Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder Lori Mitchell is sharing news from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on the new license plate reissue program set to begin in January.
On January 1, 2022, the DMV will implement the License Plate Expiration on Change of Ownership Act, which establishes Colorado’s first license plate replacement program in over 20 years. The license plate reissue program will take older license plates out of circulation and enhance public safety by ensuring registered vehicles in Colorado have serviceable license plates that are reflective and visible in low-light environments. This will allow first responders to more easily identify license plates and will improve visibility of vehicles to enhance safety, for example when vehicles are stalled on the roadside at night.
Under the new state-wide program, license plates for Class C motor vehicles (including passenger vehicles, motorhomes and motorcycles) will expire upon transfer of the owner’s title or interest in the vehicle. This means that vehicle owners will not be able to transfer their old license plates to their new vehicles. However, the owner will retain the priority right to use the same combination of letters or numbers from the expired plates when registering a new vehicle. To do so, the owner must apply for personalized plates. License plates will then be printed and mailed to the vehicle owner like newly issued license plates.
While the new program will make driving in Colorado safer, it will also raise registration costs. For most Coloradans, the additional replacement expense will be $4.73. However, Coloradans who would like to keep the configuration on their current license plate will need to pay a one-time replacement fee ranging between $68.06 and $118.06, depending on the license plate. This is in addition to the normally collected registration fees.
More information on the state’s license plate reissue program can be found at DMV.Colorado/gov/NEW-PL8T
