FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Who operates this program?

ColoradoPlates.org is owned and operated by the Colorado Disability Funding Committee (CDFC). The mission of CDFC is to maximize support for new and innovative programs benefiting Colorado's disability community by raising and distributing funds as authorized by the Laura Hershey Disability Support Act. CDFC is statutorily authorized under 24-30-2201, C.R.S. and consists of thirteen members appointed by the Governor.

What am I buying?

You are buying the exclusive rights to use the license plate configuration as your actual Colorado license plate. Registration, specialty background, and other fees associated with registering the configuration to your vehicle are not included, those are paid directly to your county DMV at the time of registration.

Payment Agreement


Tax Rules

Consult your tax professional for advice on how Colorado Revised Statute § 39-22-535 applies to the rights to license plate configurations purchased through coloradoplates.org.

§ 39-22-535
(1) For tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2013, a person who buys the right to use a registration number under section 24-30-2206 is allowed a credit against the income taxes imposed by this article 22 for twenty percent of the purchase price of the right to use the registration number that is paid to the Colorado disability funding committee created in section 24-30-2203.
(2) If the credit allowed by this section exceeds the tax otherwise due, the taxpayer may carry it forward for up to five years but shall claim it on the earliest possible subsequent tax return.

License Plate Configuration Ownership Date


Gifts and Transfers to Recipient

If you are the winning bidder for a registration number, you may choose to gift the registration number to another person or entity at the time you make payment in full of the winning bid amount.  In such event, the closing date of the auction shall be deemed the first day on which the gift recipient owns the right to use the registration number. At no other time shall the registration number be transferable except if re-sold through coloradoplates.org.
During the period of ownership of the right to use the registration number, the winning bidder or gift recipient shall have the right to transfer the right to use the registration number for the remainder of the original period of ownership only through a valid last will and testament, common law ownership or order of a probate court of competent jurisdiction to: (i) a spouse; (ii) a civil partner; (iii) a child by blood or adoption; or (iv) a grandchild by blood or adoption. In such event, the transferee owns the right to use the registration number only for the remainder of the winning bidder or gift recipient’s original period of ownership.

Registration Number

A winning bidder or gift recipient is not required to register the registration number to a vehicle during the period of ownership.

Time of Ownership

Ownership of plate configurations registered to vehicles shall be regulated under Department of Motor Vehicle regulations. Any plate configuration not registered to a vehicle within 13 months of purchase from the Colorado Disability Funding Committee may, at the discretion of the committee, be repealed. DMV form DR2232 can be filed to avoid losing the rights due to failure to continuously register the configuration.

Failed Payments

Notwithstanding the provisions of Numbers 3, 4, and 5, above, if a winning bidder fails to make payment in full of the winning bid amount within seven (7) calendar days from the closing date of the auction, the winning bid shall be canceled and the registration number associated with the winning bid shall revert back to the Colorado Disability Funding Committee.  At that time, the committee may offer the registration number to the next highest bidder, or place the registration number back into reserved status for future auction by the Colorado Disability Funding Committee.

Plate Registration

Within 10 days of the winning bid or buy-it-now amount being paid in full, the Colorado Disability Funding Committee will notify the Vehicle Services  Section of the Colorado Department of Revenue (the “Department”) of the winning bidder or gift recipient’s name, telephone number, mailing address, and the registration number won.

Registration Process 

  1. If a winning bidder or gift recipient chooses to register the registration number to a vehicle, then they may do so by submitting the Certificate of Ownership along with any other required registration materials to the Department, the manufactured license plate will be provided by the Department.
  2. If a winning bidder or gift recipient chooses to register the registration number to a vehicle, then the winning bidder or gift recipient must comply with all applicable title and registration requirements, including but not limited to the payment of any taxes and fees, before the Department will issue a license plate that bears the registration number.
  3. If a winning bidder or gift recipient chooses to register the registration number to a vehicle and would like to select a group special or alumni license plate type from among those authorized by the Department, then the winning bidder or gift recipient must comply with all applicable qualification requirements, including but not limited to pre-certification requirements, vehicle type requirements, person-specific requirements, payment of required donations, and payment of any fees, before the Department will issue a group special or alumni license plate that bears the registration number.
  4. If a winning bidder or gift recipient chooses to register the registration number to a vehicle and would like to select an alternative license plate material, the alternative material must be pre-approved by the Department and the winning bidder or gift recipient must pay all costs associated with obtaining and manufacturing the registration number on the alternative material before the Department will issue a license plate that bears the registration number.
  5. If a winning bidder or gift recipient chooses to register the registration number to a vehicle and selects a group special or alumni license plate type, then any graphics or logos that usually appear on such a plate type shall be issued in compliance with Department requirements on the license plate issued by the Department that bears the registration number.