Colorado title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in Colorado
The short answer
In Colorado, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Colorado sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does Colorado ask of sellers?
In Colorado, a replacement title costs $8.20, and you report Release of Liability (myDMV or county motor vehicle office) within 5 days. Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Duplicate title, at your county motor vehicle office. Fee: $8.20.
- Official source
- After the sale
- Report Release of Liability (myDMV or county motor vehicle office), within 5 days.
- Official source
- License plates
- The seller removes and keeps the plates because Colorado plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle.
- Official source
What do you do if you have the title?
Sign and print your name where the seller signs, fill in the odometer reading if there's a space for it, and leave the buyer section blank. If your title has a notary section, the signatures have to be notarized. If it doesn't, you sign in front of the driver at pickup. Don't sign the title until the driver is there and you've agreed the price.
What if the title is lost or damaged?
Colorado replacement titles come from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, using the Duplicate title, at your county motor vehicle office, for a fee of $8.20. You'll need the VIN, which is on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on your registration. If you're in a hurry, tell our buyer partner when it contacts you: it can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for your car in Colorado.
For the full walkthrough, including the states that exempt older cars and what to avoid, read how to sell a junk car without a title.
What if there's a loan, or the owner has died?
If a lender is still listed on the title, you'll need its lien release, or the loan gets paid off as part of the sale. If the owner has died, only someone with legal authority, usually the executor, can sell the car, and the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles can tell you which estate papers Colorado accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- Report the sale to Colorado (Report Release of Liability (myDMV or county motor vehicle office), within 5 days), so tickets and tolls for the car stop coming to you.
- Plates: The seller removes and keeps the plates because Colorado plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle.
- Keep a photo of the signed title, and cancel the insurance once the car has been picked up.
Title rules change, so confirm them with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in Colorado?
Usually not. In Colorado you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Colorado when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in Colorado?
Apply to the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles with Duplicate title, at your county motor vehicle office, and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $8.20, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in Colorado with just a bill of sale?
A bill of sale on its own usually isn't proof of ownership for a titled vehicle. It's a useful record of the sale, but buyers will normally want the title or a duplicate.