Vehicle Registration And Certificate Of Title

Colorado law allows the department of revenue (department) to register a vehicle for less than a year so that all of the vehicle owner's registrations for all of the owner's vehicles expire at the same time. The taxes and fees are prorated. Section 2 of the act clarifies that the surcharges are also prorated.

Colorado law sets the late registration fee for camper trailers and multipurpose trailers at $10. Section 3 sets trailer coaches at the same late registration fee.

Colorado law prohibits transferring a license plate with a vehicle, but exempts certain plates. Section 4 adds distinctive special license plates, group special license plates, and special alumni license plates to the exemption and adds intrastate commercial vehicle, trailers, and special mobile machinery to the types of plates that cannot be transferred.

Section 5 clarifies that the owner of an inoperable vehicle undergoing maintenance, repair, restoration, rebuilding, or renovation must pay an annual specific ownership tax. Upon payment of the tax, the owner will receive evidence of registration to affix to the vehicle, such as a license plate or decal, and isn't charged surcharges or fees if the owner keeps the vehicle on private property for the purposes of maintenance, repair, restoration, rebuilding, or renovation.

Section 6 creates a license plate to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary of becoming a state.

Colorado law requires the owner of a truck to present a certified scale ticket showing the weight of the truck if the truck is subject to certain weight-based fees, has not been modified, and weighs between 4,500 pounds and10,000 pounds. Section 7 authorize the owner to present a manufacturer's certificate of origin, certificate of title, certified scale ticket, or other documents or systems as determined by rule.

The department uses a table to compute certain registration fees that are based on weight for vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 pounds. Section 8 lowers this weight to 6,000 pounds.

Colorado law requires an applicant for a certificate of title for a motor or off-highway vehicle to provide any lien document as an original or as a copy, which must be certified by the lienholder to be a true copy of the original lien. Similarly, a lienholder that is filing a lien must file any lien document as an original or a copy, which the lienholder must certify is a true copy. Sections 9, 10, and 11 repeal the requirement that the lienholder certify the copy. Section 9 and 11 also remove language that says that vehicle lien filings are public records.

To release a lien on a motor or off-highway vehicle, current law requires the lienholder to file a lien release, which must include a written declaration that is made under penalty of perjury. Section 12 adds an option that the lienholder may file a notarized declaration.

Colorado law requires a motor vehicle dealer to pay a $25 fee to the executive director of the department for a certificate of title. Section 13 clarifies that the fee can be paid to a county clerk or third-party vendor, which is typically the entity that is processing the transaction. Section 14 splits this $25 dollar fee, if paid to the county clerk, so that the county clerk retains $21.80 and forwards the rest to the department.

Colorado law requires a vehicle owner to obtain a bonded certificate of title if the vehicle owner cannot present the ordinary proof of ownership. To obtain a title in lieu of a bonded title on a collector's item, street-rod vehicle, or horseless carriage of 25 years old or older, the applicant must present, among other things, a notarized bill of sale. Section 15 repeals the requirement that the bill of sale be notarized.

To register a motor vehicle, a vehicle owner must pay a road safety surcharge and a bridge safety surcharge. Section 16 sets the road safety surcharge at $16 for trailer coaches, which are trailers that are at least 26 feet long and used for temporary living quarters. Section 17 sets the bridge safety surcharge at $13 for trailer coaches.

Section 18 appropriates $318,840 to the department to implement the act.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)