Colorado personalized plates: will your idea pass, and what it costs
Colorado personalized plates cost $60 once, when the plate is first registered, then $25 extra every year at renewal. The harder part is getting the letters approved. Colorado’s rules are strict: seven characters at most (six on a motorcycle), no zeros, spaces and dashes count, and every choice needs a written meaning. Test your idea below before you apply: once the DMV approves a plate and you pay, there’s no refund and no changing the spacing.
Test your plate idea against Colorado’s rules
This runs your combination through the character rules on form DR 2810. It catches the mistakes that sink most applications, like a zero, one character too many, or a number-only plate that is too short.
What a vanity plate costs in Colorado over the years you keep it
The $60 personalization fee is charged once, with the first registration of the plate. After that it’s $25 a year, added to the renewal notice your county clerk already sends. Keep a plate five years and the personalized part totals $160; ten years, $285. Your normal registration taxes come on top, as shown on the Colorado registration cost page. And there are no refunds, not even if you change your mind about the spacing after paying.
The plates you can personalize
| Plate type | What it is | Before you apply |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | The standard green and white plate | Nothing extra |
| Designer | The scenic purple mountains background | Carries its own fee, listed by the DMV |
| Group Special | For people with a shared interest or affinity | Some need the sponsoring group’s OK; send the original certificate or pin with the application |
| Alumni | Colorado college and university alumni associations | Some need the school’s authorization |
| Call Letter | For FCC-licensed radio and TV operators | Applied for in person at the county office; the only plate that can use a zero |
Colorado also sells a retro black plate. Its fees aren’t part of DR 2810, so check them with the Colorado DMV before you pick it.
Why Colorado turns plates down
The DMV can refuse any combination that is offensive to good taste and decency, misleading, or a duplicate of another plate. On DR 2810 it lists the reasons it sees most:
- a meaning that isn’t clear (writing "personal", "random" or "N/A" won’t do);
- a duplicate, or a plate already issued to someone else;
- a pattern that clashes with regular issued plates;
- too many characters, a zero, or a special symbol such as ! # $ %;
- fewer than five digits on an all-number plate;
- no valid Colorado address;
- an unsigned or incomplete form, or a missing certificate.
A denial comes as a letter that explains why and includes your options to appeal. For the paperwork mistakes, a county clerk may phone you to fix it instead.
How to apply
Most people order online: in myDMV, go to Vehicle Services and choose Replace license plates. You can also take form DR 2810 to your county motor vehicle office, and some plates, such as call letter plates, have to be done there. List two to six combinations in order of preference, each with what it means. Moving before the plates arrive? Give the county your new address, or the plates can be delayed or lost.
Keeping your combination
Two things work in your favor. Personalized plates don’t expire when you sell the car, unlike standard Colorado plates, so the letters can usually follow you to the next one. And if you’re between cars, you can file with the DMV to reserve the combination even with no vehicle registered. One warning: if three people complain that a plate is offensive, the DMV revokes it.
Questions people ask
How do you check if a personalized plate is available in Colorado?
Start the order in myDMV (Vehicle Services, then Replace license plates) or ask your county motor vehicle office. Listing two to six choices covers you if your favorite is gone. And spacing doesn’t count: if ABC is taken, so are A B C, A-B-C and A.B.C.
How much does a custom plate cost in Colorado?
$60 once, when the plate is first registered, then $25 extra at every renewal after that. Five years of a personalized plate comes to $160 on top of your normal registration.
What are the requirements for personalized plates in Colorado?
A valid Colorado address, a vehicle that qualifies for the plate type you pick, a signed DR 2810 (or the myDMV order), and for some Group Special plates the original certificate or pin from the sponsoring group. Each combination you list needs a stated meaning.
How many letters can you have on a custom plate in Colorado?
Seven characters on a car or truck and six on a motorcycle, and spaces, dashes and periods all count toward that. The minimum is two characters, or five if the plate is numbers only.
Can you transfer personalized plates to another car in Colorado?
Usually, yes. Since a change to Colorado law, standard plates expire when a car changes hands, but personalized plates don’t, so you can generally move them to your next vehicle. Your county motor vehicle office handles the transfer and sets its fee.
Sources: Colorado DMV, License Plates (FAQ); Colorado DMV form DR 2810, Personalized License Plate Application (01/13/25).