(1)
Upon application using the proper form and payment of the fees required by law, a
manufacturer of, drive-away or tow-away transporter of, or dealer in, motor
vehicles, trailers, special mobile machinery, or semitrailers operating such vehicle
upon any highway, in lieu of registering each vehicle, may obtain from the
department and attach to each such vehicle one number plate, as required in this
article for different classes of vehicles. Such plate shall bear a distinctive number;
the name of this state, which may be abbreviated; the year issued; and a
distinguishing word or symbol indicating that such plate was issued to a
manufacturer, drive-away or tow-away transporter, or dealer. Such plates may,
during the registration period for which they were issued, be transferred from one
such vehicle to another when owned and operated by or with the authority of such
manufacturer or representative of such manufacturer or operated by such drive-away or tow-away transporter or dealer.
(2) No manufacturer of or dealer in motor vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers
shall cause or permit a vehicle owned by such person to be operated or moved upon
a public highway without displaying upon such vehicle a number plate, except as
otherwise authorized in this article.
(3) A manufacturer of motor vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers may operate or
move upon the highways any such vehicle from the factory where manufactured to
a railway depot, vessel, or place of shipment or delivery, without registering the
same and without an attached number plate, under a written permit first obtained
from the police authorities with jurisdiction over such highways and upon displaying
upon each such vehicle a placard bearing the name and address of the
manufacturer authorizing or directing such movement, plainly readable from one
hundred feet away during daylight.
(4) (a) Any dealer in motor vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers may operate,
move, or transport a vehicle owned by such dealer on the streets and highways of
this state without registering such vehicle and without an attached numbered plate
if there is displayed on such vehicle a depot tag issued by the department. Such tag
may be purchased from the department for a fee of five dollars. Such tags shall
only be used for moving authorized vehicles for purposes of testing, repairs, or
transporting them from the point of delivery to the dealer's place of business and
for similar legitimate business purposes; but nothing in this section shall be
construed to allow the use of such tag for private purposes.
(b) The executive director of the department shall promulgate rules for the
use of depot tags and dealer plates, and a violation of such rules shall subject the
violator to a suspension or revocation of the violator's depot tag and dealer plates
after a hearing pursuant to article 4 of title 24, C.R.S.
(5) A manufacturer or dealer, upon transferring a motor vehicle, trailer, or
semitrailer, whether by sale, lease, or otherwise, to any person other than a
manufacturer or dealer shall immediately give written notice of such transfer to the
department upon the form provided by the department. Such notice shall contain
the date of such transfer, the names and addresses of the transferor and
transferee, and such description of the vehicle as may be required by the
department.
(6) (a) (I) An application for a full-use dealer plate may be submitted by a
motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler who:
(A) Has sold more than twenty-five motor vehicles in the twelve-month
period preceding application;
(B) Purchases an existing motor vehicle dealership or wholesale business
that has sold more than twenty-five vehicles during the twelve-month period
preceding application; or
(C) Obtains a license to operate a new or used motor vehicle dealership or
wholesale business with an inventory of fifty or more motor vehicles.
(II) Full-use dealer plates may be used in lieu of, in the same manner as, and
to the same extent as number plates issued pursuant to section 42-3-201.
(b) (I) The department shall issue full-use dealer plates upon payment of the
fee specified in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (b) and upon application of a
motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the
applicant is entitled to the plate in accordance with the criteria established in
subparagraph (I) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (6).
(II) The department shall establish and annually adjust the annual fee for
full-use dealer plates based on the average of specific ownership taxes and
registration fees paid for passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks that are seven
model years old or newer and that were registered during the one-year period
preceding January 1 of each year. The department shall prorate the annual fee on a
monthly basis. The department shall establish and annually adjust the annual fee
for full-use dealer plates for motorcycles and autocycles based on the average of
specific ownership taxes and registration fees paid for motorcycles and autocycles
that are seven model years old or newer and that were registered during the one-year period preceding January 1 of each year. The department shall prorate the
annual fee for motorcycles and autocycles on a monthly basis.
(III) Full-use dealer plates shall be valid for a period not to exceed one year.
(IV) Each full-use dealer plate shall be returned to the department within ten
days after the sale or closure of a motor vehicle dealership or wholesale business
listed in an application submitted pursuant to subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b).
(c) Full-use dealer plates may be used only for vehicles owned and offered
for sale by the dealer or wholesaler. Full-use dealer plates shall not be used on
vehicles owned by dealerships or wholesalers that are commonly used by that
dealer as tow trucks or vehicles commonly used by that dealer to pick up or deliver
parts. At the dealer's or wholesaler's discretion, the full-use plate may be
transferred from one motor vehicle to another motor vehicle. The dealer or
wholesaler shall not be required to report any such transfer to the department.
(d) A motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler may assign a full-use dealer plate
only to the following persons:
(I) Owners or co-owners of the licensed dealership or wholesale motor
vehicle business;
(II) An employee of the motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler;
(III) To any person, including former, current, and prospective customers, in
order to serve the legitimate business interest of the motor vehicle dealership or
motor vehicle wholesale business; and
(IV) A spouse or dependent child living in the same household as the licensed
dealer or wholesaler.
(e) As used in this subsection (6), motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler
includes motor vehicle dealers, used motor vehicle dealers, and wholesalers as
those terms are defined in section 44-20-102.
(7) (a) A person who sells special mobile machinery in the ordinary course of
business may submit an application for a demonstration plate.
(b) (I) The department shall issue a demonstration plate upon payment of the
fee specified in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (b) and upon application of a
motor vehicle dealer or wholesaler accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the
applicant is entitled to the plate in accordance with this subsection (7).
(II) The department shall establish and adjust the annual fee for a
demonstration plate based on the average of specific ownership taxes and
registration fees paid for items of special mobile machinery that are seven model
years old or newer during the previous year.
(III) A demonstration plate shall be valid for one year.
(IV) The owner of a demonstration plate shall return the plate to the
department within ten days after the sale or closure of the business that sells
special mobile machinery in the ordinary course of business.
(c) No person shall operate special mobile machinery with a demonstration
plate unless the machinery is offered for sale and being demonstrated for the
purposes of a sale. The owner may transfer the plate from one item of special
mobile machinery to another and without reporting the transfer to the department.
(d) A person who violates this subsection (7) commits a class A traffic
infraction.