How to fill out the Form DR 2395 in Colorado
A field-by-field walkthrough of the Colorado Form DR 2395 (Application for Title and/or Registration) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of July 2026.
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Filling out the CO Form DR 2395 after a sale:
- What it is
- Colorado's combined application for title and registration
- Who completes it
- The dealer prepares it; the buyer (owner) signs
- Where to file it
- The buyer's county motor vehicle office (dealer submits the title work)
- Processing time
- Buyer drives on a 60-day temporary permit; the title is issued after county processing
- Cost
- ~$7.20 title fee + registration (with Specific Ownership Tax) + 2.9% state sales tax plus local rates
This guide is informational and does not replace the official Colorado instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles before you file.
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What the Form DR 2395 is and why it matters
Form DR 2395 is how a vehicle gets titled and registered in Colorado. On a dealer sale the dealer prepares it, gives the buyer a temporary permit (valid 60 days) to drive on, and the title work is processed at the buyer's county motor vehicle office.
Colorado's tax is the part to slow down on. The state rate is 2.9%, but county, city, and special-district (RTD, and others) taxes stack on top, and the combined rate swings widely by the buyer's exact address — two buyers in the same metro can owe materially different tax. Registration also carries the Specific Ownership Tax, a value-based annual tax separate from sales tax. This guide walks every section a dealer fills.
DR 2395 is the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles' single application to title a vehicle, register it, or both. Colorado titles are processed at the county motor vehicle office in the buyer's county of residence, not a central DMV. Two Colorado-specific things: the sales tax is the 2.9% state rate plus a stack of county, city, and special-district rates that vary enormously by address, and registration carries the Specific Ownership Tax — an annual value-based tax that stands in for a property tax.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the Form DR 2395. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles bounces a title application back.
- The properly assigned title (or MSO) — Signed over to the buyer with the odometer disclosure completed.
- Buyer's Colorado driver license or ID — Name and address must match the application; the address sets the tax rate and the filing county.
- Secure and Verifiable Identification — Colorado requires SAVE-compliant ID to title and register.
- Bill of sale / buyer's order showing price and trade-in — The county uses the purchase price to compute the sales tax.
- Lienholder name and address, if financed — So the lien is recorded on the new Colorado title.
- Payment for title, registration, and taxes — Title fee, registration (with Specific Ownership Tax), and the state + local sales tax.
Form DR 2395, section by section
Owner / applicant information
The buyer — the new owner. Enter the legal name, Colorado address, and driver license number exactly as they appear on the buyer's license. The address does double duty: it sets the combined sales-tax rate and the county where the title is processed.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner's full legal name From the buyer's license — match it exactly. | You (dealer) |
Colorado residence address Sets the combined local tax rate and the filing county. | You (dealer) |
Driver license number / date of birth | Buyer |
Co-owner and ownership designation (if any) | You (dealer) |
Vehicle description
Identifies the vehicle. The VIN on the DR 2395 must match the assigned title and the vehicle's VIN plate. The vehicle's value and age drive the Specific Ownership Tax.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
VIN Must match the title and the VIN plate. | You (dealer) |
Year, make, model, body type | You (dealer) |
Odometer reading and status Must match the disclosure on the assigned title. | You (dealer) |
Purchase price and taxes
Colorado sales tax is the 2.9% state rate plus county, city, and special-district rates for the buyer's address — the combined rate varies widely, so it must be computed at the buyer's exact location. On a dealer sale the trade-in allowance reduces the taxable price for the state portion. Separately, the Specific Ownership Tax is an annual value-based tax collected with registration; the county calculates it from the vehicle's age and taxable value.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Purchase price Match the buyer's order; the county computes tax from it. | You (dealer) |
Trade-in allowance Reduces the taxable price on a dealer sale. | You (dealer) |
State + local sales tax 2.9% state plus county/city/special-district by the buyer's address. | You (dealer) |
Specific Ownership Tax (with registration) Value-based; calculated by the county from age + taxable value. | At the counter |
CO Sales tax & title fee calculator
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CO is 2.9% state plus county, city, and special-district (e.g. RTD) rates that stack and vary widely by the buyer's exact address — enter the combined local rate. The Specific Ownership Tax (annual, value-based) is collected with registration and is separate; some local jurisdictions may not allow the trade-in credit. Title ~$7.20; registration extra. Confirm the buyer's rate with the CO DMV.
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Lienholder / security interest
Cash deal? Leave it blank. Financed? Record the lender's name and address so the lien is recorded on the new title. Colorado participates in electronic lien and title.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Lienholder name Blank for a cash sale. | You (dealer) |
Lienholder address | You (dealer) |
Signatures and dealer information
The buyer signs as the owner/applicant. The dealer's information ties the application to the sale and the temporary permit issued at delivery.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner signature and date | Buyer |
Co-owner signature (if any) | Buyer |
Selling dealer name and dealer number | You (dealer) |
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Common Form DR 2395 mistakes that cause rejections
Colorado's combined rate (2.9% state plus county, city, and special-district taxes) varies by the buyer's exact address — even within the same city. Look up the rate for the buyer's address, not a rounded metro number.
The Specific Ownership Tax is a separate, annual value-based tax collected with registration — it's not the sales tax and not a one-time charge. Quote both so the buyer's first-year cost is clear.
The title is processed at the buyer's county motor vehicle office. Routing it through the dealership's county (when the buyer lives elsewhere) misroutes the registration and local tax.
The buyer drives on a temporary permit valid for 60 days while the title is processed. If the title work drags, the buyer is stuck — file promptly so the permanent registration lands before the permit expires.
On a dealer sale the trade-in allowance reduces the taxable price for the state portion of the tax. Enter the allowance so the buyer isn't taxed on the full price.
Common questions
What is Colorado Form DR 2395 used for?+
DR 2395 is the Colorado DMV's Application for Title and/or Registration — the single form to title a vehicle, register it, or both. Dealers prepare it on a retail sale; the title work is processed at the buyer's county motor vehicle office.
Where is a Colorado title processed?+
At the county motor vehicle office in the buyer's county of residence. Colorado handles titling and registration through the counties rather than a central DMV counter.
How is Colorado vehicle sales tax calculated?+
The 2.9% state rate plus county, city, and special-district (e.g., RTD) rates for the buyer's exact address — the combined rate varies widely by location. On a dealer sale the trade-in allowance reduces the taxable price for the state portion.
What is the Specific Ownership Tax?+
An annual value-based tax collected with registration, calculated by the county from the vehicle's age and taxable value. It stands in for a personal property tax and is separate from the sales tax paid at purchase.
How long is the temporary permit good for?+
A Colorado dealer issues a temporary permit valid for 60 days, which lets the buyer drive while the title and registration are processed at the county.
How much is the Colorado title fee?+
The title fee is modest (about $7.20). The larger first-year costs are the registration fees, the Specific Ownership Tax, and the state + local sales tax collected on the purchase.
Is there software that fills out the Form DR 2395 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO fills the Colorado Form DR 2395 from the deal you already entered — the VIN-decoded vehicle, buyer, co-buyer, lienholder, and sale price are placed for you instead of hand-writing them. For most states that's the official DMV form itself; where a state issues its form only through its own dealer portal, you get a print-ready worksheet with every value already in place. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide, odometer disclosure) and any other state's title forms.
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