Steps To Buying A Car In Colorado

Steps To Buying A Car In Colorado

Vehicle purchases are among the largest transactions in Colorado, which means they can result in a significant sales tax payment. This article discusses the most relevant components of the Colorado sales tax in relation to automobile purchases. The taxation of leases and rentals applies to cars that are rented or leased.

Colorado imposes a 2.9% state sales tax on all automobile purchases. In addition to the state sales tax, a county tax of up to 5% and a municipal or local tax of up to 8% may be levied. The highest amount of tax that can be owed is $525. Aside from taxes, automobile purchases in Colorado may be subject to other expenses such as registration, title, and plate fees.

  • Many dealerships will accept your old vehicle in exchange for a credit against the purchase price of a new one. For example, you may trade in your old automobile and obtain a $5,000 credit on the purchase price of a new vehicle worth $10,000, reducing your out-of-pocket expense to $5,000.
  • Because the value of your trade-in is not subject to sales tax in Colorado, the taxable price of your new car will be $5,000. This means you’ll save the sales taxes you’d have paid on the $5,000 worth of your trade-in.
  • To stimulate sales, many dealers give financial incentives or manufacturer rebates on the sticker price of a car. For example, if a $1,000 cash refund is provided on a $10,000 automobile, the buyer’s out-of-pocket expenditure is $9,000.
  • Colorado taxes car purchases before rebates or incentives are applied, which means the customer will pay taxes on the vehicle as if it costs the entire $10,000.

A Colorado automobile registration is completed at your local DMV office. Vehicle registration is required to drive lawfully on state roads. You will have 60 days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle with the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles.

If you have evidence of ownership, an ID, and the necessary documentation, your automobile registration should be completed quickly if you make an appointment.

Buying a Car in Colorado and Vehicle Registration

Your car must be registered within 60 days after purchase. Out-of-state drivers have up to 90 days from the day they move to register their car.

Before registering the car, you must get a smog inspection, which varies by jurisdiction. Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson have mandatory smog checks. You’ll also require an emissions test in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer, and Weld.

If you want to drive, you must have car insurance when you register your vehicle. Gather (or get) your Colorado driver’s license or proof of identification, then fill out the following forms for any car purchased through private sales:

  • Visit a CO DMV office.
  • If your vehicle was titled out of state, you must complete the Vehicle Identification Number Verification (DR 2698).
  • Bring and display the title or registration document
  • Evidence of ID and residence.
  • Display your emissions test results (if applicable)
  • Display proof of Colorado automobile insurance.
  • Make payment for the registration costs.
    • The license fee
    • The sales tax
    • Tax on ownership

Kudos! You’ve finished the procedures for registering a vehicle in Colorado. Your registration is good for one year. Drive safely and follow the regulations of the road, and your time on the road will be enjoyable and thrilling.

Buying a Car in Colorado and Emissions Tests

Before registration, an emissions inspection is necessary. You will perform this emissions test if it is mandated by your county. When registering, check with your local DMV for information on your smog check requirements and other inquiries.

Buying a Car in Colorado from Dealerships

Dealerships handle automobile registration for you. As part of the transaction, they will provide your paperwork and, most likely, pay the registration price. If they don’t, you can look for car documents and complete the process on your own, in person or by mail.

Buying a Car in Colorado and Drivers from Other States

Those who relocate from out-of-state must register their car within 90 days of arrival or suffer a late charge. You will register in person at your local DMV by performing the following:

  • Please provide your VIN verification (DR 2698)
  • Show evidence of identification and the vehicle’s title or registration certificate
  • Display evidence of an emissions test (if applicable)
  • Display proof of motor insurance.
  • Pay the registration costs for your car.

Buying a Car in Colorado and Registration Fees

Aside from state and municipal sales taxes, Colorado automobile purchasers may be subject to a variety of other taxes and levies. These fees are distinct from sales taxes and will almost certainly be collected by the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles rather than the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The average DMV fees in Colorado for a new automobile purchase are $533, which includes the above-mentioned title, registration, and plate fees.

Dealerships may also charge a documentation fee, sometimes known as a “doc fee,” to cover the costs of completing and filing the sales contract, sales tax forms, and so on. These fees are in addition to the taxes and DMV fees mentioned above.

The average doc fee in Colorado is $4901, and a dealer’s ability to collect doc fees is not limited by state law. Because these costs are imposed by the dealerships rather than the government, they might differ from one dealership to the next or even from one car to the next.

  • Title Fee: $7.20
  • Registration Fee: Paid by the customer at DMV
  • Plate Transfer Fee: $25

Buying a Car in Colorado and Car Insurance Policies

In Colorado, automobile owners are required to have liability insurance. When the insured is at fault for an accident, liability insurance covers bodily harm to another person or property damage to another’s car or property. The state requires the following minimum coverages, while higher coverages may be purchased:

  • $25,000 for any one person’s bodily injury or death in an accident;
  • $50,000 for all people’s bodily injury or death in any one accident;
  • and $15,000 for property damage in any one accident.

Colorado automobile liability insurance

In Colorado, two forms of liability coverage are available and required by law:

    • Property damage protects your assets if you are held legally responsible for a covered accident, including the opposing party’s property damage.
    • Bodily injury, which protects your assets if you are judged legally responsible for a covered accident, including certain expenditures incurred by the other party.

Liability insurance also covers your legal defense if you are sued as a consequence of a covered accident.

Self‑insurance. Individuals with more than 25 automobiles registered to their names may qualify as self-insurers by requesting a certificate of self-insurance from the state insurance commissioner. The Insurance Commissioner must ensure that the individual can afford the state’s minimal coverage. Contact the state’s Division of Insurance under the Department of Regulatory Agencies for further information about self-insurance (DORA).

Popular cars used in Colorado

Honda Accord

The gorgeous design of the 2023 Honda Accord is without a doubt the most attractive ever seen on Honda’s classic family car. With the exception of the two lowest options, the hybrid powertrain has become a more essential component of the Accord line for this generation. The LX and EX are powered by the same 192-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine as the previous generation, but they only feature a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The higher trim levels are all powered by a new 204-hp four-cylinder hybrid engine that is nearly entirely developed from the CR-V.

The inside of the Accord has been overhauled with design elements borrowed from the previously renovated Civic, CR-V, and HR-V, such as honeycomb-patterned dash trim that covers the air vents and a freestanding rectangular infotainment display that rises from the top of the instrument panel. A new standard digital gauge display and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are among the technological enhancements for the 2023 Accord.

Nissan Altima

The 2023 Nissan Altima is a powerful family car with a clean exterior, a big cabin, and all-wheel drive as an option. The Altima is offered with two four-cylinder engines: a standard 182 horsepower unit and a turbocharged variable-compression version with 248 horsepower. It is, however, the extent to which the Altima deviates from the norm. It features a continuously variable automatic gearbox (CVT) and is more courteous than zippy, depending on how you configure it. According to the EPA, the Altima is a non-hybrid car that gets 39 mpg on the highway. This car is easy to live with thanks to its spacious cabin, comfortable seats, optional 12.3-inch touchscreen screen, and a good selection of basic safety features.

Toyota Camry

The new Camry is a mainstay of the midsize sedan segment, which has seen a decline in both entry and sales in recent years as the world has embraced SUVs. Despite market changes, the Camry has been the best-selling passenger vehicle for the past two decades. It has a well-deserved reputation for durability, and there is a hybridized variant with excellent fuel efficiency. The new Camry is fashionable, especially when equipped with the Nightshade option (which adds bronze wheels for 2023) or the sporty-looking TRD trim. A 301-hp V-6 engine is still available for Toyota’s midsize SUV. While it isn’t fun to drive, its safety features, fuel-efficient engines, and large interior make it a capable and easy-to-live-with daily car.

Ford F-150

The new Ford F-150 is a well-known truck on the road, and inhabitants of Colorado prefer it over any other automobile on the market. It tops this ultra-competitive utility business with a maximum pull rating of 14,000 pounds and a payload capacity of more than 3,300 pounds. There are no weak links in its impressive powertrain choice, which includes naturally aspirated V6 and V8 engines, powerful twin-turbo V6s, and a low-cost hybrid option. The ride and handling are well-balanced, the interior is spacious and sumptuous, and the entertainment options are straightforward.

Honda Civic

In Colorado, the new Honda Civic is a popular automobile. This is due to the fact that it is fairly priced and provides drivers with a trustworthy vehicle. It also handles well and gets great mileage, which adds to the economic benefits. There are also excellent safety precautions in place to put drivers at ease. The stock engine isn’t very impressive, but the optional turbocharged engine boosts this Honda’s street cred. On the inside, the Civic is filled with technology, all wrapped up in a stylish and sophisticated package. The seats in both rows are pleasant and spacious, and the trunk is large for the segment.

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