If you’re buying a car in Colorado
, you’ll either get temporary plates right away from the dealership, or you’ll have to go to your county motor vehicle department shortly after the purchase if it was a private sale. Under Colorado law, all vehicles on the road must have a valid license plate. The only exception is for newly purchased vehicles through a private sale—and even for those, there are some strict guidelines for driving without plates.
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comparison experts at Jerry
, the super app
that saves people money, you don’t need to worry. Jerry has compiled this guide with everything you need to know about getting temporary tags in Colorado. 
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers Does Colorado issue temporary plates?
You can get temporary plates in Colorado directly from your dealership when you purchase a vehicle. If the sale is a private transaction, though, you’ll have to visit your county’s motor vehicle department office to apply for temporary plates.
Unless you are buying from a dealership, your temporary plates must come from the county motor vehicle office in the county where you reside. If you go to the motor vehicle office in a different county, they will not be able to issue temporary plates to you.
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If you buy from a dealership, they will use the state’s DRIVES
program to issue your temporary plates, which will be good for 60 days while you complete the title transfer and registration process. If there’s a hangup with the dealership or lienholder, you can apply for a 30-day extension from the county motor vehicle services office in your county of residency. The process for getting temporary plates in dealership purchases is pretty straightforward in Colorado, but private sale temporary tags are a little more complicated.
Temporary registration for private sales in Colorado
If you’ve bought your vehicle from a private seller in Colorado, you have 36 hours in which you can legally drive your vehicle without temporary plates or registration. That means you need to get to the DMV right away to avoid getting a ticket. During this timeframe, you also must be sure to carry a bill of sale with the vehicle identification number (VIN) as well as proof of insurance.
When you arrive at the motor vehicle services office, you need to provide your identification, a copy of the signed vehicle’s title
and bill of sale to prove your ownership, and proof of insurance. With this information, the county can issue temporary tags that are good for up to 60 days. However, there is no grace period upon the expiration, and no extensions are available. Once the temporary tags are expired, you must have a valid registration and license plate.
Can I drive a car without plates if I just bought it in Colorado?
Yes—under very limited circumstances. If you’ve just purchased a car in Colorado, you can drive it without plates or registration for up to 36 hours under any of the following conditions:
You bought the vehicle from someone who is not a licensed dealer
You purchased the car on a Saturday, a Sunday, a legal holiday, or between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., when vehicle services offices are closed
You’re driving the car from the seller’s storage area to your own storage area
MORE: Title transfer in Colorado
How to find affordable car insurance in Colorado
Navigating Colorado’s Division of Motor Vehicles can be tricky and time-consuming, but you can make up for lost time by using Jerry
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