Buying or Selling a Vehicle

I Just Bought a New Vehicle! Now What?

Congratulations! Please select the appropriate seller from the list below for next steps.

Purchase from a Colorado Dealer
Purchase from an Individual
Purchase from an Out of State Dealer
Purchase from Outside of the United States

NOTE: Effective July 1, 2025, the lien filing fee in Colorado changes to a flat fee of $40.00. The flat fee applies to all lien applications received on or after July 1, 2025.

Purchase From a Colorado Dealer

NOTE: Colorado dealers will forward title work directly to the Douglas County Motor Vehicle Office. Cash purchases may be sent directly to the owner.

The dealer should also provide you with a 60-day temporary plate.
- Click here and select “Check a title status” if your 60-day temporary plate will expire soon. Contact your dealer if a second temporary plate is needed.
- Late fees are assessed on expired temporary plates.
Once your paperwork has been processed by the county, you will receive a Title Complete Notice in the mail.
You may now register your vehicle

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR COLORADO DEALER PURCHASE VEHICLE REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS

Register Your Vehicle

Register your Vehicle Online

NOTE: To register your vehicle online you must have a Colorado Title Complete Notice and there must be three weeks or more before your temporary tag expires. If you need to transfer license plates or receive registration credit, please schedule an appointment.

Schedule an Appointment

Appointments are available Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at our Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Lone Tree office locations.

Schedule an Appointment

Motor Vehicle Walk-in Service

Walk-in service is available Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, at our Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Lone Tree office locations.

Douglas County Motor Vehicle Locations

Registration Requirements

Emissions Test: Prior to registering a vehicle in Colorado, an enhanced emissions test may be required. Click here for Vehicle Emissions Information.
Proof of Insurance: Prior to registering a vehicle in Colorado, Proof of Insurance for the vehicle you are registering is required.
Power of Attorney (POA): When registering a vehicle for someone else, a Power of Attorney (POA) is required.
License Plates: If you sold or traded in a vehicle as part of your purchase, keep your license plates – a pro-rated portion of the remainder of the registration fees may be credited towards the new vehicle registration. Proof of when the vehicle was sold, traded in or totaled out by your insurance company is required so that the credit can be backdated to that date. If the plates are expired there is no credit transfer. (Must be Colorado plates and registration to transfer credit.)
- NOTE: Colorado law (SB21-069) does not allow most vehicle owners (passenger vehicles, motorhomes, motorcycles) to transfer license plates to another vehicle, or keep their current license plate sequence on newly purchased vehicles without paying an additional fee. EXCEPTION: The transfer of specialty and personalized license plates is allowed for all vehicle types.

Click here to estimate the cost of your first time vehicle registration.

Purchase from an Individual

Information for the SELLER

As the seller, keep your plates when you sell or trade-in your vehicle.
Read the back of the Colorado title carefully so that it is filled in correctly.
Complete the following documentation:
- Title: properly assign the title and keep a photocopy for your records.
- Bill of Sale: Provide a bill of sale indicating the purchase price, if it is not disclosed on the title. Click here for Bill of Sale form. (NOTE: Both seller and buyer should keep a Bill of Sale for their records.)
- Odometer Disclosure Statement: An Odometer Disclosure Statement must be completed if the vehicle is less than ten years old, or 20 years old for 2011 and newer vehicles (usually on the title document).
- Notarized Power of Attorney: A notarized Power of Attorney (POA) is required if you are selling on behalf of another individual.
- Release of Liability: Within 5 days of selling your vehicle, complete the Release of Liability form online.
- Proof of Emissions (if applicable): C.R.S. § 42-4-310 (II) (A) If title to a roadworthy motor vehicle, as defined in section 42-6-102 (15), for which a certification of emissions compliance or emissions waiver must be obtained pursuant to this paragraph (a) is being transferred to a new owner, the new owner may require at the time of sale that the prior owner provide said certification as required for the county of residence of the new owner.

Information for the BUYER

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PRIVATE PARTY PURCHASE VEHICLE REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS

To title and register the vehicle, you must complete, sign, and provide all forms required for your transaction.
- Original title: must be properly signed off by the seller(s).
- Bill of Sale: required only if the title does not list the purchase date and price.
- Security Agreement or Loan Agreement: If you have a lien on the vehicle, you will need a security agreement/loan agreement from the bank or lienholder. The original or copy of the security agreement must include a description of the vehicle (including the year, make, and VIN), the total amount of payments (amount of lien), the borrower’s signature, and both the borrower’s and lien holder’s name and address
- Proof of Insurance: must be specific for the vehicle you purchased.
- Proof of Emissions (if applicable): C.R.S. § 42-4-310 (II) (A) If title to a roadworthy motor vehicle, as defined in section 42-6-102 (15), for which a certification of emissions compliance or emissions waiver must be obtained pursuant to this paragraph (a) is being transferred to a new owner, the new owner may require at the time of sale that the prior owner provide said certification as required for the county of residence of the new owner.
- License Plates: If you sold or traded a vehicle as part of the purchase, keep your license plates. A pro-rated portion of the remainder of the registration fees may be credited toward new vehicle registration.
If the title or ownership document is from a state other than Colorado, the following may also be required:
- DR 2698 VIN (vehicle identification number) Verification form: VIN verifications are available from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (by appointment) and from Air Care Colorado.
- Certified Weight Slips: required for cargo vans, motor homes weighing between 4,501 lbs. to 10,000 lbs., all trailers over 1,900 lbs. except trailer coaches measuring 26 ft. or longer (not including the hitch), and any truck weighing between 4,501 lbs. to 10,000 lbs. that has been modified over 300 pounds, or if weight cannot be verified by the state system. A certified weight slip can be obtained from a facility with certified scales.

Temporary Tag/Transport of Newly Purchased Vehicle (C.R.S. 42-3-115, 2b)

If a vehicle purchase occurs outside of normal business hours (Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or between the hours of 5:00 PM – 8:00 AM), the vehicle buyer has up to 36 hours to drive the vehicle from the place where the seller(s) stored the vehicle to the place where the buyer(s) intends to store the vehicle without obtaining a temporary permit. The buyer must possess in the vehicle:

Proof of insurance (C.R.S. 42-4-1409)
Bill of Sale that showing a date and/or time of sale outside of business hours and signed by the buyer(s) and the seller(s)

If a vehicle purchase occurs during normal business hours, a temporary permit must be obtained prior to driving the vehicle. The following forms are required:

Original or copy of the front and back of the title, or a copy of the bill of sale (listing the date and time of vehicle sale) notarized or signed under penalty of perjury. The bill of sale must be signed by both the buyer(s) and seller(s).
Copy of current, VIN-specific, proof of insurance
The fee for the temp tag is $7.67 plus sales tax if applicable

CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON PREVENTING MOTOR VEHICLE FRAUD

Purchase from an Out of State Dealer

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUT OF STATE DEALER PURCHASE VEHICLE REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS
Out of state dealers may send your title work directly to the county, to a third party titling agency, or directly to the purchaser. If you do not have the title work, please contact the dealer to find out where they sent it.
Once you or the county has the title work, the following is required to complete the transaction:
- Original title
- Dealer invoice
  - If sales tax has already been collected, the dealership must provide a statement letting us know where the sales tax has been remitted. The letter must include the year, make, and VIN of the vehicle; amount of taxes paid and where they were remitted; customer name; and must be on dealership letterhead.

DR 2698 VIN (vehicle identification number) Verification form is required for used and previously-owned vehicles (not required if the vehicle is brand new).
- VIN verifications are available from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (by appointment) and from Air Care Colorado.
Certified Weight Slips are required for: cargo vans, motor homes weighing between 4,501 lbs. to 10,000 lbs., all trailers over 1,900 lbs. except trailer coaches measuring 26 ft. or longer not including the hitch, and any truck weighing between 4,501 lbs. to 10,000 lbs. that has been modified over 300 pounds, or if weight cannot be verified by the state system. A certified weight slip can be obtained from a facility with certified scales.

Purchasing a Vehicle from Outside the United States

The following is required:

Foreign title or current original registration
An original signed bill of sale (must identify the vehicle by year, make, and vehicle identification number) from owner to buyer
- Bill of sale must be notarized or signed under penalty of perjury
The owner on the foreign document must show a foreign address. If an American address is shown on the foreign document, the current owner must establish title in their name before transferring ownership
Secure and Verifiable ID of the purchaser is required
DR 2698 Verification of Vehicle Identification Number
A certified weight slip is required for the following used out-of-state vehicles:
All trucks, cargo vans, and motor homes weighing between 4,501 lbs. to 10,000 lbs.
All trailers over 1,900 lbs. except trailer coaches measuring 26 ft. or longer not including the hitch.
- A certified weight slip can be obtained from a facility with certified scales

Odometer disclosure must be on a secure odometer disclosure form
- This form will be provided by the DMV at the time of titling

One of the following U.S. Customs and Border Protection entry forms is acceptable as proof of customs entry: (a copy is acceptable)
- CBP 7523 — Entry and Manifest of Merchandise Free of Duty
- CBP 3299 — Declaration For Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles
- CBP 3311 — Declaration For Free Entry of Returned American Products
- CBP 7501 — Entry Summary (Does not require a Customs Inspector’s signature)
- CBP 3461 — Entry/Immediate Delivery, HS-7 Declaration and supporting documents if the vehicle is non- conforming

All documents written in a language other than English require translation. Anyone with knowledge of the language can write the translation.
- All translations must be signed and notarized or signed under penalty of perjury
Documentation of purchase price

Custom documents are not required if a letter from the manufacturer indicates that the vehicle was manufactured to United States standards or proof is provided that the vehicle was previously titled in the United States. In addition to the above, titling a newly purchased vehicle will require proof of current VIN specific insurance. When registering a vehicle for someone else, a power of attorney will be required.

For further information, you may contact:

U.S. Customs Service
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20229
202.927.0300