CO license plate lookup · plate to VIN

Colorado License Plate Lookup

A Colorado plate lookup turns the number on the bumper into the car's VIN in seconds, with no account. From there you get one report: odometer readings in miles, police-reported crashes, salvage and auction history with photos, title brands, recalls and factory specs, drawn from records in all states. That matters on the Front Range, where hail is a real risk. The May 8, 2017 storm alone produced about 167,000 auto insurance claims around Denver. Run the plate before you meet the seller, then match the VIN to the title and the door jamb, and look for a Rebuilt from Salvage brand.

Full report $9.99. One payment, no subscription.

Records from all states
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See a real sample report

Used car with crash damage: check the VIN before you buy

How a Colorado plate lookup works

Type the CO plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep Colorado selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history.

1. Enter the plate
Type the Colorado plate and pick the state. Spaces and dashes don't matter.
2. We find the car's VIN
The plate turns into the car's 17-character VIN in seconds, and you see the decoded year, make and model before you pay.
3. Open the full history report
One payment of $9.99, no account. The report opens at once, with records from all states.

What the report includes

One report for the VIN behind the plate, searched across all states:

Odometer readings in miles
Dated readings from state safety and emissions inspections and auction sales, with a rollback check.
All states
Police-reported crashes
Crashes involving this VIN, with the year, plus the damage recorded when the car was sold at auction.
All states
Salvage and auction history, with photos
Insurance and salvage auction sales of this VIN: sale date, damage type, title, odometer at sale and the auction photos.
All states
Title brands
Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk brands, so you know what the title says before the seller tells you.
Recalls and owner complaints
Safety recalls and owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the model and model year.
Model-level
Factory specs
Model year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain and assembly plant, decoded from the VIN.
Every VIN

Colorado license plate formats

Colorado had 5,276,703 registered vehicles in 2024. Source: FHWA

Colorado license plate formats
Plate	Format	Example	Notes
Standard passenger (mid 2018 to present)	`ABC-D12`	`CXT-R52`	Green mountain design. Serials are issued alphabetically; the letter O has not been used in the fourth position since 2024.
Standard passenger (mid 2015 to mid 2018)	`ABC-123`	`AKR-512`
Standard passenger (2000 to mid 2015)	`123-ABC`	`512-KMT`
Personalized	`Up to 7 characters (6 on a motorcycle)`	`PWDRDAY`	Uppercase letters, numbers other than zero, spaces, dashes and periods; spaces, dashes and periods count toward the limit. Minimum 2 characters (5 if numbers only). Form DR 2810.

Colorado plates are issued by county motor vehicle offices for the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. Most cars carry two: C.R.S. 42-3-202 requires one plate on the front and one on the rear. Motorcycles, autocycles, street rods, trailers and special mobile machinery get a single rear plate. The statute also bans covers that make a plate unreadable to automated cameras. Plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. When you sell, you take them off before the buyer drives away, then return regular plates to a county office or a metal recycler, or move personalized plates to your next car. The current green mountain series reads ABC-D12 and has been issued since mid 2018. Earlier series used ABC-123 (2015 to 2018) and 123-ABC (2000 to 2015). Personalized plates allow up to seven characters, six on a motorcycle, and cost a one-time $60 plus $25 at each renewal. Registration is not one flat price. You pay a weight-based license fee, specific ownership tax on 85 percent of the original MSRP that falls each year, FASTER road and bridge surcharges, and, from July 1, 2026, an age-of-vehicle fee of $7 to $12. A dealer sale comes with a temporary permit good for 60 days. Late registration costs $25 per month, capped at $100.

Front plate rule

Colorado requires a plate on the front and the rear of a passenger car, so you can read either one.

Colorado fees at a glance

What Colorado DMV and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

Colorado fees at a glance
Fee	Amount	Details	Source
Title (transfer of ownership or lien release)	$7.20		Colorado DMV
Duplicate title	$8.20	Form DR 2539A.	Colorado DMV
Lien filing	$40.00	Jefferson County motor vehicle fee schedule.	Colorado DMV
Registration (license) fee	Set by vehicle weight, plus taxes and surcharges	Base fee under C.R.S. 42-3-306(2)(b)(I). Add specific ownership tax, FASTER surcharges and smaller statutory fees; use the myDMV fee estimator for an exact amount.	Colorado DMV
Specific ownership tax (most passenger cars, Class C)	2.1% (year 1), 1.5%, 1.2%, 0.9%, 0.45% (years 5 to 9), $3 from year 10	Applied to a taxable value of 85% of the original MSRP, not the price you paid.	Colorado DMV
FASTER road safety surcharge, 2,001 to 5,000 lb vehicle	$19.30 (until Aug 31, 2027), then $23.00	A separate bridge safety surcharge of $18.00 applies to the same weight class.	Colorado DMV
Age of vehicle fee (from July 1, 2026)	$12 (under 7 years), $10 (7 to 9 years), $7 (10+ years)		Colorado DMV
Embossed plate set (material fee)	$7.38	C.R.S. 42-3-301.	Colorado DMV
Personalized plate	$60 one time, plus $25 at each annual renewal	Shown for personalized versions of the standard designs.	Colorado DMV
Late registration fee	$25 per month or part of a month, up to $100	C.R.S. 42-3-112. Trailers: $10.	Colorado DMV
Emissions test (Air Care Colorado, 1982 and newer)	$35	Every two years once a gasoline vehicle is past its first seven model years.	Colorado DMV

Title brands in Colorado

A brand on a Colorado title records that the car was a total loss, rebuilt or damaged by water, and it stays on later titles. The report lists the title brands recorded for the VIN.

Title brands in Colorado
Brand	What it means	Law	Source
Salvage	Title brand for a damaged vehicle declared salvage; the type of damage (collision, water, fire, theft and more) is disclosed on form DR 2710.	C.R.S. 42-6-102(17), 42-6-107(1)(a)(III)	Source
Rebuilt from Salvage	A repaired salvage vehicle that passed a certified Colorado VIN inspection. REBUILT FROM SALVAGE must be stamped on the driver door B pillar (frame on motorcycles), and the seller must give every buyer a written disclosure.	C.R.S. 42-6-102(16), 42-6-136(2), 42-6-206	Source
Flood	Flood brand, applied by Colorado or another state; it must be disclosed to the buyer before sale.	C.R.S. 42-6-102(17), 42-6-107(1)(a)(III)	Source
Non-Repairable	Vehicle branded non-repairable by Colorado or another state; disclosed on form DR 2710.	C.R.S. 42-6-102(17), 42-6-107(1)(a)(III)	Source
Odometer Tampered with	The recorded mileage was tampered with; disclosed on form DR 2710 with the state that applied the brand.	C.R.S. 42-6-102(17), 42-6-107(1)(a)(III)	Source

Buying a used car in Colorado

In a Colorado private sale you have 60 days from the purchase date to title and register the car at your county motor vehicle office. Bring the signed title, a bill of sale (form DR 2173 works), secure ID and proof of insurance, and pay the sales tax there. Before you pay, match the VIN on the title to the car and check the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Motor Vehicle Verification System for theft reports. Emissions matter along the Front Range. In the Air Care Colorado area (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties) the seller must hand you a passing emissions certificate for a gasoline car more than seven model years old. Title brands are the bigger risk. Colorado brands include Salvage, Rebuilt from Salvage, Flood, Non-Repairable and Odometer Tampered with, and any owner or dealer must disclose a brand on form DR 2710 before the sale. A repaired salvage car must have REBUILT FROM SALVAGE stamped on the driver door pillar and pass a certified VIN inspection. On any car with hail dents, a new roof skin or fresh paint, ask for repair invoices and compare them with the crash records and auction photos in your report. Run the plate first, then confirm the VIN on the dash.

Private sale: The seller signs the title, records the odometer reading, gives you a bill of sale (DR 2173 or equivalent), removes the plates and reports the sale on myDMV within 5 days. You check the VIN against the title and the theft database, buy Colorado insurance, then title and register at your county motor vehicle office within 60 days. In an emissions county the seller must give you a passing emissions certificate for a car over seven model years old.
Dealer sale: A dealer issues a temporary permit valid for 60 days, and can issue a second 60-day permit if the county has not completed the title. Owners and dealers must disclose any title brand on form DR 2710 before the sale. If a dealer-sold car fails its emissions test, the dealer must repair or repurchase it when you return it within 3 days.
Title transfer deadline: 60 days from the purchase date; then $25 per month late fee, up to $100 (C.R.S. 42-3-112)

Official Colorado vehicle tools

These tools are run by state and federal agencies, not by Carlytics. Use them next to the report.

CBI Motor Vehicle Verification System
Checks whether a vehicle is reported stolen; the DMV tells private buyers to run it before paying.
You enter: VIN
Air Care Colorado Vehicle Test History
Recent emissions test history for vehicles tested in the Air Care Colorado program.
You enter: VIN
myDMV Title Status
Status of a Colorado title application.
You enter: VIN
myDMV Fee Estimator
Estimates Colorado registration fees and specific ownership tax.
You enter: Vehicle and county details
NMVTIS vehicle history
Federal title information system: title brands, junk and salvage reports from participating states.
You enter: VIN

Vehicle inspection in Colorado

Air Care Colorado (gasoline emissions); separate state program for diesel

Emissions tests apply in the Air Care Colorado area: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties. Gasoline vehicles are exempt for their first seven model years, then 1982 and newer models test every two years ($35). A vehicle over seven model years old needs a passing test at sale, and the seller provides it. All-electric vehicles, motorcycles and street rods need no test. Cars registered outside the area but driven into it 90 days a year for work or school are covered. Source

What Colorado vehicle records show

Colorado vehicle records are not open to the public. Under C.R.S. 24-72-204(7), C.R.S. 42-1-206 and the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act, the DMV does not disclose personal information tied to a motor vehicle record. A vehicle record search or title history search (form DR 2489A) is limited to the owner, someone with notarized owner consent, or a requester with a permissible use such as a court case, a tow carrier or a repair shop. The state's own tools each cover one slice: myDMV shows title status, Air Care Colorado shows recent emissions tests by VIN, and the CBI system flags reported thefts. A carlytics.com report pulls title brands, odometer readings, police-reported crashes, salvage and auction records and recalls from all states into one place, and it never shows an owner's name or address.

Colorado license plate privacy law

Colorado follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and adds its own law:

C.R.S. 24-72-204(7) and 42-1-206; federal DPPA, 18 U.S.C. 2721

The Colorado DMV may not disclose personal information obtained in connection with a motor vehicle record. Vehicle record and title history searches (form DR 2489A) are limited to the owner of record, a person with the owner's notarized consent or power of attorney, and requesters with a permissible use such as a court case, a tow carrier, a repair shop or a storage facility. The public cannot get an owner's name or address from a plate.

Source: Colorado DMV

What our lookup shows

Vehicle data only: the VIN, odometer readings, crashes, auction history with photos, title brands, recalls and factory specs. Never the owner's name, address or phone number.

See what a report looks like

A real report for a real car, every section included:

Sample report: 2017 Chevrolet Traverse

Latest odometer reading: 104,351 mi at a New York State inspection on Mar 26, 2026
5 dated odometer readings, no decrease
Police-reported crash in New York, 2021
3 safety recalls for the model

Open the full sample report

Look up a Colorado license plate

the result is the same: the car's VIN in seconds, then its full history for $9.99. Checking several cars? $19.99 for three, $29.99 for five.

Colorado license plate lookup questions

Are license plates public records in Colorado?

No. Anyone can see a Colorado plate on the road, but the records behind it are protected. C.R.S. 24-72-204(7), C.R.S. 42-1-206 and the federal DPPA stop the DMV from releasing personal information without a permissible use or the owner's notarized consent. A plate lookup gives you the vehicle side instead: the VIN, title brands, odometer readings, crash, salvage and auction history, and recalls.

Can I find the owner of a car by its plate in Colorado?

No. Owner names and addresses stay private under Colorado law and the DPPA. Only the owner, a person with notarized consent, or a requester with a permissible use such as a court case can get them from the DMV. A carlytics.com plate lookup returns the car's VIN and its full vehicle history, never personal data.

Does Colorado require a front license plate?

Yes. C.R.S. 42-3-202 requires one plate on the front and one on the rear of most self-propelled vehicles. Motorcycles, autocycles, street rods, trailers and special mobile machinery display a single rear plate. Keep both plates readable: the statute also bars covers or devices that hide any part of a plate from automated identification systems.

How much does it cost to register a car in Colorado?

It depends on the car. Colorado combines a weight-based license fee, specific ownership tax on 85 percent of the original MSRP (2.1 percent in year one, falling to $3 from year ten for most cars), FASTER surcharges and smaller fees. A transfer title costs $7.20. The myDMV fee estimator gives you the exact figure for your vehicle and county.

Do plates stay with the car or the owner in Colorado?

Plates stay with the owner. When you sell a car in Colorado, you remove the plates before the buyer leaves, then return regular plates to a county office or a metal recycler, or move personalized plates to your next vehicle. The buyer gets new plates when they title and register the car at their county motor vehicle office.

How long do I have to title a used car in Colorado?

You have 60 days from the purchase date. After that, the county adds a late fee of $25 for each month or part of a month, up to $100, under C.R.S. 42-3-112. If you need to drive the car before it is registered, get a temporary permit from your county motor vehicle office.

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Sources

The fees, laws and rules on this page were checked against these official sources on Oct 30, 2026.

Show all 19 sources