What you pay to register a car
Updated Sep 5
One bill, fifteen charges. The orange band is a tax and the blue bands are fourteen separate fees. They are different things, so this page never adds them into a single headline without saying which is which.
Colorado charges you about a dozen separate things to register a car. Most people pay it once a year and never read it. The amounts are all public. Nobody publishes what they add up to.
This page takes one ordinary bill apart. Every line names the law that created it and the fund it goes to. The worked example is a 2019 mid-size SUV with an original list price of $32,000, weighing 4,000 lbs, registered in Denver.
Fifteen charges, one piece of paper
Here is the whole bill. The first row is a tax. The other fourteen are fees. Each row shows the law that sets it and where the money goes.
| Charge | Amount | Set by | Goes to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $122.40 | C.R.S. 42-3-107 | TRACED County — distributed to local taxing authoritiesFollowed to your county, which splits it among every government that taxes your address in proportion to the dollars of property tax each levied last year (C.R.S. 42-3-107(24)).In Denver, tax year 2025 levies split this line 62.3% ($76.23) to school districts, 29.6% ($36.27) to the county and 8.1% ($9.90) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for cities and towns (0%) and local college districts (0%) in Denver, so no part of this line reaches either. |
| Registration Base Fee | $10.00 | C.R.S. 42-3-306(2)(b)(I) | TRACED Highway Users Tax FundFollowed to the Highway Users Tax Fund, which statute splits among CDOT, counties and cities. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | C.R.S. 43-4-804 | TRACED Highway Users Tax Fund — 56 percent to the state highway fund, 24 percent to counties and 20 percent to cities and incorporated towns for registration periods beginning on or after 1 September 2025 (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6.3)(b)(I), added by Senate Bill 25-258 (chapter 424, signed 4 June 2025)); 60 percent to the state highway fund, 22 percent to counties and 18 percent to cities and incorporated towns before that (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6)(b))Followed to the Highway Users Tax Fund, split by statute between the state highway fund, counties and cities, and the Treasury publishes each county’s share of the county pool by month. |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | C.R.S. 43-4-805(5)(g) | SHARED Statewide Bridge Enterprise Special Revenue FundFollowed into the Statewide Bridge Enterprise, a pot that publishes no project-level spending; a records request for it is drafted. |
| Age of Vehicle | $10.00 | C.R.S. 42-3-306 | TRACED Highway Users Tax FundFollowed to the Highway Users Tax Fund, which statute splits among CDOT, counties and cities. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | C.R.S. 42-1-210 | TRACED County Clerk and RecorderFollowed to your County Clerk and Recorder. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(21) | TRACED Emergency Medical Services AccountFollowed to the Emergency Medical Services Account. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | C.R.S. 42-3-310 | TRACED County Road and Bridge Fund — apportioned monthly between the county and its municipalitiesFollowed to your County Road and Bridge Fund, shared monthly with the cities in the county. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(24) | TRACED POST Board $0.95 · County Clerk and Recorder $0.05Followed to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, with five cents to the Clerk. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(18)(a) | TRACED County Clerk and RecorderFollowed to your County Clerk and Recorder. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(18)(a) | TRACED Statewide AIR AccountFollowed to the Statewide AIR Account. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(1)(b) | TRACED Motorist Insurance Identification DatabaseFollowed to the Motorist Insurance Identification Database. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(1) | TRACED DRIVES Vehicle Services AccountFollowed to the Motorist Insurance Identification Database. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | C.R.S. 42-3-301 | TRACED License Plate Cash FundFollowed to the License Plate Cash Fund. |
| Emissions — Area Air Account | $1.50 | C.R.S. 42-3-304(18)(b) | TRACED Area AIR AccountFollowed to the Area AIR Account. |
| Tax subtotal | $122.40 | Specific Ownership Tax alone | |
| Fee subtotal | $69.58 | 14 separate fees | |
| Total you have to pay | $191.98 | Our addition, not the State's — see the missing total | |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass — added unless you decline it | $29.00 | SB 21-249 | Colorado Parks and Wildlife |
| Total if you do nothing | $220.98 | The park pass is opt-out — the State's two pages disagree about this | |
Where the Road Safety Surcharge actually lands. The line above goes into the Highway Users Tax Fund, and statute splits that fund 60 percent to the state highway fund, 22 percent to counties and 18 percent to cities and incorporated towns (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6)(b)) — and, for registration periods beginning on or after 1 September 2025, 56 percent to the state highway fund, 24 percent to counties and 20 percent to cities and incorporated towns (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6.3)(b)(I), added by Senate Bill 25-258 (chapter 424, signed 4 June 2025)). The State Treasurer then publishes what every county was paid out of the county share, month by month.
In FY2026 (12 months) the State collected $215,817,589.18 under FASTER. The county share was $50,971,605.00, and $48,221,605.00 reached counties after the $2,750,000 a year that C.R.S. 43-4-811(1)(b) takes off it for rail and transit. That year straddles the change: 2 months on 60/22/18, then 10 months on 56/24/20. So the county share below is not 22 percent of the collection above it, and not 24 percent either. The year before, FY2025 (12 months), the State collected $232,331,749.63.
This is a share of one statewide pot, not your county’s own registrations. Nobody publishes what a single county collected in road safety surcharges. So the county that receives the most is not the county that paid the most. We do not have that number and we are not going to work one out.
Pick a county and the answer appears here, on the Road Safety Surcharge row above. It appears again under the Specific Ownership Tax row: one chooser, two questions about the same bill. Denver and Broomfield are on the Treasury’s city workbook instead of its county one. So neither has a county figure to show for this surcharge; both are in the property tax table the ownership tax splits by.
We always print the months. The Treasury’s own spreadsheet heads its yearly column TOTAL even when the year is only part-published, so a figure from it can be nine months wearing a year’s name — two of its old files do exactly that for 2022. Every figure here says how many months are behind it. Source: Colorado Department of the Treasury, FASTER Fiscal Year County Payments, read 2 September 2026.
Where the Specific Ownership Tax lands inside your county. The tax at the top of this receipt does not go to the State. It goes to the county, and the county divides it. Under C.R.S. 42-3-107(24) the treasurer works out each January what share of the county’s property tax dollars every government inside it levied the year before. The treasurer splits the ownership tax by those shares, so one year’s levies decide the next year’s split.
The figures here are tax year 2025, as the Division of Property Taxation’s 2025 annual report prints them. The example is registered in Denver; the chooser above changes the county here too. All 64 counties are in this table, including the two the Treasury leaves off its FASTER county sheet.
In Denver, tax year 2025 levies split this line 62.3% ($76.23) to school districts, 29.6% ($36.27) to the county and 8.1% ($9.90) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for cities and towns (0%) and local college districts (0%) in Denver, so no part of this line reaches either.
How each amount is worked out. Denver levied $1,441,397,716 for school districts out of $2,314,333,258 levied in the county altogether. FACT So the arithmetic on this line is $122.40 × $1,441,397,716 ÷ $2,314,333,258 = $76.23. CALC Each piece is rounded to the cent once, so the five can come to a cent either side of $122.40. The shares here are printed to one decimal, so two of them can read alike and still take different amounts. The dollars underneath are what the split is worked from.
This is the split by kind of government, not by government. The treasurer’s own percentages run one entity at a time — every school district, every town, every special district — and no county publishes that list. What the Division of Property Taxation publishes, and what this shows, is the five classes those entities are grouped into. It is the shape of the split, and we do not present it as the treasurer’s own arithmetic.
Dollars levied, not a mill levy. The share a government gets is set by the dollars it levied, so this reads a property tax REVENUE table and not a levy table — the levy is a rate, it is a different measure, and the two must never stand in for one another. Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Property Taxation, 2025 Fifty-Fifth Annual Report, Section XII, “Tax Year 2025 Property Tax Revenues by Taxing Classification”, read 2 September 2026.
A note on the word "fee." A tax and a fee are not the same thing in Colorado, and the difference is not decorative. Under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, a new tax needs a public vote. A fee does not. That single rule shapes most of this bill.
The biggest charge on the bill is a tax, and it is 63.8% of the $191.98 you have to pay
The Specific Ownership Tax is a yearly tax on the vehicle itself. Think of it as a property tax for your car. It is the only tax on this bill.
It is not based on what your car is worth now. It is based on the original list price when the car was new, which never changes, and on the car's age. The taxable value is 85% of that original price. The rate then falls each year.
| Year of service | Rate | On our $32,000 example |
|---|---|---|
| First year | 2.1% | $571.20 |
| Second year | 1.5% | $408.00 |
| Third year | 1.2% | $326.40 |
| Fourth year | 0.9% | $244.80 |
| Fifth to ninth year | 0.45% | $122.40 |
| Tenth year and after | flat $3.00 | $3.00 |
Our example is a 2019 car registered in 2026. That is its eighth year of service, so it pays 0.45% — $122.40. The same car cost $571.20 in its first year.
The tenth year is not a smaller percentage. It is a flat $3.00. A ten-year-old car that cost $200,000 new pays the same $3.00 as one that cost $12,000.
Two lines on this bill are the charge that built the highway
The Road Safety Surcharge and the Bridge Safety Surcharge come to $37.30 on our example. That is 53.6% of the $69.58 fee subtotal — the fourteen fees, which do not include the $29 park pass added a line below them. They are the two largest fees by some distance.
Both were created in 2009 by a law called FASTER. It stands for Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery. The name matters less than what it did: it raised money for roads and bridges through charges on your registration rather than through a tax.
This is the same argument as Floyd Hill. A tax needs a vote. A charge structured as a fee does not. Colorado voters rejected two transport funding measures in 2018, and I-70 Floyd Hill was built anyway — paid for through charges built the same way.
The Road Safety Surcharge goes into the Highway Users Tax Fund. A formula splits that fund three ways for registration periods beginning on or after 1 September 2025. The shares are 56% to the state highway fund, 24% to counties, 20% to towns and cities (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6.3)(b)(I), added by Senate Bill 25-258). Before that date the split was 60% state, 22% counties, 18% towns and cities (C.R.S. 43-4-205(6)(b)). The Bridge Safety Surcharge goes to a separate bridge fund.
These rates rise on 1 September 2027. That increase is already in law. On our example the Road Safety Surcharge goes from $19.30 to $23.00.
The same bill, worked out across the range
The bill above is one example. Here are twelve sample vehicles, from a cheap old car to a new heavy one, priced by the same rules. Open one to see every charge and how it is worked out. To work out your own, use the calculator below.
SAMPLE These twelve vehicles are illustrations, not any registered vehicle. Each is defined only by its class, age, weight and list price when new. The weights and prices are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average. All twelve are priced for a 2026 renewal with a standard plate. Ten are cars, SUVs and vans, priced by the same rules as the bill above. The pickup and the motorcycle are priced by the rules the law sets for each.
The new small hatchback (Sample 1) cost $21,000 and pays $374.85 in ownership tax. The 6-year-old full-size SUV (Sample 6) cost $65,000 and pays $248.62, because the rate falls as a vehicle ages. From the tenth year of service the tax is a flat $3.00, whatever the vehicle cost.
- The list price leaves out the destination charge. Taxable value is 85% of the list price for a car or a motorcycle, and 75% for a truck (C.R.S. 42-3-107(1)(a)(I)). The law takes that price “not including applicable federal excise tax, transportation or shipping costs, or preparation and delivery costs” (C.R.S. 42-3-107(9)(a)).
- The model year is the first year of service. C.R.S. 42-3-106(4) and 42-3-108 count the years from the model year, not from the day a vehicle changes hands. So a vehicle that is 12 years old in 2026 is in its thirteenth year of service, when the tax is a flat $3.00.
- Three lines follow weight. The base fee and both FASTER surcharges are set by the weight the registration records. Your own registration prints it. A truck is priced on its empty weight. A motorcycle pays flat amounts, so its weight is not used.
- A pickup and a motorcycle pay no age-of-vehicle fee. The law sets that fee only for passenger cars, motor homes and a few others (C.R.S. 42-3-306(2)(b)(II)). The DMV’s fee page lists the fee without saying which vehicles owe it.
- A truck has its own ownership tax class. A truck is in Class B. Its taxable value is 75% of the list price. In years five to nine the tax is at least $10.00 (C.R.S. 42-3-107(8)(a)). The sample is on a standard truck plate. A farm plate or a noncommercial plate is priced on other schedules.
| Vehicle | Weight | List price when new | County | Ownership tax | Total you have to pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample 1: new small hatchback | 2,700 lb | $21,000 | Boulder | $374.85 | $443.83 |
| Sample 2: new luxury sedan | 4,300 lb | $80,000 | Eagle | $1,428.00 | $1,498.68 |
| Sample 3: 3-year-old midsize SUV | 4,200 lb | $38,000 | Mesa | $290.70 | $361.18 |
| Sample 4: 4-year-old midsize sedan | 3,400 lb | $30,000 | Pueblo | $114.75 | $183.63 |
| Sample 5: 5-year-old minivan | 4,500 lb | $40,000 | Douglas | $153.00 | $225.58 |
| Sample 6: 6-year-old full-size SUV | 5,600 lb | $65,000 | Garfield | $248.62 | $337.80 |
| Sample 7: 8-year-old compact sedan | 3,000 lb | $24,000 | El Paso | $91.80 | $157.88 |
| Sample 8: 12-year-old compact car | 2,900 lb | $18,000 | Montrose | $3.00 | $65.88 |
| Sample 9: 1-year-old battery electric compact | 4,000 lb | $42,000 | Boulder | $535.50 | $696.13 |
| Sample 10: 3-year-old plug-in hybrid SUV | 4,400 lb | $48,000 | Summit | $367.20 | $514.13 |
| Sample 11: 4-year-old full-size pickup | 5,500 lb | $52,000 | Logan | $175.50 | $286.58 |
| Sample 12: 6-year-old motorcycle | not used | $14,000 | La Plata | $53.55 | $92.63 |
Sample 1 new small hatchback $443.83 to pay
SAMPLE A new small hatchback, about 2,700 lb, $21,000 new. Model year 2026, gasoline, priced for Boulder County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $374.85 | A 2026 model year makes 2026 its first year of service, taxed at 2.1%. Taxable value is 85% of the $21,000 list price: $21,000 × 0.85 = $17,850.00, and $17,850.00 × 2.1% = $374.85.In Boulder, tax year 2025 levies split this line 54.9% ($205.61) to school districts, 24.3% ($91.11) to the county, 10.3% ($38.74) to cities and towns and 10.5% ($39.39) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Boulder, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $7.40 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 2,700 lb that is 7 steps: $6.00 + 7 × $0.20 = $7.40. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 2,700 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Boulder County received $1,351,678.16 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 2,700 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2026 = 0 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Area Air Account | $1.50 | Charged because Boulder County is wholly inside the emissions program area. |
| Tax subtotal | $374.85 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $68.98 | 14 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $443.83 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $472.83 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 2 new luxury sedan $1,498.68 to pay
SAMPLE A new luxury sedan, about 4,300 lb, $80,000 new. Model year 2026, gasoline, priced for Eagle County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $1,428.00 | A 2026 model year makes 2026 its first year of service, taxed at 2.1%. Taxable value is 85% of the $80,000 list price: $80,000 × 0.85 = $68,000.00, and $68,000.00 × 2.1% = $1,428.00.In Eagle, tax year 2025 levies split this line 40.1% ($573.21) to school districts, 13.1% ($186.86) to the county, 5.1% ($73.37) to cities and towns, 35.6% ($508.64) to special districts and 6% ($85.93) to local college districts. CALC |
| Registration Base Fee | $10.60 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 4,300 lb that is 23 steps: $6.00 + 23 × $0.20 = $10.60. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 4,300 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Eagle County received $557,650.43 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 4,300 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2026 = 0 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $1,428.00 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $70.68 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $1,498.68 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $1,527.68 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 3 3-year-old midsize SUV $361.18 to pay
SAMPLE A 3-year-old midsize SUV, about 4,200 lb, $38,000 new. Model year 2023, gasoline, priced for Mesa County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $290.70 | A 2023 model year makes 2026 its fourth year of service, taxed at 0.9%. Taxable value is 85% of the $38,000 list price: $38,000 × 0.85 = $32,300.00, and $32,300.00 × 0.9% = $290.70.In Mesa, tax year 2025 levies split this line 62.6% ($182.07) to school districts, 14.9% ($43.29) to the county, 7.6% ($22.02) to cities and towns and 14.9% ($43.33) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Mesa, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $10.40 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 4,200 lb that is 22 steps: $6.00 + 22 × $0.20 = $10.40. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 4,200 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Mesa County received $1,884,046.38 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 4,200 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2023 = 3 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $290.70 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $70.48 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $361.18 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $390.18 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 4 4-year-old midsize sedan $183.63 to pay
SAMPLE A 4-year-old midsize sedan, about 3,400 lb, $30,000 new. Model year 2022, gasoline, priced for Pueblo County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $114.75 | A 2022 model year makes 2026 its fifth year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 85% of the $30,000 list price: $30,000 × 0.85 = $25,500.00, and $25,500.00 × 0.45% = $114.75.In Pueblo, tax year 2025 levies split this line 43.3% ($49.71) to school districts, 31.7% ($36.41) to the county, 9.5% ($10.95) to cities and towns and 15.4% ($17.68) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Pueblo, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $8.80 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 3,400 lb that is 14 steps: $6.00 + 14 × $0.20 = $8.80. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 3,400 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Pueblo County received $1,170,748.77 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 3,400 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2022 = 4 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $114.75 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $68.88 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $183.63 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $212.63 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 5 5-year-old minivan $225.58 to pay
SAMPLE A 5-year-old minivan, about 4,500 lb, $40,000 new. Model year 2021, gasoline, priced for Douglas County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $153.00 | A 2021 model year makes 2026 its sixth year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 85% of the $40,000 list price: $40,000 × 0.85 = $34,000.00, and $34,000.00 × 0.45% = $153.00.In Douglas, tax year 2025 levies split this line 44.7% ($68.46) to school districts, 17.9% ($27.43) to the county, 1.1% ($1.75) to cities and towns and 36.2% ($55.36) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Douglas, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $11.00 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 4,500 lb that is 25 steps: $6.00 + 25 × $0.20 = $11.00. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 4,500 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Douglas County received $2,274,317.51 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 4,500 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2021 = 5 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Area Air Account | $1.50 | Charged because Douglas County is wholly inside the emissions program area. |
| Tax subtotal | $153.00 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $72.58 | 14 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $225.58 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $254.58 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 6 6-year-old full-size SUV $337.80 to pay
SAMPLE A 6-year-old full-size SUV, about 5,600 lb, $65,000 new. Model year 2020, gasoline, priced for Garfield County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $248.62 | A 2020 model year makes 2026 its seventh year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 85% of the $65,000 list price: $65,000 × 0.85 = $55,250.00, and $55,250.00 × 0.45% = $248.62.In Garfield, tax year 2025 levies split this line 45.3% ($112.51) to school districts, 18.1% ($45.04) to the county, 3.4% ($8.50) to cities and towns, 28.5% ($70.77) to special districts and 4.7% ($11.81) to local college districts. CALC |
| Registration Base Fee | $19.10 | $12.50, plus $0.60 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 4,500 lb. At 5,600 lb that is 11 steps: $12.50 + 11 × $0.60 = $19.10. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $24.30 | Set by weight band. 5,600 lb is in the 5,001 to 10,000 lb band, which pays $24.30 until 31 August 2027.Garfield County received $806,566.10 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $23.00 | Set by weight band. 5,600 lb is in the 5,001 to 10,000 lb band, which pays $23.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2020 = 6 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $248.62 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $89.18 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $337.80 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $366.80 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 7 8-year-old compact sedan $157.88 to pay
SAMPLE A 8-year-old compact sedan, about 3,000 lb, $24,000 new. Model year 2018, gasoline, priced for El Paso County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $91.80 | A 2018 model year makes 2026 its ninth year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 85% of the $24,000 list price: $24,000 × 0.85 = $20,400.00, and $20,400.00 × 0.45% = $91.80.In El Paso, tax year 2025 levies split this line 63.8% ($58.60) to school districts, 10% ($9.22) to the county, 4.1% ($3.80) to cities and towns and 22% ($20.17) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in El Paso, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $8.00 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 3,000 lb that is 10 steps: $6.00 + 10 × $0.20 = $8.00. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 3,000 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.El Paso County received $3,111,181.94 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 3,000 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $10.00 | 2026 − 2018 = 8 years old, which pays $10.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $91.80 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $66.08 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $157.88 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $186.88 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 8 12-year-old compact car $65.88 to pay
SAMPLE A 12-year-old compact car, about 2,900 lb, $18,000 new. Model year 2014, gasoline, priced for Montrose County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $3.00 | A 2014 model year makes 2026 its thirteenth year of service. From the tenth year the tax is a flat $3.00, whatever the vehicle cost new.In Montrose, tax year 2025 levies split this line 43.4% ($1.30) to school districts, 27.9% ($0.84) to the county, 0.4% ($0.01) to cities and towns and 28.4% ($0.85) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Montrose, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $7.80 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 2,900 lb that is 9 steps: $6.00 + 9 × $0.20 = $7.80. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 2,900 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Montrose County received $1,117,701.83 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 2,900 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $7.00 | 2026 − 2014 = 12 years old, which pays $7.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $3.00 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $62.88 | 13 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $65.88 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $94.88 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 9 1-year-old battery electric compact $696.13 to pay
SAMPLE A 1-year-old battery electric compact, about 4,000 lb, $42,000 new. Model year 2025, battery electric, priced for Boulder County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $535.50 | A 2025 model year makes 2026 its second year of service, taxed at 1.5%. Taxable value is 85% of the $42,000 list price: $42,000 × 0.85 = $35,700.00, and $35,700.00 × 1.5% = $535.50.In Boulder, tax year 2025 levies split this line 54.9% ($293.73) to school districts, 24.3% ($130.15) to the county, 10.3% ($55.34) to cities and towns and 10.5% ($56.28) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in Boulder, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $10.00 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 4,000 lb that is 20 steps: $6.00 + 20 × $0.20 = $10.00. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 4,000 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Boulder County received $1,351,678.16 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 4,000 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2025 = 1 year old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Area Air Account | $1.50 | Charged because Boulder County is wholly inside the emissions program area. |
| Electric Vehicle Fee | $63.05 | Charged to battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles alike. $63.05 is the amount for the year from 1 July 2026; it moves with inflation each July (C.R.S. 42-3-304(25)(a)). |
| Electric Motor Vehicle Road Usage Fee | $26.00 | The rate set in law for a battery electric vehicle in the year from 1 July 2026 (C.R.S. 42-3-304(25)(a.5)). |
| Tax subtotal | $535.50 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $160.63 | 16 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $696.13 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $725.13 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 10 3-year-old plug-in hybrid SUV $514.13 to pay
SAMPLE A 3-year-old plug-in hybrid SUV, about 4,400 lb, $48,000 new. Model year 2023, plug-in hybrid, priced for Summit County with a standard plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $367.20 | A 2023 model year makes 2026 its fourth year of service, taxed at 0.9%. Taxable value is 85% of the $48,000 list price: $48,000 × 0.85 = $40,800.00, and $40,800.00 × 0.9% = $367.20.In Summit, tax year 2025 levies split this line 28.3% ($103.84) to school districts, 32.4% ($119.14) to the county, 3.2% ($11.89) to cities and towns, 29.6% ($108.81) to special districts and 6.4% ($23.51) to local college districts. CALC |
| Registration Base Fee | $10.80 | $6.00, plus $0.20 for each 100 lb or part of 100 lb over 2,000 lb. At 4,400 lb that is 24 steps: $6.00 + 24 × $0.20 = $10.80. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $19.30 | Set by weight band. 4,400 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $19.30 until 31 August 2027.Summit County received $312,454.08 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $18.00 | Set by weight band. 4,400 lb is in the 2,001 to 5,000 lb band, which pays $18.00. |
| Age of Vehicle | $12.00 | 2026 − 2023 = 3 years old, which pays $12.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Electric Vehicle Fee | $63.05 | Charged to battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles alike. $63.05 is the amount for the year from 1 July 2026; it moves with inflation each July (C.R.S. 42-3-304(25)(a)). |
| Electric Motor Vehicle Road Usage Fee | $13.00 | The rate set in law for a plug-in hybrid in the year from 1 July 2026 (C.R.S. 42-3-304(25)(a.5)). |
| Tax subtotal | $367.20 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $146.93 | 15 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $514.13 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $543.13 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 11 4-year-old full-size pickup $286.58 to pay
SAMPLE A 4-year-old full-size pickup, about 5,500 lb empty, $52,000 new. Model year 2022, gasoline, priced for Logan County with a standard truck plate. The weight and price are illustrative round numbers chosen to span the range, not any manufacturer's specification and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $175.50 | A truck is in Tax Class B (C.R.S. 42-3-106(2)(b)), taxed on 75% of its list price. A 2022 model year makes 2026 its fifth year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 75% of the $52,000 list price: $52,000 × 0.75 = $39,000.00, and $39,000.00 × 0.45% = $175.50. That is above the $10.00 floor Class B sets for these years.In Logan, tax year 2025 levies split this line 48.8% ($85.65) to school districts, 38.4% ($67.35) to the county, 6% ($10.60) to cities and towns, 6.8% ($11.88) to special districts and 0% ($0.03) to local college districts. CALC |
| Registration Base Fee | $53.00 | A truck is priced on a table of empty weights, not by the formula for cars (C.R.S. 42-3-306(5)(a)). 5,500 lb is in the 5,401 to 5,500 lb row, which pays $53.00. |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $24.30 | Set by weight band. 5,500 lb is in the 5,001 to 10,000 lb band, which pays $24.30 until 31 August 2027.Logan County received $870,047.46 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $23.00 | Set by weight band. 5,500 lb is in the 5,001 to 10,000 lb band, which pays $23.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $175.50 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $111.08 | 12 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $286.58 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $315.58 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sample 12 6-year-old motorcycle $92.63 to pay
SAMPLE A 6-year-old motorcycle, $14,000 new. Model year 2020, gasoline, priced for La Plata County with a standard plate. The price is an illustrative round number, not any manufacturer's, and not an average.
| Charge | Amount | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Ownership Tax | $53.55 | A motorcycle is in Tax Class C, the class for any motor vehicle not in Class A or B (C.R.S. 42-3-106(2)(c)). A 2020 model year makes 2026 its seventh year of service, taxed at 0.45%. Taxable value is 85% of the $14,000 list price: $14,000 × 0.85 = $11,900.00, and $11,900.00 × 0.45% = $53.55.In La Plata, tax year 2025 levies split this line 55.5% ($29.74) to school districts, 14.7% ($7.88) to the county, 5.5% ($2.95) to cities and towns and 24.2% ($12.98) to special districts. CALCThe report prints $0 for local college districts (0%) in La Plata, so no part of this line reaches that one. |
| Registration Base Fee | $3.00 | A motorcycle pays a flat $3.00, whatever it weighs (C.R.S. 42-3-306(2)(a)). |
| Road Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $12.30 | The law names a motorcycle in the lowest band (C.R.S. 43-4-804(1)(a)(I)(A)), which pays $12.30 until 31 August 2027.La Plata County received $749,683.86 from the county pool in FY2026 (12 months). That is a share of one statewide pot, not what this county paid in. FACT |
| Bridge Safety Surcharge (FASTER) | $13.00 | The law names a motorcycle in the lowest band (C.R.S. 43-4-805(5)(g)(I)(A)), which pays $13.00. |
| Clerk Hire Fee | $4.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emergency Medical Services | $2.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| County Road and Bridge | $1.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Peace Officer Standardized Training (POST) | $1.00 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions Program County Area | $0.70 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Emissions — Statewide Air Account | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Insurance Fee | $0.50 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Motorist Insurance Information Database | $0.10 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Material fee — year tab | $0.48 | The same amount on every registration. |
| Tax subtotal | $53.55 | Specific Ownership Tax alone |
| Fee subtotal | $39.08 | 12 separate fees |
| Total you have to pay | $92.63 | Tax subtotal + fee subtotal. CALC |
| Keep Colorado Wild park pass | $29.00 | Added unless you decline it |
| Total if you do nothing | $121.63 | Total you have to pay + the park pass. CALC |
Sources. C.R.S. 42-3-106(4), 42-3-107(9)(a) and (10)(a), and 42-3-108, read 11 October 2026 · C.R.S. 42-3-304(25)(a) and (a.5) for the two electric vehicle fees · for the pickup and the motorcycle, C.R.S. 42-3-106(2)(b) and (c), 42-3-107(1)(a)(I) and (8)(a), and 42-3-306(2)(a), (2)(b)(II) and (5)(a), in the Office of Legislative Legal Services’ Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 42, and C.R.S. 43-4-804(1)(a)(I)(A) and 43-4-805(5)(g)(I)(A) in Title 43, read 13 October 2026 · the truck’s Class B is also how Legislative Council Staff describe it, in their Specific Ownership Tax issue brief of November 2025 · every other fee as cited on the bill above. No sample is a particular vehicle, and no make or model is used.
Work out your own bill
Enter your own vehicle’s figures to get its bill, line by line. Your registration card or renewal notice shows the weight, and the window sticker or a dealer’s record shows the list price. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere or seen by us. It is worked out in your own browser. The county you pick is kept on this device, as it is across the site, until you tap Forget. Everything else is gone when you close the page.
Why we ask for the county, and where we will not guess. One $1.50 line only applies inside the emissions program area, and the county also decides where your ownership tax goes. The area covers five whole counties — Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson — and parts of four more: Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer and Weld. Because it splits those four counties, we cannot tell from a county name alone. We have not found a published map of the boundary. So we show you both answers rather than pick one.
No government source publishes what a registration costs
Every single line on this bill is published by the State. The total is published by nobody. We checked.
| Source | What it gives |
|---|---|
| The State's own Fee Estimator | Says on its own screen that it is for "new, first-time vehicle registrations" and is "not meant for vehicle registration renewals." It also excludes "taxes or fees specific to your jurisdiction" — which is exactly the local lines above. |
| Denver, Larimer, Pitkin and Boulder counties | Publish fee lists. None publishes a worked total. |
| The DMV fee page | Every amount, each with the law that sets it. No total. |
So the total on this page is our addition. Every number going into it comes from the State. The adding up is ours, and we say so on the line itself rather than letting it look official.
This is worth saying plainly: the State can tell you the price of any one line. It cannot tell you what the bill comes to.
What this page will not do
- It will not give a statewide average. The tax depends on what your car cost when it was new. We do not hold that for every car in Colorado, so an average would be a guess dressed as a figure.
- It will not draw the emissions boundary. Four counties are split and we have found no published map. Naming nine counties is honest. Drawing a line we cannot source would not be.
- It will not add the tax and the fees into one headline without saying which is which. They are different things and the difference is the point.
- It will not guess either electric vehicle fee past what is published. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles pay two extra fees, not one. The road usage fee is set in law only to June 2032. The Electric Vehicle Fee — $63.05 this year — moves with inflation every July, and the State publishes each year's amount only in the spring before. Past what is published, we leave the line blank.
The State's own two pages disagree about the park pass. The $29 Keep Colorado Wild pass is added at registration. Whether you have to ask for it, or have to refuse it, is the whole story for a $29 charge. The Department of Revenue answers that question twice, on the same website, in opposite ways.
Its fee page says: "Colorado residents can opt in to a highly discounted $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass during their annual vehicle registration." That describes a charge you choose.
Its own FAQ page says: "Per state law, the Keep Colorado Wild Pass will automatically be included, or opted-in, to vehicle registrations... If an owner does not wish to purchase the pass, they will need to opt-out for that vehicle during registration to not be charged." That describes a charge you have to refuse.
The FAQ is right, because it is the one describing what the law does. So the pass is added unless you decline it, and it is 13.1% of the $220.98 total if you do nothing. That is why this page shows two totals rather than one.
Sources. Colorado Department of Revenue, Vehicle Taxes and Fees, read 8 August 2026 and re-read 21 August 2026 · C.R.S. 42-3-304, 42-3-306, 42-3-310 and 42-1-210 · C.R.S. 43-4-804 and 43-4-805 (FASTER). Amounts are checked against both the DMV schedule and the statute it cites, and the build stops if the two stop agreeing.