C.R.S. Section 42-3-201
Number plates furnished

  • style
  • periodic reissuance
  • tabs
  • rules
  • definition
  • repeal
(1)(a)(I) The department shall issue to every owner whose vehicle is registered two number plates; except that the department shall issue one number plate for the following:

(A)

A motorcycle;

(B)

A street rod vehicle;

(C)

A trailer or semitrailer;

(D)

A vehicle drawn by a motor vehicle;

(E)

An item of special mobile machinery; or

(F)

Repealed.

(G)

An autocycle.

(II)

At the discretion of the executive director of the department, the department may issue one number plate for any vehicle not listed in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a).

(III)

The department may require the return to the department of all number plates upon termination of the lawful use of such plates by the owner.

(IV)

The department shall issue an autocycle a motorcycle license plate.

(b)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(I)

The department may issue the number plates required in this section for one or more registration periods. If the number plates are issued for multi-year use, the department may issue a validating tab or sticker to indicate the year of registration of the vehicle.

(II)

Any validating tab or sticker that evidences the receipt of taxes under this article may be obtained by the department through normal purchasing procedures and may be produced and issued by the department through its authorized agents. Such validation tab or sticker shall be produced in accordance with the minimum specifications of the department, and such specifications shall reflect, at a minimum, the same quality control standards employed by the department of corrections in the production of such validation tab or sticker as those standards existed on January 1, 1999.

(2)

Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, the owner shall display on every number plate the registration number assigned to the vehicle and owner, the year number for which it is issued, the month in which it expires, and any other appropriate symbol, word, or words designated by the department. The department may adopt rules for the issuance of permanent number plates that do not display the year number for which it is issued or the month in which it expires. Such plate and the required letters and numerals, except the year number for which issued, must be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of one hundred feet during daylight.

(3)

The department shall issue for every passenger motor vehicle, rented without a driver, the same type of number plates as the type of plates issued for private passenger vehicles.

(4)

The department shall issue, for every noncommercial or recreational vehicle registered as such pursuant to this article, numbered plates or other insignia of a color or design different from any other Colorado plates, to be determined by the department, in order that such numbered plates or other insignia may be plainly recognized at a distance of at least one hundred feet during daylight.

(5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

A new or replacement license plate issued by the department shall, to the extent that it is practical, have standardized coloring and identifying characters limited to no more than a total of six numbers and letters; except that such character limitation does not apply to personalized license plates issued under section 42-3-211.

(b)

The department of revenue may require the replacement of any license plate as necessary to ensure that license plates are legible as required by section 42-3-202 (2).

(6)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

The department shall promulgate rules that require the destruction, recycling, or other permanent disposal of license plates that are no longer used to evidence registration of a motor vehicle and are voluntarily given to the department, an authorized agent, or a person who receives license plates in the ordinary course of business.

(b)

The department, an authorized agent, or a person who receives license plates in the ordinary course of business shall destroy, recycle, or dispose of a license plate in accordance with rules promulgated by the department under this subsection (6).

(7)

Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the department shall issue license plates to a Class A commercial trailer or semitrailer registered in Colorado that do not contain the month and year the trailer expires, and a validating sticker or tab is not issued nor required for the license plates.

(8)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Subject to the rules promulgated under subsection (8)(c)(II) of this section, the owner of a registered vehicle may display a digital number plate in lieu of one or both of the plates issued under subsection (1)(a)(I) of this section if the registration number and expiration date are clearly visible at a distance of one hundred feet in normal sunlight.

(b)

Digital number plates need not display more than one color.

(c)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(I)

The department may permit, if not otherwise inconsistent with this article 3, the use on a digital number plate of:

(A)

Messages displayed on the plate; and

(B)

Other functionality made possible by the use of digital technology.

(II)

The department, in consultation with the Colorado state patrol, shall adopt rules for the use of digital number plates. The rules must:

(A)

Set standards necessary for the safe use of digital number plates;

(B)

Establish requirements for product oversight and consumer support;

(C)

Establish requirements for product size, design, display, and functionality;

(D)

Establish a process for approval of digital number plates products for statewide use;

(E)

Set protocols for data sharing, privacy, and security;

(F)

Establish a process for revoking the authority to use a digital number plate;

(G)

Set testing requirements to approved digital number plates;

(H)

Set a process to determine the types of number plates that are eligible to use as digital number plates; and

(I)

Set reporting requirements for companies that sell digital number plates to the public.

(III)

The department shall review the implementation of digital plates within one year after the effective date of the rules adopted in accordance with subsection (8)(c)(II) of this section. In performing the review, the department shall obtain comments and recommendations from the Colorado state patrol and persons who are interested in digital number plates. Within one year after performing the review, the department shall prepare a report based on the review and submit the report to the transportation legislation review committee, created in section 43-2-145.

(d)

As used in this subsection (8), “digital number plate” means an electronic display that is mounted on a vehicle in the place of and that serves the function of a number plate issued by the department.

(e)

This subsection (8) is repealed, effective September 1, 2027. Before the repeal, the use of digital number plates by the owner of a registered vehicle pursuant to this subsection (8) is scheduled for review in accordance with section 24-34-104.

Source: Section 42-3-201 — Number plates furnished - style - periodic reissuance - tabs - rules - definition - repeal, 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

§ 42-3-201’s source at colorado​.gov