Boulder County Motor Vehicle offices are open Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Fridays. Appointments are required for in-person services. Registration renewals need to be completed online, by mail or drop box, or at a self-service kiosk and are not an in-person service.
Need to know how much it will cost to register your vehicle? You can estimate your fees by using this online calculator (note that this estimate will not include taxes). Be sure to enter the original MSRP (usually different from your purchase price). You may need to look this up online.
Please also note that we cannot estimate registration fees over the phone or by email.
The cost of a license plate is based on:
Road Safety Surcharge (CRS 43-4-804(1))
Bridge Safety Surcharge (CRS 43-4-805(3)(a))
The Road and Bridge Safety Surcharges shall be imposed for an item of Special Mobile Machinery that is covered by a registration exempt certificate.
All funds generated from the surcharges will be used to maintain Colorado roads and bridges.
Note: Collector Vehicles are charged one year of Road and Bridge Safety Surcharges for a 5-year registration. These surcharges are not collected on rental or horseless carriage vehicles.
If a lien is filed on the title, filing fees for the security agreement document will be $40.
Colorado law requires residents to pay late fees. Late fees for vehicles are $25 per month but may not exceed $100. Late fees for trailers are a one-time $10 fee. Temporary permits are not subject to a one-month grace period (C.R.S. 42-3-112, 42-3-114) and late fees will be assessed on expired temporary permits.
Specific Ownership Tax is in lieu of a personal property tax. This tax is collected every year at the time of registration renewal (progressively smaller portion of the MSRP is collected each year). The formulas used are set by the Department of Revenue and based on the following:
NOTE: Vehicles do not need to be operated in order to be assessed this tax.
Sales taxes are due when a vehicle is purchased (this includes vehicles that are purchased out of state).
State, county, city and regional transportation district sales / use taxes are based on the following:
| Tax Description | Rate |
|---|---|
| State of Colorado | 2.900% |
| Regional Transportation District | 1.100% |
| Tax Description | Rate |
|---|---|
| RTD sales/use tax | 1.00% |
| Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (CD) sales/use tax | 0.10% |
| Total Regional Transportation District (RTD) tax rate | 1.10% |
| Tax Description | Rate |
|---|---|
| Transportation improvements – public works department | 0.055% |
| Transportation improvements – trails | 0.035% |
| Transportation improvements – Community Planning and Permitting | 0.010% |
| Affordable Housing | 0.185% |
| Jail improvements and operations | 0.050% |
| Human services – worthy cause | 0.050% |
| Open space | 0.125% |
| Open space capital improvements 2005 | 0.100% |
| Open space capital improvements 2008 | 0.100% |
| Open space capital improvements 2011 | 0.150% |
| Sustainability | 0.125% |
| Wildfire Mitigation | 0.100% |
| Emergency Services | 0.100% |
| Total Boulder County tax rate | 1.185% |
| Municipality | Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| Boulder | 3.860% |
| Erie | 3.500% |
| Lafayette | 3.870% |
| Longmont | 3.530% |
| Louisville | 3.775% |
| Lyons | 4.000% Sales Tax or 3.000% Use Tax |
| Nederland | 4.250% Sales Tax or 3.000% Use Tax |
| Superior | 3.775% |
| Tax Description | Rate |
|---|---|
| Niwot resident-to-resident district tax (LID – residents located in Old Town Niwot and Cottonwood Square only) | 1.000% |
| Ward resident-to-resident sales tax | 2.000% |
