Take your license plates off
In Colorado, plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. The Colorado DMV is blunt about it: never let a buyer leave with your plates, because you can be liable for later fines and tolls. Take them off before the car is loaded. A screwdriver usually does it; rusted bolts sometimes need pliers or penetrating oil.
After that, you have options. The DMV says regular plates can be returned to a county motor vehicle office or recycled with metal recycling. You can also keep them to transfer to your next vehicle through your county office (keep your registration with them). If you forgot and the plates left with the car, Colorado's affidavit for lost or stolen plates is DR 2283.
Report the release of liability within five days
Colorado lets the seller notify the Division of Motor Vehicles of a transfer within five days of the sale, online through myDMV ("Report Release of Liability") or at a county office. The DMV says this notice serves to remove the seller's liability for the buyer's actions with the vehicle after the sale. It comes from C.R.S. 42-6-109(3). It is voluntary, and it does not replace signing over the title, but it costs nothing and creates a dated record.
Cancel or move your insurance after the car is gone
Call your insurer once the car has actually left and the paperwork is signed, not before. If the car is being driven anywhere before the sale, it needs coverage. Ask whether you are due a refund for unused premium. If you are replacing the car, moving the policy may be simpler than canceling it.
Tolls, parking apps, and connected services
- Remove a toll transponder from the windshield and update or close the vehicle on your ExpressToll account. Remove the plate from any toll or parking app account too.
- Cancel connected-car services (built-in navigation or remote-start subscriptions) tied to the VIN.
- Delete your phone pairing and garage door codes from the car's system if it still powers on.
Keep your copies
Keep a copy or photo of the signed title, the bill of sale, and your release of liability confirmation. If a ticket ever shows up for a car you sold, those documents are your answer. The paperwork checklist covers what to sign on pickup day.