued to the owner for the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the department to any other motor vehicle. Whenever the owner of a motor vehicle that is Class B personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(b), Class D personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(d), or Class F personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(e), transfers or assigns the owner’s title or interest, the number plates issued to the owner for the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the department to any other motor vehicle. An owner of a motor vehicle whose number plates expire due to the operation of this subsection (5)(a) who wishes to retain the same combination of letters or numbers displayed on the expired license plates retains the priority right to use the combination and may, after surrendering the expired plates to the department, apply for personalized license plates with the combination in the manner specified in section 42-3-211 when registering another motor vehicle.

(5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

[Editor’s note:
This version of subsection (5)(a) is effective January 1, 2024.]
Except as otherwise provided in subsections (5)(b), (5)(c), and (5)(d) of this section, on and after January 1, 2022, whenever the owner of a motor vehicle that is Class C personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(c), transfers or assigns the owner’s title or interest, the number plates issued to the owner for the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the department to any other motor vehicle. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5)(d) of this section, whenever the owner of a motor vehicle that is Class B personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(b), Class D personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(d), or Class F personal property, as defined in section 42-3-106 (2)(e), transfers or assigns the owner’s title or interest, the number plates issued to the owner for the vehicle expire and shall not be transferred by the department to any other motor vehicle. An owner of a motor vehicle whose number plates expire due to the operation of this subsection (5)(a) who wishes to retain the same combination of letters or numbers displayed on the expired license plates retains the priority right to use the combination and may, after surrendering the expired plates to the department, apply for personalized license plates with the combination in the manner specified in section 42-3-211 when registering another motor vehicle.

(b)

Subsection (5)(a) of this section does not apply to the transfer or assignment of an owner’s title or interest in Class B, Class C, and Class D personal property that has number plates:

(I)

That are personalized license plates issued in accordance with section 42-3-211, distinctive special license plates, group special license plates, or special alumni license plates issued in accordance with section 42-3-214; or

(II)

That have a valuable registration number that has been reserved for use under the “Laura Hershey Disability Support Act”, part 22 of article 30 of title 24.

(c)

In accordance with section 42-12-301 (6), subsection (5)(a) of this section does not apply to the transfer or assignment of an owner’s title or interest in Class C personal property that is a horseless carriage.

(d)

[Editor’s note:
Subsection (5)(d) is effective January 1, 2024.]
Subsection (5)(a) of this section does not apply to number plates issued to a fleet operator that are easily legible and in good condition, and a fleet operator may transfer such number plates from one fleet vehicle to another when the fleet operator transfers or assigns the owner’s title or interest in the fleet vehicle from which the number plates are being transferred.

Source: Section 42-3-115 — Registration upon transfer - rules - definitions, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-42.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

42‑3‑101
Legislative declaration 42‑3‑102
Periodic registration - rules 42‑3‑103
Registration required - exemptions - rules 42‑3‑104
Exemptions - specific ownership tax - registration - domicile and residency - rules - definitions 42‑3‑105
Application for registration - tax - definitions 42‑3‑106
Tax imposed - classification - taxable value 42‑3‑107
Taxable value of classes of property - rate of tax - when and where payable - department duties - apportionment of tax collections - definitions - rules - repeal 42‑3‑108
Determination of year model - tax lists 42‑3‑109
Tax for registration period 42‑3‑110
Payment of motor vehicle registration fees and specific ownership taxes in installments 42‑3‑111
Tax year - disposition 42‑3‑112
Failure to pay tax - penalty - rules 42‑3‑113
Records of application and registration - disability of a driver - rules - definitions 42‑3‑114
Expiration 42‑3‑115
Registration upon transfer - rules - definitions 42‑3‑116
Manufacturers or dealers - fees - rules - definition - penalty 42‑3‑117
Nonresidents 42‑3‑118
Registration suspended upon theft - recovery - rules 42‑3‑118.5
Inoperable vehicle - rules 42‑3‑119
No application for registration granted - when 42‑3‑120
Department may cancel or deny registration 42‑3‑121
Violation of registration provisions - penalty 42‑3‑122
Perjury on a motor vehicle registration application 42‑3‑123
Dishonored payment - recovery of taxes, fees, and plates 42‑3‑124
Violation - penalty 42‑3‑125
Fleet operators - registration period certificates - multi-year registrations 42‑3‑126
Notice - primary body color 42‑3‑127
Sale of special mobile machinery 42‑3‑201
Number plates furnished - style - periodic reissuance - tabs - rules - definition - repeal 42‑3‑202
Number plates furnished to be attached - penalty 42‑3‑203
Standardized plates - notice of funding through gifts, grants, and donations - rules - repeal 42‑3‑204
Reserved parking for persons with disabilities - applicability - definitions - rules 42‑3‑205
Substitute plates - waiting period for reissuance of identical combination of numbers and letters 42‑3‑206
Remanufacture of certain license plates 42‑3‑206.5
Issuance of plates in a retired style authorized - additional fee - rules 42‑3‑207
Special plates - rules - new plates - retirement 42‑3‑208
Special plates - qualifications for issuance of special license plates 42‑3‑209
Legislative license plates 42‑3‑210
Radio and television license plates 42‑3‑211
Issuance of personalized plates authorized 42‑3‑212
Issuance of optional plates authorized - retirement 42‑3‑213
License plates - military veterans - rules - retirement 42‑3‑214
Special plates - alumni associations - retirement 42‑3‑217
Special plates - Colorado commission of Indian affairs 42‑3‑217.5
Special plates - breast cancer awareness - retirement 42‑3‑218
Special plates - active and retired members of the Colorado National Guard - retirement 42‑3‑220
Temporary special event license plates 42‑3‑221
Special plates - Denver Broncos 42‑3‑222
Special plates - support public education 42‑3‑223
Special plates - support the troops - retirement 42‑3‑224
Special plates - Colorado “Kids First” 42‑3‑225
Special plates - Italian-American heritage 42‑3‑226
Special plates - share the road 42‑3‑227
Special plates - Colorado horse development authority 42‑3‑228
Special plates - Colorado carbon fund 42‑3‑229
Special plates - boy scouts 42‑3‑230
Special plates - “Alive at Twenty-five” 42‑3‑231
Special plates - Colorado ski country 42‑3‑232
Special plates - donate life 42‑3‑233
Special plates - Colorado state parks 42‑3‑234
Special plates - adopt a shelter pet 42‑3‑235
Livery license plates - luxury limousines 42‑3‑235.5
Tow truck license plates - conditions for use - transitional provisions 42‑3‑236
Taxicab license plates - taxicabs 42‑3‑237
Special plates - girl scouts 42‑3‑238
Special plates - juvenile diabetes 42‑3‑239
Special plates - Colorado Avalanche or Denver Nuggets 42‑3‑240
Special plates - Craig hospital 42‑3‑241
Special plates - Colorado Rockies 42‑3‑242
Special plates - fallen heroes 42‑3‑243
Special plates - child loss awareness 42‑3‑244
Special plates - flight for life Colorado 42‑3‑245
Special plates - wildlife sporting 42‑3‑246
Special plates - “Protect Our Rivers” 42‑3‑247
Special plates - emergency medical services (EMS) 42‑3‑248
Special plates - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 42‑3‑249
Special plates - Rocky Mountain National Park 42‑3‑250
Special plates - Pueblo chile license plate 42‑3‑251
Special plates - aviation license plate 42‑3‑252
Special plates - childhood cancer awareness plate - short title 42‑3‑253
Special plates - Mesa Verde National Park 42‑3‑254
Special plates - Colorado professional fire fighters - definition 42‑3‑255
Special plates - support foster families 42‑3‑256
Special plates - hospice and palliative care 42‑3‑257
Special plates - support pollinators 42‑3‑258
Special plates - Colorado nurses - definition 42‑3‑259
Electric vehicle license plates 42‑3‑260
Special plates - Special Olympics Colorado - short title - definition 42‑3‑261
Special plates - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority - short title 42‑3‑262
Special plates - Colorado rotary - fees - definition 42‑3‑263
Special plates - CASA license plate - definition 42‑3‑264
Special plates - Pikes Peak international hill climb 42‑3‑265
Special plates - epilepsy awareness 42‑3‑266
Special plates - one hundred fiftieth anniversary 42‑3‑267
Special plates - “Born to Be Wild” - gray wolf conflict mitigation and prevention 42‑3‑268
Special plates - “In God We Trust” 42‑3‑269
Special plates - stegosaurus state fossil 42‑3‑301
License plate cash fund - license plate fees 42‑3‑302
Special plate fees 42‑3‑303
Persistent drunk driver cash fund - programs to deter persistent drunk drivers 42‑3‑304
Registration fees - passenger-mile taxes - clean screen fund - pilot program - report - rules - definitions 42‑3‑306
Registration fees - passenger and passenger-mile taxes - fee schedule - repeal 42‑3‑307
Enforcement powers of department 42‑3‑308
Taxpayer statements - payment of tax - estimates - penalties - deposits - delinquency proceedings 42‑3‑309
Permit to be secured - records kept - penalties 42‑3‑310
Additional registration fees - apportionment of fees - repeal 42‑3‑311
Low-power scooter registration - fee 42‑3‑312
Special license plate surcharge 42‑3‑313
Fee for long-term or permanent registration - trailers and semitrailers 42‑3‑314
Military deployment
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 42-3-115’s source at colorado​.gov