Topic
Cars and driving
Registration and plates, emissions, mountain-pass and winter-driving rules, and the things that change when you drive and register a vehicle in Colorado.
Page 9 of 13
Local notes
More cars and driving notes
293 sourced notes in this topic
Cars and driving
Routt County oversize loads need a state and county route check
A CDOT oversize permit covers only listed highways, so Routt County roads need a separate county permit check.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Some new El Paso County trucks need a weight slip
New El Paso County residents with a truck may need an empty-weight slip when the title or registration does not already show the weight.
Read note ->Cars and driving
South of Trinidad, I-25 climbs Raton Pass into winter weather
Interstate 25 crosses Raton Pass at the New Mexico line south of Trinidad, a high stretch that can see snow, wind, and closures when the rest of the day looks fine.
Read note ->Cars and driving
The Highway of Legends loops over a high dirt road at Cordova Pass
An extension of the Highway of Legends climbs a narrow dirt road over Cordova Pass, which sits high and stays closed much of the year.
Read note ->Cars and driving
The road through Creede is a scenic byway, and the side roads are rougher than they look
Highway 149 through Mineral County is the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, a beautiful but high mountain route, while many forest side roads need high-clearance four-wheel drive.
Read note ->Cars and driving
The San Juan Skyway's Dolores County leg: Highway 145 over Lizard Head Pass
Highway 145 north from Rico carries a stretch of the 236-mile San Juan Skyway over Lizard Head Pass, where the road opens to the Wilson group of fourteeners.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Trail Ridge Road is a high alpine drive that closes for winter
Trail Ridge Road climbs above 12,000 feet through Rocky Mountain National Park and is only open for part of the year, so a drive over it from the Estes Park side depends on the season and the weather.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Utility work along Routt County roads needs a permit check
Installing public utilities in or near a Routt County road or right-of-way needs a utility installation permit, usually bored not open-cut.
Read note ->Cars and driving
A new Custer driveway to a county road needs an access permit
New driveway connections to a Custer County road, and changes to existing ones, need an access permit from Road and Bridge.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Brush VIN inspections depend on city limits
In Brush, the Police Department does VIN inspections for residents inside city limits; everyone else contacts the Morgan County Sheriff.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Driving Arapahoe County means knowing the toll and express lanes
Several corridors around Arapahoe County use tolls or express lanes, run by CDOT or the E-470 Public Highway Authority, where prices can change with traffic and a license-plate bill arrives if you have no pass.
Read note ->Cars and driving
El Paso County disability placards can start online or at the county
A disability placard or plate can start online through myDMV, at a county motor-vehicle office, or by mail, with state rules filling in the details.
Read note ->Cars and driving
El Paso County road requests work best with a specific location
A road report with an exact spot beats a vague complaint, and not every road with an El Paso County address is even county maintained.
Read note ->Cars and driving
El Paso County sits outside Colorado's emissions testing area
Registering a gas car in Colorado Springs or Fountain usually skips the emissions test, since the county sits outside the state's program boundary.
Read note ->Cars and driving
El Paso County vehicle renewals do not always need an office visit
Most El Paso County vehicle renewals can be done online, by kiosk, phone, or mail, so an office line is rarely the only route.
Read note ->Cars and driving
For Pueblo County registration, check the state emissions map before assuming
Pueblo County is not on Colorado's gas-vehicle emissions county list, but verify your specific vehicle on the state page first.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Kebler Pass is gravel, famous for fall aspens, and closed in winter
Kebler Pass west of Crested Butte is a gravel road through huge aspen stands, part of the West Elk Loop scenic byway, and it closes each winter.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Last Chance: the crossroads that named itself for the empty road ahead
A plains junction at US 36 and SH 71 that earned its name warning drivers about the long empty stretch toward Denver.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Morgan County road problems start with the road jurisdiction
Road concerns in Morgan County can belong to the county, a city, or CDOT depending on whether the road is local, county, or state maintained.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Mosquito Pass is a rough, high four-wheel-drive road open only briefly each year
The Mosquito Pass road east of Leadville is a steep, rocky high-clearance four-wheel-drive route that is usually open for about six to eight weeks after the summer snowmelt.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Pagosa Springs sits at the doorstep of the San Juan Skyway
The San Juan Skyway is a designated scenic byway looping through the mountains west of Archuleta County, and it is a long mountain drive rather than a quick day trip.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Routt County plates and driver licenses use different counters
The county motor vehicle office handles vehicle records, but driver licenses are a separate state service.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Broomfield motor vehicle work has office, online, and kiosk paths
Many Broomfield vehicle tasks have three paths: the county office, state online services, or a Colorado MV Express renewal kiosk.
Read note ->Cars and driving
Custer vehicle registration starts with proof of insurance
Registering a vehicle in Custer County means bringing proof of insurance with coverage dates, the VIN, make and year, and expiration date.
Read note ->Related topics