Driving Without Registration in Colorado – What’s the Penalty?

Driving an unregistered vehicle on a Colorado highway is generally a class B traffic infraction. Under C.R.S. 42-3-121(1)(a), the scheduled penalty is $75 plus a $24 surcharge, with no jail time or DMV points.

A separate failure-to-register violation under C.R.S. 42-3-103 carries a scheduled penalty of $50 plus a $16 surcharge.¹

You generally must register a vehicle within 60 days after purchasing it or 90 days after becoming a Colorado resident. Before driving, you generally need a temporary registration unless a statutory exception applies.

If you register late, the owner generally owes a separate $25 late fee for each month or part of a month, up to $100, plus applicable registration taxes and fees. The late fee is due when you register, not when you receive a traffic ticket.²

Most vehicle registrations must be renewed every 12 months. Colorado provides a one-month grace period after an annual registration expires to renew before late fees begin; this does not extend an expired temporary tag.³

Can I go to jail?

No. An ordinary failure-to-register or unregistered-vehicle citation is a traffic infraction and carries no jail time.⁴

Will I get points on my record?

No. The Colorado DMV does not assess points for a class B traffic infraction.⁵

Can I get the record sealed?

Generally, no. Colorado does not permit conviction sealing when the only charge in the case is a class A or B traffic infraction.⁶

Learn more about Colorado record seals.

What if my registration is fake?

It is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense in Colorado to either:

• Use a false name or address, knowingly make a false statement, or knowingly conceal a material fact in an application for the registration, renewal registration, or duplicate registration of a motor vehicle; or
• Display, permit to be displayed, have in possession, or offer for sale a certificate of title, validation tab or sticker, or registration number plate knowing the same to be fictitious or to have been stolen, canceled, revoked, suspended, or altered.

These offenses can carry 10 to 90 days in county jail and/or $150 to $300 in fines. Colorado generally does not permit sealing the conviction record.⁷

What if I do not have a license?

Driving without a current and valid driver’s license in Colorado is generally a class A traffic infraction, with a scheduled penalty of $35 plus a $10 surcharge. The violation is a class B traffic infraction if:

• You have a current and valid license but forgot to carry it with you when law enforcement pulled you over; or
• Your license has been expired for one year or less (and it was not suspended or revoked).

For the class B license violations listed above, the scheduled penalty is $15 plus a $6 surcharge. Six DMV points may apply to a second or later conviction for driving without a valid license or with the wrong license class if the driver has still not obtained the required license. They do not apply to every repeat class B license infraction. If you merely forgot a valid license, showing it to the court by your court date may lead to dismissal.⁸

Note that driving without a license is an entirely separate Colorado crime from “driving under restraint (DUR),” which is the formal term for driving on a suspended or revoked license. The penalties for driving under restraint turn on why your license was suspended or revoked:

Reason for Suspension of Driving Privileges	Colorado Sentence for Driving Under Restraint (DUR)
Outstanding Judgment	Class A traffic infraction: $15 to $100 and 3 DMV points.
DUI, DUI per se, DWAI, or UDD	First Offense Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense: 10 days to 90 days in county jail and/or $150 to $300 in fines. Also, the date you can get a license reinstatement is extended for 1 year.*
	Subsequent Offense (within 5 years of the first conviction) Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense: $500 to $3,000 in fines and possibly 10 days to 90 days in jail. Also, you cannot get a new license in Colorado for 4 years.*
Any other reason	First Offense Class A traffic infraction: $15 to $100. Plus your license suspension is extended for 1 year.*
	Subsequent Offense (within 5 years of the first conviction) Class A traffic infraction: $15 to $100. Plus your license suspension is extended for 3 years.*
* Colorado residents could be eligible for restricted driving privileges from the Division of Motor Vehicles pursuant to C.R.S. 42-2-132.5.9

What if I do not have insurance?

Driving without insurance or failing to show proof of insurance is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense under Colorado law. A first conviction carries a mandatory minimum $500 fine; the court may suspend up to half if appropriate insurance is obtained.

The Colorado DMV assesses four points, and the court may order at least 40 hours of community service. If you had a valid policy when you were cited but could not show it, proof of that policy can get the charge dismissed.¹⁰

Can a registration ticket be dismissed?

Possibly. If the vehicle was unregistered for no more than four months when you were cited and you register it before your first court date, a court may dismiss certain failure-to-register charges. A municipal court charges a $30 administrative dismissal fee.

Dismissal is not automatic, so bring proof of the new registration to court.¹¹

What if I have no license plate? 

A missing license plate can lead to a traffic stop, but the stop does not automatically allow police to search the car. In Mosley v. Daves, an officer stopped a driver whose car had no plate and then searched the car without a warrant. The Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed a judgment for the driver in his civil rights case.¹²

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fine for driving an unregistered vehicle in Colorado?

Driving an unregistered vehicle under C.R.S. 42-3-121(1)(a) is a class B traffic infraction with a scheduled $75 penalty and $24 surcharge. A separate failure-to-register citation under C.R.S. 42-3-103 has a scheduled $50 penalty and $16 surcharge. Neither offense carries jail time or DMV points.

We tell clients to check the statute number on their ticket before calculating what they owe. Registration late fees and taxes are separate from the traffic ticket.

Can I drive a newly purchased car before registering it?

Colorado generally gives you 60 days after purchase to register a vehicle, but that deadline does not let you drive without valid registration or a temporary permit.

For a private sale, there is a narrow exception allowing a drive without registration for up to 36 hours: The private purchase must occur on a weekend, holiday, or between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.; the trip must be from the seller’s storage location to the buyer’s; and the driver must carry the signed, timed bill of sale and proof of insurance; finally, the bill of sale must show the time and date of sale and be signed by both buyer and seller.

In our experience, people often confuse the registration deadline with permission to drive. Before using the car, check that you have a valid temporary permit or qualify for a specific exception.

Is there a grace period for expired Colorado registration?

Yes. An annual registration generally may be renewed through the last day of the month following its expiration. Late fees generally begin after that grace month. The annual renewal grace period does not extend an expired temporary tag.

We advise clients to check the type of tag they have and its expiration date. A temporary tag and an annual registration have different renewal rules.

Can I get an expired-registration ticket dismissed if I renew?

Possibly. Under C.R.S. 42-4-1720, a court may dismiss certain registration violations if the vehicle had been unregistered for no more than four months when cited and the owner registers it before the first court date. A municipal court also requires a $30 administrative dismissal fee.

We tell clients to renew promptly and bring proof to court. Renewing makes dismissal possible under this rule, but it does not dismiss the ticket automatically.

How much are Colorado’s late registration fees?

The late fee is generally $25 for each month or part of a month the vehicle remains unregistered after the applicable deadline, up to $100. The owner may also owe registration taxes and fees. These amounts are separate from any traffic-ticket penalty.

From what we have seen, the total due at the motor vehicle office can surprise people who expected to pay only the ticket. Ask the county office for an itemized registration total.

Can a Colorado registration ticket be sealed?

A conviction generally cannot be sealed when the only charge in the case is a class A or B traffic infraction. If the court dismisses the registration charge, there is no conviction to seal.

We tell clients to explore dismissal before paying a ticket, particularly if they can register the vehicle before their first court date.

Additional Reading

For more information, see our related articles:

• How to reinstate a suspended driver’s license in Colorado – the steps you have to take to get the DMV to give you back your license
• How to remove points from my Colorado driver’s license – a discussion of how DMV points cannot be removed
• How long does it take to get points off your license in Colorado? – an explanation of how points older than two years do not count against you
• How to check points on my Colorado license – the procedure for checking the point status on your license
• How many points on a Colorado license trigger a license suspension? – an outline of how many traffic tickets you can get before the DMV takes action on your license

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