How to get dealer plates in Colorado
What Colorado dealer plates cost, the types you can get, how to apply, and the rules on using them. Verified as of July 2026.
CO dealer plates at a glance:
- Issued by
- County Clerk (Denver: Manager of Revenue)
- Cost per plate
- ~$30 first demo plate + material fees
- Requirement
- Active CO dealer or wholesaler license
- Use them for
- Demos, inventory moves, dealership business
- Term
- Annual
Informational only — confirm current fees and rules with your County Clerk (plates) / the Colorado Auto Industry Division (license) before you apply.
DealerVLO tracks your inventory, deals, and paperwork so the plates are the only thing left on your list. $99/month, free to try — no credit card.
What Colorado dealer plates are
Colorado does dealer plates differently: instead of the licensing agency, demo plates come from the County Clerk in the county where your dealership sits (Denver dealers go through the Manager of Revenue). A licensed dealer or wholesaler can buy as many demo plates as needed, at roughly $30 for the first plate plus material fees.
Colorado also offers a second class — full-use dealer plates — which allow broader (including personal) use but are taxed and priced like regular vehicle registration, making them far more expensive. Most independent lots run on demo plates and reserve full-use plates for owner vehicles, if at all.
Types of CO dealer plates
The standard dealer plate: for licensed dealers, wholesalers, and business disposal dealers, on dealership-owned vehicles for demonstration and dealership business. Buy as many as the operation needs from your County Clerk.
A separate Colorado class allowing broader use, including personal use — but priced and taxed like regular registration, so each plate costs what registering a car costs. A deliberate trade, not a default.
How to get dealer plates in Colorado
- 1
Get your Colorado dealer license first
Plates require an active Auto Industry Division license — the $50,000 bond, the 8-hour pre-licensing course, and the background check come first.
- 2
Apply at your County Clerk
Take your dealer license to the County Clerk in your dealership's county (Denver: Manager of Revenue) and complete the dealer/wholesaler plate affidavit.
- 3
Buy the demo plates you need
Roughly $30 for the first plate plus material fees, and Colorado lets dealers purchase as many demo plates as needed — no volume tiers.
- 4
Decide if any full-use plates are worth it
If an owner or manager wants unrestricted use of a dealership vehicle, a full-use plate makes that legal — at essentially the cost of a normal registration. Budget it as such.
Rules on using CO dealer plates
- Demo plates go on dealership-owned vehicles for demonstration and dealership business — not personal use
- Personal use requires the separate (and much pricier) full-use dealer plate class
- A sold vehicle needs the buyer's own registration and temporary permit — demo plates stay with the dealership
- Plates are county-issued: moving the dealership across county lines means new plate paperwork
- Misuse of demo plates risks the plates and draws Auto Industry Division attention to the license
Common questions
How much are dealer plates in Colorado?+
Demo plates run about $30 for the first plate plus applicable material fees, from your County Clerk, and dealers may buy as many as needed. Full-use dealer plates are the expensive exception — they're taxed and priced like registering a regular vehicle.
Who issues Colorado dealer plates?+
Unusually, not the licensing agency: demo plates come from the County Clerk in the county where the dealership is located (in Denver, the Manager of Revenue). The dealer license itself comes from the Auto Industry Division.
What's the difference between demo plates and full-use plates?+
Demo plates are cheap, unlimited in count, and restricted to dealership business on dealership-owned vehicles. Full-use plates allow broader use, including personal driving, but cost roughly what a normal registration costs — Colorado makes you pay for the flexibility.
How many dealer plates can a Colorado dealer get?+
As many demo plates as the operation needs — Colorado doesn't tier plate counts by sales volume the way Ohio or Georgia do. Keep the count sensible; the plate affidavit and your license sit behind every one.
Can my customer drive home on my Colorado demo plate?+
No — sold vehicles go home on the buyer's registration/temporary permit, handled in the title work at closing. Demo plates stay on your inventory.
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