What is a Colorado second temporary tag for?

A newly purchased vehicle whose title-complete notice has not arrived, so the owner can drive while the title is completed.

How long does a Colorado second temporary tag last?

The duration was not stated on the pages read for this guide.

How much does a Colorado second temporary tag cost?

The fee was not stated on the pages read for this guide.

Can I get a temporary tag to extend an expired registration in Colorado?

Whether a temporary tag is available as a renewal extension was not established on the pages read. Renewal runs through MyDMV or the county office.

Temporary Registration Permits in Colorado

The Colorado temporary permit in one table

Question	Colorado rule
Permit	Second temporary tag (temporary registration permit)
Duration	Not established from an official page opened in full (second temporary tag duration not stated on the page opened).
Fee	Not stated on the official page opened in full for the second temporary tag itself.
Who qualifies	Vehicle owner who received a title-complete notice should register before the tag expires; if the title-complete notice was not received, contact the dealership or county for a second temporary tag before the current one expires. Law (C.R.S. 42-3-103) requires registration within 60 days after purchase.
How to get it	Contact the dealership or the county motor vehicle office for a second temporary tag before the current tag expires; register via MyDMV Colorado or a county office once the title-complete notice is received.

What this permit is, and what it is not

The process is simple and narrow. A vehicle owner who received a title-complete notice should register before the tag expires. If the notice was not received, the owner contacts the dealership or the county motor vehicle office for a second temporary tag before the current one expires, then registers through MyDMV Colorado or a county office once the notice arrives.

Duration and fee for the second temporary tag were not stated on the pages read, and whether any temporary tag is available as a renewal extension for an already-registered vehicle, for example after a failed emissions test, was not established. This guide does not present the second tag as a renewal extension. For an already-registered vehicle, renewal itself runs through MyDMV or the county office, with the one-month grace period and the monthly late fee described on the Colorado renewal and expired-renewal guides.

The process, step by step

Register before the tag expires if the title-complete notice arrived. Registration runs through MyDMV Colorado or a county motor vehicle office.
If no notice arrived, contact the dealership or county office. Ask for a second temporary tag before the current tag expires.
Register once the notice arrives. The title-complete notice is the trigger for completing registration.
Mind the 60-day registration law. Registration is required within 60 days after purchase under Colorado law.
Do not confuse this tag with a renewal extension. Already-registered vehicles renew through the normal renewal process, not through a temporary tag.

Temporary permits somewhere else

See Temporary Registration Permits in California.

See Temporary Registration Permits in New York.

For all states side by side, see the Temporary Registration Permits by State directory.

Source

Facts verified 2026-10-28.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to your state motor vehicle agency.

Not carried on this page: Duration and fee of the second temporary tag; whether a temporary tag is available as a renewal extension for an already-registered vehicle (e.g. failed emissions) rather than for initial registration..