Colorado License Plates
Customer looking at license plate options

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.

Colorado Department of Revenue DMV warns of impersonating scam messages!
The Colorado DMV does not send unsolicited texts demanding payment or requesting personal information. Read more about the scams on the Colorado DMV website.

Colorado License Plates

Colorado offers many different license plate styles and options. Most plate styles can be personalized and many plates can be ordered online when you register your vehicle or as replacement plates. Plates other than Regular Plates usually have special requirements and fees. In cases where a donation to an organization is required to order a plate, you must complete the donation before ordering the plate.

Most standard Colorado license plates (white mountains with green background) are available same-day in the Motor Vehicle office. Other plates are ordered, printed on demand, and mailed via USPS to your address. Visit the Colorado DMV website for more information about this process.

Standard Colorado license plate example

Regular License Plates

Standard plate with no special requirements or fees.

Rocky Mountain National Park group specialty license plate

Group Special License Plates

Available for 40 different organizations and causes.

Designer license plate

Designer Plates

A special design with extra fees but no special requirements.

US Army military specialty license plate

Military License Plates

Select styles are free for qualifying military members. Requires special application.

University of Colorado Alumni license plate

Alumni License Plates

Available for 13 Colorado colleges and universities.

Specialty license plate for collector truck tractor

Other Specialty Plates

Plates for a variety of special purposes, including collector vehicles, farm trucks, and other commercial vehicles.

Motor Vehicle Division

General Requirements

  • Colorado requires that all vehicles display valid license plates. Most vehicles must have two plates – one for the front and one for the rear of the vehicle.
  • License plates are issued for a 12-month period. You must renew your registration every year.
  • When you sell a vehicle, the plates are not transferable to the new owner. You must take your plates off of the vehicle when you sell it.
  • As a buyer, you can drive a vehicle without plates for 36 hours, or from point A to point B, as long as you have the endorsed title and Bill of Sale.
  • You cannot reuse your old standard plates on your new car effective January 2022. However, you can reuse specialty plates, and you can transfer credit for any remaining valid registration regardless of plate type.

More Info

Personalized Plates

Most plate styles can be personalized for an extra fee. You can order personalized plates when you register your vehicle (either online or at one of our offices) or to replace your current plates. It is recommended that you submit at least two options to the state when requesting personalization.

Order Plates Online

Looking to replace your existing plates with a different plate style? You can request plates online.

Note that many (but not all) plate styles are available online. (See plate details on this page). You can also request a specific plate type when you register your vehicle online.

Cancel License Plates

Colorado license plates may be canceled by completing one of the following two options:

  • Lost or Stolen License Plate/Permit Affidavit Form (DR 2283): Mail the signed original form to the Motor Vehicle Division
    • 1750 33rd Street, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301
  • Release of Liability: Voluntarily report a transfer of ownership within five days of sale. Pursuant to C.R.S. 42-6-109(3), this notification serves to remove the seller’s liability for the buyer’s actions involving the vehicle after the sale is complete.

Contact our office if you have more questions about canceling your plates.

Replacement Plates

If your plates have been lost/stolen/damaged or you want to replace your current plates with specialty plates, you can either do so online or by visiting one of our offices.

Many (but not all) plate styles are available online. (See plate details on this page). Also, the online option is not available for remanufacturing of personalized plates. Please contact us to initiate the replacement of personalized plates.

Disability Plates

For information about applying for handicapped plates, please visit our Disability Parking page.

Military Free Plates

Some military plate styles are exempt from registration fees and ownership taxes for those who qualify. Please refer to the Military License Plate Application or the Colorado DMV website for styles and qualification requirements.

Contact Us

Motor Vehicle Division

7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday - Thursday
Closed Fridays

Motor Vehicle Homepage
Contact Us Form
Contáctenos - Formulario en línea

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

Office Locations

1750 33rd Street, Boulder
24-Hour Drop Box: Stand-alone box outside doors on parking lot side (Directions)

1755 S. Public Road, Lafayette
24-Hour Drop Box: Slot on exterior wall to the right of the main doors (Directions)

529 Coffman Street, Longmont
24-Hour Drop Box: Stand-alone box at the northeast corner of the building (Directions)

Mailing Address

1750 33rd Street, Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80301

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