Motor Vehicle Services



New County Citizens


If you recently moved to Archuleta County, you must apply for a Colorado title and registration immediately upon establishing residency. A resident is a person who meets any of the following criteria:
  • Has obtained gainful employment in the State of Colorado
  • Has resided within the State of Colorado continuously for a period of 90 days
  • Owns or operates a business in Colorado

VIN Verification

A VIN verification is required before registering a vehicle in Archuleta County when the vehicle:
  • has an out-of-state title,
  • was purchased outside of Colorado,
  • was transferred on a Purged Bill of Sale, or
  • requires a correction to the description on the title
Beginning Monday August 5th the Clerk's Office will be performing VIN Verifications from 8:00 am to 11:00 am Monday through Friday.  There will be designated parking behind the courthouse.  Due to safety concerns VIN Verifications will not be performed in front of the courthouse.  The fee for this service is $20.00. 


Certified VIN Inspections


A certified VIN verification must be performed by the Colorado State Patrol.
Follow this link to schedule an appointment:  Colorado State Patrol

Payment

We accept cash, checks and credit cards in office only; no over the phone payments will be taken. A 2.7% portal fee will be collected in addition to the card charge.

Title Liens


If you have a lien on the vehicle, meaning that you are making payments to a lender, you will need a Security Agreement / Loan Agreement. The Security Agreement must include the following information:
  • Description of the vehicle, including year, make, and VIN
  • Lien holder's name and address
  • Original or legible fax copy of lien document
  • Total amount of payments (amount of lien)

Late Registration Fees


Colorado motor vehicle registrations have a 30-day grace period. Once your registration has expired beyond that 30 day grace period, a late fee of $25 per month is incurred up to $100.

Temporary Permits


Expired temporary permit registrations are also included in the $25 penalty. There is no grace period for permits.

Trailers


Late fees for any type of trailer expired more than the 30 day grace period is one $10 flat fee.

Disabled Parking Placard


The disabled parking plate / placard application must be completed by a medical professional prior to renewing or applying for the placard and / or disabled licensed plate. Any of these medical professionals are able to verify an applicant’s disability for applying for disability parking privileges:
  • Advance practice nurse
  • Colorado-licensed physician
  • Commissioned medical officer
  • Physician’s assistant
  • Podiatrist
Out-of-state doctors may fill out a Colorado form if that doctor is from New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Nebraska, Kansas, or Oklahoma

Colorado Plate Ownership


Colorado plates remain with the customer, not the vehicle. If a vehicle is sold or traded, license plates should be removed. A pro-rata portion of the registration fees may be credited toward the same owner's renewal or new vehicle registration, provided that the registration has not expired at the time of the credit.