Selling or junking a car in Colorado, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles using DR 2539A, Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt; it can be done online.
- Pay off any loan. If a lender is listed on the title, it must release the lien before the car can change hands. See our guide to junking a car with a lien.
- Sign the title over at pickup. Every owner named on the Colorado title signs and prints their name in the seller section, matching how the names appear on the front, and records the exact mileage. A DR 2173 bill of sale is optional but recommended. Within 5 days the seller may report the release of liability, and should keep their plates.
- Deal with your plates. Sellers must not let the buyer leave with their plates, and can return regular plates to a county office or recycle them, while personalized plates can move to the seller's next vehicle.
- File the Report Release of Liability. Within 5 days of the sale, the seller may report the change of ownership through myDMV or at a county office. The report requires the plate number and either the VIN or the verification code from the registration.
How to sign over a title in Colorado
Every owner named on the Colorado title signs and prints their name in the seller section, matching how the names appear on the front, and records the exact mileage. A DR 2173 bill of sale is optional but recommended. Within 5 days the seller may report the release of liability, and should keep their plates.
Official page: dmv.colorado.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Colorado
The listed owner, the lienholder or an authorized agent can apply through myDMV (not available with out-of-state addresses), at a county motor vehicle office, or by mail. If a lien is active, only the lienholder can request the duplicate.
- Form: DR 2539A, Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt — download
- Available online: yes
- Official page: dmv.colorado.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Report Release of Liability
Within 5 days of the sale, the seller may report the change of ownership through myDMV or at a county office. The report requires the plate number and either the VIN or the verification code from the registration.
- Can be filed online: yes
- Official page: dmv.colorado.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
Plates stay with you, the seller, not the car. Sellers must not let the buyer leave with their plates, and can return regular plates to a county office or recycle them, while personalized plates can move to the seller's next vehicle.
Source: dmv.colorado.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Colorado
A vehicle designated as junk can no longer be legally driven, and Colorado will not title any vehicle that has ever been classified as Junk. Salvage vehicles cannot be driven on the road until they are repaired and inspected.
Official page: dmv.colorado.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Colorado
Without proper ownership documents, a bonded title is available after a VIN inspection, a title record search, certified-mail notice to prior owners, and a surety bond of twice the appraised value. Vehicles more than 25 years old skip the bond and follow a separate checklist (DR 2462).
Official page: dmv.colorado.gov
Ready to sell your car in Colorado?
Get a free offer. We'll explain exactly what paperwork to have ready.
Colorado title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Colorado?
The listed owner, the lienholder or an authorized agent can apply through myDMV (not available with out-of-state addresses), at a county motor vehicle office, or by mail. If a lien is active, only the lienholder can request the duplicate. The form is DR 2539A, Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt.
Do I need to notify Colorado when I sell or junk my car?
Colorado uses the Report Release of Liability. Within 5 days of the sale, the seller may report the change of ownership through myDMV or at a county office. The report requires the plate number and either the VIN or the verification code from the registration.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Colorado?
Sellers must not let the buyer leave with their plates, and can return regular plates to a county office or recycle them, while personalized plates can move to the seller's next vehicle.
Can I junk a car without a title in Colorado?
Without proper ownership documents, a bonded title is available after a VIN inspection, a title record search, certified-mail notice to prior owners, and a surety bond of twice the appraised value. Vehicles more than 25 years old skip the bond and follow a separate checklist (DR 2462). Confirm the details with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles.
Official sources
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles — homedmv.colorado.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titledmv.colorado.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (DR 2539A, Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt)dmv.colorado.gov
- DR 2539A, Duplicate Title/Lien Request and Receipt formdmv.colorado.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesdmv.colorado.gov
Summarized from official Colorado government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.