DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
Division of Motor Vehicles – Title and Registration Section
1 CCR 204-10
RULE 29. RESERVING PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATES
Basis: The statutory basis for this regulation is 42-1-204 and 42-3-211(9)(a) C.R.S.
Purpose: The following rule and regulations are promulgated to establish criteria and process for reserving a personalized license plate that is no longer registered to a motor vehicle.
1.0 Definitions
1.1 “Personalized License Plates” – means license plates that have displayed upon them the registration number assigned to the motor vehicle for which such registration number was issued in a unique combination of letters, numbers or letters and numbers requested by the owner of the vehicle. Additionally, “Personalized License Plates” includes special license plates that bear the words “street rod” or may bear the call sign letters assigned to valid renewable amateur radio, standard radio, FM, or television licensees issued by the federal communications commission.
2.0 Requirements and Process
2.1 A registrant who has a personalized license plate that is no longer registered to a vehicle in Colorado may retain the unique combination of letters, numbers or letters and numbers by completing a reservation request form provided by the department and paying all applicable fees.
2.2 The fee to reserve a personalized plate configuration is an annual fee set forth in 42-3-211(9)(a).
2.3 Reservation of the personalized plate configuration shall remain in effect as long as all applicable fees are paid annually.
2.4 The applicant may request that the personalized plate configuration be reserved for one year intervals not to exceed a maximum of five years. If the request is for more than one year, the applicant shall pay the applicable fees for the total amount of years requested.
2.5 Fees shall be required to be paid at the time of application.
2.6 No refunds shall be granted for fees collected as a result of a personalized plate configuration reservation. No refunds and/or credits shall be allowed should an applicant desire to remove a requested plate configuration from the reserved list prior to the expiration date of the reservation.
2.7 The personalized plate configuration must have been registered to a vehicle prior to requesting the reservation of the plate. Applicants shall not receive a license plate with the approved personalization plate configuration reservation and no license plate shall be manufactured upon reservation. Should the applicant choose to remove the plate configuration from reservation and register it to a vehicle, the normal personalized plate processes shall be applied.
2.8 The registered owner or the owner’s authorized agent may request the personalized plate configuration reservation. Changes to the reservation, changes to the status of reservation, and/or registering the personalized plate on a vehicle shall only be accepted from the registered owner or the registered owner’s authorized agent.
2.9 In the event that the personalized plate is reserved by a sole owner, and that individual is deceased, the applicant must present information to prove that he/she is the court appointed personal representative or the successor of the plate holder. A photocopy of a death certificate or the Verification of Death form shall also be required.
2.10 In the event that the personalized plate is reserved to joint owners and only one owner chooses to retain the personalized plate configuration reservation, he/she must present information to prove that he/she is the court appointed owner of the personalized plate configuration or notarized letter from the other joint owner stating that they relinquish their rights to ownership of the personalized plate configuration reservation allowing the requestor to retain the ownership.
2.11 At the time that the reserved personalized license plate configuration is requested to be registered to a motor vehicle, and no longer reserved, at least one of the person(s) listed as the owner of the reserved personalized license plate configuration must be listed as the owner on the vehicle registration.
2.12 A notice to renew the reserved personalized plate configuration shall not be issued by the department. It is the responsibility of the reservation owner to obtain the application and submit it with the applicable fees.
2.13 If the applicant desires to register the reserved personalized plate to a vehicle, he/she must apply for registration at their County Motor Vehicle office. The County office shall contact the department to release the plate configuration from reserved status and allow the plate configuration to be issued.
2.14 If the reserved personalized plate configuration is not renewed within one calendar month following the end of the reservation period, the personalized plate configuration shall become available for issuance to all Colorado residents.