EL PASO COUNTY MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT
The Motor Vehicle
Department is responsible for titling and registering all types of motor
vehicles within El Paso County. This Department is also responsible
for enforcing the statutory emission control requirements, as well as verifying
that vehicles are in compliance with mandatory insurance coverage.
Active
duty military personnel are exempt from the requirement to have Colorado license
plates within 30 days of arrival if they have valid plates from their home of
record state. To obtain Colorado plates, you must have verification
of your vehicle's identification number (VIN), the title or current
registration, and proof of a current Colorado emissions test. Take
these items and the vehicle to the Motor Vehicle Department located at 200 South
Cascade in Centennial Hall or the Chapel Hills Mall next to JC Penney.
See the El Paso County Motor Vehicle listing in the
Contacts/Link.
NONRESIDENT AFFIDAVIT
If you are not a resident of
Colorado, you may register your vehicle as a non-resident and avoid the specific
ownership tax. The form is available at the Legal Assistance Office
of the Staff Judge Advocate, 1st Floor, Building 6285 on Woodfill Road on Fort
Carson, or at any MVD office. In order to qualify, the vehicle must
be registered in the soldier's name or the soldier's and the spouse's names, and
you must have all the documents required to register the car and a military
ID. The registration fee will be based on the weight of your
vehicle. For information about the affidavit, call Legal Assistance
at 719-526-5572.
SALES TAX ON VEHICLES
If you buy a vehicle while
living in Colorado, you must pay a state sales tax. The tax varies
from 3% to 6.5%, depending on the location of your Colorado
address. When you register your vehicle in Colorado, you must have
the current registration, proof that you have already paid a state tax or an
affidavit that the vehicle was a gift or you will pay the Colorado sales
tax.
COLORADO EMISSION INSPECTIONS
Colorado law requires an
emissions inspection for all vehicles that are in state for more than 90
days. Emissions testing is offered at the Auto Craft Center, Bldg
2427 on Wetzel Avenue, as well as various other locations throughout the local
community. The Auto Craft Center's operating hours for emissions
testing are Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and
Wednesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Call
719-526-2147 for more information.
COLORADO DRIVER'S LICENSE
You
may use either a Colorado driver's license or a license from you home
state. If you wish to obtain a Colorado license, bring your valid
out-of-state driver's license and take and eye test. If you have lost
your driver's license, the Military Police station can provide you with proof of
license. You will need your name, date of birth, state where the
license was issued, and license number (if possible). The military
police will give you a waiver to take to the Department of Motor Vehicles in
lieu of a license. There is only one full service Driver's License
office serving El Paso County. For contact information, see the
Driver's License listing in the Contacts/Link.