CO Vehicle Bill of Sale: Colorado Auto Bill of Sale

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against the Colorado DMV's private sale pages

When Colorado requires a bill of sale

The Colorado DMV is unusually specific about this. It says a bill of sale isn't needed for the title transfer if all of the information is completed correctly on the title. But it calls a bill of sale best practice, and it's required if the sale price isn't listed on the title. If the price isn't written on the title, the bill of sale is where the county finds it, and the county needs the price to work out the sales tax the buyer pays.

A Colorado auto bill of sale also records what the title doesn't: the as-is terms, any promises about condition, extra keys or parts, and both parties' contact details in case a ticket or toll shows up later.

The DR 2173 and the odometer disclosure

You'll see one Colorado form name come up again and again: the DR 2173, the Secure Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. It matters because federal law requires a written mileage disclosure for most vehicles, and that disclosure has to be made on a secure document. The DR 2173 is printed on secure paper and sold through vendors, such as the Colorado Auto Dealers Association, rather than downloaded.

Private sellers usually don't need one. The DMV's private sale page says the seller can disclose the mileage on the title itself, which is how most private sales handle it. So the practical setup is: the odometer reading goes on the title, and a regular CO bill of sale like this one records the price and terms. That's also why a Colorado auto bill of sale template doesn't need to be a secure form. The form above includes an odometer line too, which gives both of you a matching record, but the title is the official mileage document.

How to fill in the Colorado vehicle bill of sale template

1. Add the county. The state line already reads Colorado.
2. Name the seller and buyer the way the title spells them; a mismatch with the title is what county clerks notice first.
3. Copy the vehicle details from the title, VIN included. A typo in the VIN turns the field red, because the template tests its check digit.
4. Enter the sale price. In Colorado this is the detail that makes the bill of sale required when the title lacks it, so don't leave it blank.
5. Record the odometer reading, and write the same number on the title.
6. Print the CO vehicle bill of sale twice, sign both, and file one with the buyer's title papers and one with yours.

The same layout works as a motor vehicle bill of sale in Colorado for a car, truck, SUV or van. Selling a boat, trailer, horse or camper instead? Our bill of sale library has a template built for each.

Selling a vehicle in Colorado: the seller's steps

1. Get the emissions test if one is required. In Colorado's emissions areas, the seller must give the buyer a passing emissions test that hasn't already been used to register a vehicle or renew a registration. It applies to vehicles more than seven model years old. The DMV names Denver, Boulder, Jefferson and Douglas counties as examples of emissions counties.
2. Sign the title over, with the odometer reading and, ideally, the sale price.
3. Hand over the signed title, plus the bill of sale the buyer needs when the price isn't on the title. Keep your copy of the Colorado auto bill of sale.
4. Take your plates off before the buyer drives away (see below).
5. Report the sale within 5 days. It's voluntary, through myDMV or your county motor vehicle office, but it removes you from liability for what the buyer does with the vehicle after the sale.

Buying a vehicle in Colorado: the buyer's steps

1. Check the car and the paperwork. Match the VIN on the title to the dashboard and door sticker, and run a free VIN decode and recall check.
2. Get the signed title, the CO vehicle bill of sale and the emissions test if the vehicle needs one.
3. Visit your county motor vehicle office within 60 days with the title, bill of sale, your ID and proof of insurance. You pay the sales tax there and get plates. After 60 days, late fees begin.

License plates stay with the seller

In Colorado, plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. The DMV advises sellers to take them off before the deal is complete, since they can't be transferred to the new owner, and leaving them on can leave the seller answering for the buyer's tolls and tickets. Standard plates expire when a vehicle changes ownership, so they can't move to your next car; specialty and personalized plates can be kept, and personalized combinations can be reissued for an extra fee. The DMV says that starting January 1, 2028, plates will again be transferable from one vehicle to another.

Colorado vehicle bill of sale PDF, Word or paper

Three ways to keep it. Choosing "Save as PDF" in the print dialog turns it into a Colorado vehicle bill of sale PDF you can text or email. A Word file is there if you'd rather rewrite a clause. And a blank printout suits sellers who'd sooner fill it in with the buyer at the county office. Either way it's a free CO bill of sale, no account needed, built entirely in your browser; the PDF and the paper copy carry identical wording.

CO bill of sale: last checks

Before you hand over the keys, confirm the CO bill of sale shows the price, date, VIN and both signatures, and that the odometer reading matches the title. The buyer brings it to the county office along with the title and any emissions result. Save a copy of the Colorado vehicle bill of sale PDF for your own records.

Colorado bill of sale FAQ