# Car License Registration Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085 "2001-09-06T19:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/1 "2001-09-06T19:01:19Z")
My car’s plates are expired, and I need to ante up $435 to renew them for another year. Problem is, I’m moving in 5 months. I called the motor vehicle dept. here in Colorado, and asked them how to go about registering it for only part of a year. The answer? No way. And we don’t give back any money if you get new plates in another state. What to do? I’m a little miffed - yet another way for the government to get my money. I was planning on moving to MI, getting a MI driver’s license, MI insurance, MI plates, the whole nine yards. Should I put it off until next August, when my pre-paid license runs out? If so, don’t I need to keep my CO insurance & license? I seem to remember something about that ten years ago when I moved from MN to MI. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/2 "2001-09-06T19:31:48Z")
**$435???** Please tell me that’s a typo. Here in WI I pay $60/yr, and that’s for vanity plates. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/3 "2001-09-06T19:45:59Z")
Yup, you read that right. It’s based on the value of the car, and since my car is a 2000 model, it’s pricey. Had it not been $435, I wouldn’t be so upset about it. But as it is, I feel as though the state is stealing from me to expect me to pay for a full year upfront when I know damn well I won’t be here past January. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/4 "2001-09-06T20:02:03Z")
Can you just not renew? What is the fine if you get caught? ---
**Author:** ![RainbowDragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@RainbowDragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainbowDragon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/5 "2001-09-06T20:37:55Z")
5 months seems a bit risky to run on expired tags. I wouldn’t chance that. My best suggestion would be to find a friend or family member in Michigan that would allow you to tag the vehicle using their address. (Then that would involve travel to Michigan to title and plate the car – but if you are going anyway to scope out apartments, etc that may not be a problem). Another option is if you decided on housing (apartment or house) ask the landlord/current homeowner about using the address for license plates and receiving mail. ---
**Author:** ![Photog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Photog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Photog)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/6 "2001-09-06T20:51:00Z")
According to the Colorado dept. of revenue website: > [@](#): > > LICENSE FEES > > - These fees are based on the empty weight and the vehicle type of the vehicle being registered. . > > - This fee is charged for the period of time the vehicle is registered. > > SPECIFIC OWNERSHIP TAXES > > - These taxes are based on the year of manufacture of the vehicle and the original taxable value which is determined when the vehicle is new and does not change throughout the life of the vehicle. > > - Ownership tax is in lieu of personal property tax. The tax is assessed for the time period which an individual owns the vehicle. Vehicles do not need to be driven in order to be assessed this tax. So, it appears that the license fees are not based on the value of the vehicle, but these ‘Ownership Taxes’ are. Do you pay the ownership taxes as part of the process of renewing the registration? It would seem so. Therefore, I’d say go ahead and renew the registration in Colorado, wait 'til it expires and then register it at your new location. You’re going to have to pay taxes on the car no matter where you register it so you’re really not going to lose any money (in fact you may save money depending on the tax rate at your new location), so you’re better of abiding by the law and avoiding any fines you may incur if you get caught with expired tags. Of course, IANAL. ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-license-registration-question/80085/7 "2001-09-06T21:12:08Z")
Save your $435 and use it to pay the tickets you’ll get for driving with expired tags. It’s not a big deal, the ticket is “defective vehicle” and I think it’s a 0-pointer (check with the DMV). -Ben