Amended fire restrictions: Stage 1 fire restrictions in western Boulder County. Fire restrictions rescinded in eastern Boulder County.

Boulder County government offices closed Monday, Oct. 14, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The District Attorney’s Office is open Oct. 14.

appointments-only-transition

Appointments now required for in-person visits. Additionally, registration renewals need to be completed out of office. Options include online, by mail or drop box, or at a self-service kiosk. Read about these changes (including benefits, and FAQs). Información en español.

October Vehicle Registration Renewals Alert: If your vehicle registration is up for Oct renewal, the postcard will say proof of insurance required. For 99% of residents, it is not. We have it in our records. Try to renew online or other method first as you should be fine if nothing has changed with your car insurance. See the Colorado Dept of Motor Vehicle statement for more information.

Motor Vehicle Services Transition to Appointments Only

Información en español

Big change to reduce wait times and better serve you!

Beginning December 5, 2022:

Boulder County Motor Vehicle in-person services will require an appointment. Additionally, annual vehicle registration / license plate renewals will need to be completed online, by mail or drop box, or at a self-service kiosk.

Here is why we are making this change:

  • Our three branches – Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont – have continuously faced long wait times (on average 1 hour +) for well over a year. This is partially due to staffing shortages, similar to what other employers are facing, and partially due to a large increase in the number of transactions residents need to complete in one visit. These wait times have persisted despite implementing numerous scheduling and process efficiencies over the last year.
  • It takes about a year to fully train a motor vehicle technician in all types of transactions, so simply hiring more staff will not solve the wait time issue for the public.
  • Our online appointment system is being replaced (implementation in late November) by a “smart” appointment system allowing us to book appointments not just by time/day (currently the only option) but by the service you need. This will allow us to book multiple types of appointments during the same time slot with different motor vehicle staff.

Public Benefits:

  • Moving to appointments only means you can plan your visit knowing your wait time will be minimal.
  • Within a few months of our December 2022 rollout, our goal is to have appointments available within the same week and to have a member of the public in and out of our office within 20 minutes in most circumstances.
  • Our new appointment system will offer far more appointment options, text reminders, and mobile check-in.

Why renewals will be processed online, via the mail, by drop box or at a kiosk:

  • In almost all circumstances*, vehicle registration/tag/license plate renewals can be done online, by mail or drop box, or at a self-service kiosk, freeing up valuable staff time to help residents with more complicated vehicle registration and titling needs.
  • There are three self-service kiosks available in Boulder County (located in Boulder, Louisville, and Longmont). See our Renewal Kiosk page for exact locations and hours of operation.

Even more details on how we made this decision:

  • An appointment-only model has been successful in several other Denver metro counties including Jefferson and Arapahoe counties. We were able to take appointment data from those counties and create a smart appointment scheduling system for Boulder County.
  • It takes up to a year to fully train a new front desk motor vehicle technician. Additionally, like all other employers, we have faced staffing turnover as well as hiring challenges. Thus, simply hiring more staff (if we have the budget to do so) is unlikely to solve the wait time issue.
  • To us, providing the best in public service means doing everything we can to reduce the time you need to wait in our offices.

* There are several instances where in-person renewals cannot be completed online (or by other methods) with the three most common reasons being:

  • Vehicle registration/license plate tags more than 13 months expired. This is because after 13 months, you are required to get a new set of license plates.
  • Insurance not showing up in our Motor Vehicle system (despite you having it) – This can also be managed without a trip to our office by submitting your proof of insurance through our Contact Us form (and a staff member will call you to complete renewal over the phone), dropping off a copy of your insurance at a drop box or mailing in a copy of your insurance with a check and your renewal notice. However, we will also have a greeter who can help determine the best option for you.
  • Missing an emissions test – Check your courtesy renewal notice postcard or call our office at 303-413-7710 to see if an emissions test is required before you renew. You will be able to renew online once your emissions test is registered in our system (usually within 24 hours for gas emissions; diesel may take longer).

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, we will have public greeters that can assess your situation and recommend a course of action. This may include the option to wait for an opening (appointment no-show, etc.) or, potentially, to turn your paperwork into a trained technician and have you return later in the day or the next day for what you need.

Yes, just make one appointment. However, we ask that you limit your appointment to two transactions so we have the opportunity to serve others at their appointment times, too. If you have more than that, you are welcome to discuss with the technician who helps you what your options are for returning (dropping off the remainder of the paperwork and picking up at a later date, what can be completed online, scheduling an additional appointment for another time, etc.).

You don’t see that as an option because our office does not handle driver’s licenses. The state Department of Motor Vehicle handles licenses. Visit the State’s website for driver’s license information.

We ask that you wait to schedule an appointment with our office until you receive confirmation your paperwork has been completed, either by a Title Complete Notice or confirmation from one of our staff members via the phone or email.

Once you receive your title complete notice, while you can make an appointment, please consider completing the transaction online. Processing your first-time vehicle registration is one of the most convenient online options.* When you purchase plates online, they typically come in the mail in 2-3 weeks. You also receive an email confirmation of your order to carry with you in the vehicle.

*Please note that if you have credit remaining on a previous set of plates, you will not be able to apply that credit online. Instead, you will need to call our office at 303-413-7710 or make an appointment if you wish to use your remaining credit.

First, check your title status online. If the website provides you with a title number, please make an appointment to come in or contact us at 303-413-7710. If there is no title listed, please contact your dealer to verify if they have sent us the title work and arrange to get an extended temporary plate. Note that if the dealer provided you all the paperwork at the time of purchase (unusual, but does happen), then our office is never informed of your purchase and ,thus, no title complete card can be sent. In this case, you will simply make an appointment and bring in all your documentation.

You can make an appointment online at https://bouldercounty.gov/records/motor-vehicle/appointment/

If you do not have internet access, you can call our office at 303-413-7710 to make an appointment. Alternatively, you can stop by one of our offices and a greeter can assist you with making an appointment.

There is a link to modify your appointment in your appointment confirmation email and text. If you cannot find that information, you are welcome to call our office.

Yes! You can make an appointment at any of our three county offices, no matter your address or where in the county you live.

Contact Us

Motor Vehicle Division

7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday-Thursday
Closed Fridays
Online Motor Vehicle Contact Us Form
Contáctenos - Formulario en línea

Phone: 303-413-7710
Fax: 303-413-7706

Location

Boulder: 1750 33rd St.
Map and Directions Boulder Location

Longmont: 529 Coffman St.
Map and Directions Longmont Location

Lafayette: 1755 S. Public Road
Map and Directions Lafayette Location

Mailing Address

1750 33rd St., Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80301

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