What Colorado vanity plates cost and how to order them

A Colorado vanity plate lets you choose your own combination of letters and numbers instead of accepting a random assignment. The Colorado Department of Revenue handles all vanity plate requests through their online system or by mail. The base cost is $50 for the initial plate, plus your regular vehicle registration fee — which varies by vehicle weight and county. Renewal costs $50 every two years when you renew your registration.

You can request your plate online at the Colorado Department of Revenue website, by mail using form DR 2162, or in person at any county clerk's office. The online route is fastest: you submit your desired combination, pay the $50 fee by credit or debit card, and receive confirmation within a few business days. If your first choice is taken, the system shows you alternatives on the spot so you can pick a second option when ready.

Processing takes roughly two to three weeks from approval to receiving your physical plate in the mail. During that time, you can continue driving with your current plates. Once your vanity plate arrives, you'll install it yourself — Colorado sends the plate ready to mount.

Key Takeaways

  • Colorado vanity plates cost $50 upfront plus your regular registration fee, then $50 every two years at renewal.
  • You can request a plate online, by mail, or at a county clerk's office, and the online method shows you available alternatives when ready if your first choice is taken.
  • Plates take two to three weeks to arrive after approval, and you install them yourself.
  • Colorado allows up to seven characters on a vanity plate, including letters, numbers, and spaces.
  • Certain combinations are rejected automatically — profanity, slurs, and sequences that resemble state or federal insignia are blocked by the system.

Character limits and what combinations are allowed

Colorado vanity plates can contain up to seven characters total. You can use uppercase letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9), and spaces. The system does not allow lowercase letters, punctuation, or special symbols. A valid plate might read "FAST CAR" (eight characters with the space) or "CO2024" (six characters).

The Colorado Department of Revenue automatically rejects certain combinations before they reach human review. Profanity, slurs, and sequences that could be mistaken for official state or federal insignia are blocked by the filtering system. If your requested combination is rejected, the online system tells you when ready and suggests that you try a different sequence. You are not charged if a request is denied.

How to check if your desired plate is available

The fastest way to check availability is through the Colorado Department of Revenue's online vanity plate portal. You type in your desired combination and the system shows you when ready whether it is available, already taken, or rejected for policy reasons. If taken, you can modify your request and check again without leaving the page.

If you prefer not to use the online system, you can call the Colorado Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Section at 303-205-5600 during business hours and ask staff to check availability for you. This route takes longer — you may wait on hold and then receive a callback — but it works if you do not have internet access or prefer speaking to someone directly.

Transferring a vanity plate to a new vehicle

You can keep your vanity plate when you buy a different vehicle, but the process requires a separate transaction. You must first register the new vehicle with Colorado, then submit a plate transfer request. The transfer itself costs $10 and takes about one week to process.

You can transfer the plate in person at a county clerk's office or by mail using form DR 2162 with a note indicating the transfer. Include your old registration, new registration, and the $10 fee. During the transfer period, you can drive the new vehicle with temporary plates or your old vehicle's plates — do not drive with an unregistered plate combination.

Renewing and replacing a vanity plate

Vanity plates renew on the same schedule as your vehicle registration, typically every two years. When renewal time arrives, you pay the $50 vanity plate fee along with your regular registration renewal. You do not need to resubmit your plate choice — Colorado automatically renews the same combination unless you request a change.

If your plate is damaged, lost, or stolen, you can request a replacement through the Colorado Department of Revenue. A replacement costs $20 and takes two to three weeks. Report a stolen plate to local police first and keep the report number — some counties require it for the replacement request.

Vanity plates and vehicle registration timing

You can request a vanity plate at any time, but it will not take effect until your next registration renewal or when you register a newly purchased vehicle. If you order a vanity plate in March but your registration does not renew until September, your current plates remain active until September. Once September arrives and you renew, your new vanity plate ships out and your old plates become invalid.

If you are buying a used vehicle and want a vanity plate when ready, you can request it as part of the initial registration process. Bring your desired plate choice to the county clerk when you register the vehicle, pay both the registration and vanity plate fees together, and the plate will ship within two to three weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reserve a vanity plate before I buy a vehicle?

No. Colorado requires you to have an active vehicle registration before a vanity plate can be issued. You can check whether a combination is available and plan your choice, but you cannot pay for or reserve it until you register a vehicle. Once registered, you can add the vanity plate when ready.

What happens if someone else requests the same plate while I am deciding?

Vanity plates are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. If you check availability and see it is open, but wait several days to order, someone else may claim it in the meantime. The online system shows real-time availability, so check again just before you submit payment to confirm it is still available.

Can I use numbers that look like letters, like 0 for O or 1 for I?

Yes. Colorado allows you to use both letters and numbers, and you can mix them in ways that create visual puns — "C0LORADO" or "L8R" are valid combinations. The system does not restrict this kind of substitution as long as the final plate uses only standard characters.

Do I have to use my vanity plate, or can I keep my old plates?

Once your vanity plate arrives and is registered to your vehicle, you must use it. Colorado law requires you to display the currently registered plate for your vehicle. You cannot choose to use an older plate instead. If you no longer want the vanity plate, you can request a standard plate at your next renewal for the regular registration fee.

What if my vanity plate is flagged as offensive after I receive it?

This is rare because the Colorado Department of Revenue filters requests before approval. If a plate is flagged after issuance, the department will contact you and may ask you to return it. You would receive a refund of the vanity plate fee and be issued a standard plate at no additional cost.