Vehicle Registrations

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

The Clerk’s Office will be performing VIN Verifications from 7a.m. to 11a.m., Monday through Thursday, by appointment only, please call 970-264-8350 to schedule. There will be designated parking to the right of the building. The fee for this service is $20.00 (cash only).  

In Case of Inclement Weather Please Contact the County Information Line at 970-264-8550 for Updated Hours of Operation.

Certified VIN Inspections 

A certified VIN verification must be performed by the Colorado State Patrol.  This is needed when you do not have possession of a Title or have a discrepancy in paperwork.  Please contact the office if you have questions or concerns regarding the process.  The fee for this service is $54.00 as of July 2025.

Follow this link to schedule an appointment:  Colorado State Patrol

Weight Slips

A weight slip will still be required for trucks that have been modified over 300 pounds. County staff will need to ask if the vehicle has been modified and by how many pounds to determine if the vehicle needs a certified weight slip. For vehicles modified over 300 pounds, MSOs, titles or Vintelligence information will not be accepted

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

Person With Disabilities Parking Privileges Application

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.