FAQs
Need to junk your car in Colorado? Our FAQ explains the title laws, paperwork, and steps so you know exactly what to expect.
Instant Cash Offer For Your Vehicle
Fair Quote, Free Pickup, Fast Cash, Gone Today.
4.5 Rating Trustpilot
Sell your car today
Free pickup
Best price offered
All vehicles accepted
Fair Quote, Free Pickup, Fast Cash, Gone Today.
4.5 Rating Trustpilot
Sell your car today
Free pickup
Best price offered
All vehicles accepted
Ultimate Guide
HOW TO JUNK A CAR IN COLORADO
Junking your car in Colorado? Not sure where to start? We’ve done the hard part for you. Choose your situation and find the right forms, online portals, title signing instructions, and helpful guidance to get your vehicle ready for junking.
WHAT SITUATION DO YOU NEED HELP WITH?
EXPERT SUPPORT
TOP 3 THINGS TO DO BEFORE JUNKING YOUR CAR IN COLORADO
Check for outstanding liens
Run the vehicle identification number (VIN) through a lookup tool like Carfax to check for outstanding liens.
Check title brand
Don’t know the title brand? Use the same history checker to confirm it. This ensures you have the right paperwork to sell your vehicle.
Remove license plates
Remove your plates before selling. Either surrender them to the DMV, transfer them to a new vehicle, or keep them, depending on your situation.
HOW TO TRANSFER A CAR TITLE IN COLORADO
Junking a car in Colorado? Sellers and buyers must sign the title to transfer ownership. If you’ve got your title – awesome. Head straight to the next section on title signing, and we’ll walk you through everything.
No title? Important documents have a habit of disappearing when you need them most. If yours has gone walkabout, apply for a replacement using Form DR 2539A. Apply online through the My DMV portal, or download the PDF below to apply in person or by mail.
Want to learn more about the process? Our experts break it down even further in our guide to replacing a missing title in Colorado.
Form DR–2539A
REPLACE YOUR MISSING TITLE WITH FORM DR-2539A, THEN SIGN THE TITLE TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP TO THE BUYER.
REPLACEMENT/DUPLICATE TITLE APPLICATION
- Application method: Online, in person or mail.
- Fee: $8.20. Additional fees for online applications: $1 service fee for eCheck payments. Credit/debit: $0.75 +2.25% service fee of the transaction total.
- Processing time: In person: instant. Online or mail: up to 6 weeks.
HOW TO SIGN YOUR COLORADO CAR TITLE
Transferring your CO title to the buyer is a breeze.
The seller’s printed name (s) and signature (s) must be completed on the back of the title on the highlighted lines.
The buyer completes the same information in their section, and boom. You’re done.
KEY INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions below – we’ve included some annotated images to help.
SINGLE OWNERS
Single owners must sign their name once on the ‘seller’s signature’ line, and print it once on the ‘seller’s hand printed name (s)’ line.
joint OWNERS
Joint owners put their printed names and signatures on the additional lines below yours.
JUNK A CAR WITH AN ETITLE
In Colorado, you can’t sign and transfer e-titles online, so you’ll need to get a physical one printed before selling to buyers like Wheels Away.
Don’t worry – it’s easy as pie. Log in to Colorado My DMV and do the whole thing online. Alternatively, download the form below to complete the process by mail or in person.
Form DR–2539A
REQUEST A PHYSICAL COPY OF YOUR E-TITLE WITH FORM DR-2539A.
REPLACEMENT/DUPLICATE TITLE
- Application method: Online, in person or mail.
- Fee: $8.20. Additional fees for online applications: $1 service fee for eCheck payments. Credit/debit: $0.75 +2.25% service fee of the transaction total.
- Processing time: In person: instant. Online or mail: up to 6 weeks.
JUNK A CAR WITH NO TITLE IN COLORADO
In Colorado, you always need the title to junk a car.
If you don’t have one – no sweat. Use the form below to apply for a new Colorado title. You can apply online, by mail, or in person.
Form DR–2539A
CAN’T FIND YOUR TITLE? MAKE SURE YOU APPLY AND SIGN BEFORE SELLING YOUR CAR.
REPLACEMENT TITLE APPLICATION
- Application method: Online, in person or mail.
- Fee: $8.20. Additional fees for online applications: $1 service fee for eCheck payments. Credit/debit: $0.75 +2.25% service fee of the transaction total.
- Processing time: In person: instant. Online or mail: up to 6 weeks.
SURRENDER OR TRANSFER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
When you junk a car in Colorado, you’ll usually either need to keep your plates or surrender them.
Under Colorado’s License Plate Reissue Program, plates stay with the owner – not the vehicle.
You can’t transfer plates from one vehicle to another unless they’re personalized or speciality plates, and you’re the registered owner. In this case, you still need to get rid of the old plate, but you have the right to transfer the reserved plate configuration. (e.g. 1M4W35OME).
Need to cancel your registration too? Remember to submit a Release of Liability within 5 days of the sale. More on that below.
SURRENDER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
If you’re not getting a new car, you’ll need to surrender your plates to the CO DMV. Simply turn up at your location office to do this.
If you have registration credits left from your old ride, you can’t get a refund unless you’re registering a new vehicle.
After you’ve signed the title to the new buyer, submit a Release of Liability within 5 days to confirm you want to cancel your registration.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
COMPLETE THIS VIA THE CO MYDMV PORTAL BELOW WITHIN 5 DAYS OF SELLING THE CAR.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
This form is free to complete.
TRANSFER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
Got personalized plates you can transfer to a new ride? Here’s exactly what you need to do.
-Surrender your old plate the the DMV.
-Register a new vehicle and transfer the personalized registration to your new car.
If you’ve bought the vehicle from a private seller, sign the buyer’s section of the title to transfer ownership. Then, contact your local DMV to transfer your registration.
If you’ve bought a vehicle from a dealership, they’ll handle the title for you. Just contact your DMV when you’re ready to transfer your registration.
CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION
Junking your car in Colorado? Cancelling your registration is simple. Submit a Release of Liability to the DMV within 5 days of selling your car.
Once the vehicle’s been collected and the title signed, remember to cancel your insurance.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
COMPLETE THIS VIA THE CO MYDMV PORTAL BELOW WITHIN 5 DAYS OF SELLING THE CAR.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
This form is free to complete.
NOTIFY COLORADO DMV OF VEHICLE SALE
In Colorado, a release of liability confirms the vehicle sale. Submit this to your local DMV no more than 5 days after selling your vehicle. You can submit this online using your Colorado My DMV account. Simple!
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
COMPLETE THIS VIA THE CO MYDMV PORTAL BELOW WITHIN 5 DAYS OF SELLING THE CAR.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
This form is free to complete.
JUNK AN ABANDONED CAR (PRIVATE PROPERTY)
In Colorado, a vehicle is considered abandoned if it’s been left on private property for more than 24 hours.
Need it gone? You can report abandoned vehicles to your police department or county sheriff’s office.
You can also ask a junk car removal company like Wheels Away to tow it away for free and handle the admin for you.
JUNK AN ABANDONED CAR (PUBLIC PROPERTY)
Spotted an abandoned vehicle on public property? In most cities and counties, you’ll need to report it to your local police department.
Aurora residents, and those in parts of Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas, can report them online using the Access Aurora portal below, or by phone at 303 739 7000.
Note: removal companies like Wheels Away can’t tow away commercial vehicles.
REPORT ABANDONED VEHICLES ONLINE
REPORT THE VEHICLE TO ACCESS AURORA USING THE ONLINE PORTAL BELOW.
ACCESS AURORA PORTAL
Note: this service covers Aurora, Arapahoe, and Douglas only.
JUNK AN INHERITED VEHICLE
If you’ve inherited a vehicle through survivorship rights, junking is simple.
IF YOU HAVE THE VEHICLE TITLE
If you’ve inherited the car as the co-owner and you’ve got the title, sign the title to the buyer, and show additional paperowrk like a death certificate, to prove you’re permitted to junk it.
If you don’t have the title, apply for a replacement, providing a copy of the death certificate as proof of ownership.
Note: this advice only applies to situations where you have inherited the vehicle as a joint tenant.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- Sign the title (sellers signature and sellers hand printed name sections) as the surviving owner
- Show the buyer a copy of the death certificate to prove you’re authorized to sell the vehicle.
Form DR–2539A
LOST THE TITLE? APPLY FOR A NEW ONE AS THE SURVIVING CO-OWNER AND SIGN BEFORE SELLING YOUR CAR.
REPLACEMENT TITLE APPLICATION
- Application method: In person.
- Fee: $8.20.
- Processing time: In person: instant.
Note: replacements for surviving co-owners must be completed in person. You’ll also need to bring a copy of the death certificate and valid ID.
JUNK A CAR THAT’S REGISTERED OUT OF STATE
If your vehicle is titled or registered in another state, you can still junk it in Colorado. If you’ve got the out-of-state title, just sign the seller’s section, and you’re good to go. Lost the title? No big deal. You’ll usually just need to order a replacement from the state that originally issued it before you can sell.
Not sure where to start? Put your state into the replacement title tool below. We’ll point you to the right forms in a flash. See what it costs, how long it takes, where to apply, and more- without the DMV headache.
JUNK A CAR WITH AN EXPIRED REGISTRATION
No registration? No problem. In Colorado, you can junk the vehicle without one. Most buyers just need the title to prove you’re the legal owner. An expired registration simply means the vehicle can’t be driven on public roads.
Can’t find your title? It happens. Use the form below to replace it.
Form DR–2539A
LOST THE TITLE? APPLY FOR A NEW ONE AS THE SURVIVING CO-OWNER AND SIGN BEFORE SELLING YOUR CAR.
REPLACEMENT TITLE APPLICATION
- Application method: In person.
- Fee: $8.20.
- Processing time: In person: instant.
Note: replacements for surviving co-owners must be completed in person. You’ll also need to bring a copy of the death certificate and valid ID.
JUNK A CAR WITH A LIEN
Loan paid off? Nice. Once you’ve got a lien-free title in your name, you’re ready to sell your car for junk.
Still making payments? That’s okay – you’ll usually need to sort out the lien before a junkyard or car buyer, including Wheels Away, can purchase the vehicle.
This usually means:
- Paying off the remaining balance on your loan.
- Getting approval from your lender to sell the vehicle before the loan is fully paid off.
Once the lien has been cleared and your lender provides a lien release, you’re all set to junk your car.
NOT SURE IF IT HAS A LIEN? RUN THE VIN.
Not sure whether there’s a lien on your car? Finding out is easy.
Just run your VIN through an NMVTIS-approved provider or a vehicle history service like Carfax to check for any recorded liens. Can’t find your VIN? No worries. We’ve highlighted the most common places to look below (although the exact location can vary depending on the vehicle’s age, make, and model).
HELP CENTRE
Questions? We’ve got you covered. Browse our help centre for straightforward answers to the things drivers ask us most. Whether you’re trying to make sense of DMV requirements or just want to know what comes next, you’ll find clear, no-fuss guidance every step of the way.
Whether you need to return your licence plates or junk an inherited vehicle, you’ll find everything you need to junk a car in CO, all in one place. Need to junk your car in Colorado but don’t have a title? Learn what alternatives exist and how to complete the process. Junk car prices in Colorado explained – learn what affects the offer, why scrapping helps the environment, and the top valuable parts. Many people struggle with the question, ‘How to junk a car?’ Don’t worry—you don’t need to be an expert to make the process simple, profitable, and stress-free.
How To Junk A Car
Missing Title
Junk Car Prices
How To Scrap A Car
Ready to Get Cash for Your Junk Car?
Get a free, instant quote in minutes!
✔ Top-dollar offers for your junk car
✔ Free same-day pickup & towing
✔ No paperwork hassle—we handle everything!
