Insurance Requirements CRS 42-3-105 (1)(D)

All motor vehicles are required to be insured at the time of registration. Colorado law requires that if you drive a vehicle on public roads, you must have liability insurance on that vehicle. Insurance companies are required to be licensed or authorized to sell insurance in Colorado. Showing proof of insurance coverage is required on the following vehicles at the time of registration or registration renewal:

Proof of Insurance is acceptable in a name other than the registered owner’s name if the VIN on the registration and VIN of the insurance card match. However, proof of insurance is not acceptable if the insurance card is in the previous owner’s name. 

Showing proof of insurance coverage is not required on the following vehicles at the time of registration or registration renewal:

Proof of Insurance may be:

• Through electronic verification via the Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB).

• Computer printout from insurer.

• Facsimile of the proof of insurance.

• Electronic proof of insurance that is not otherwise available. This may include, but is not limited to, insurer provided electronic image/proof on applicant’s cellular phone, laptop, or other portable type of electronic device.

• If web-based services are available, proof provided via the applicant’s insurer provided web-based service.

• Electronic mail sent from the applicant’s insurer.

• Insurance card.

• Declaration page.

• Insurance binder.

• Certificate of self-insurance (issued by the insurance commission)

  • • C.R.S 10-4-624(1) Any person in whose name more than twenty- five motor vehicles are registered may qualify as a self-insurer by obtaining a certificate of self-insurance issued by the commissioner.

Acceptable types of insurance policies:

• Vehicle Specific – Identifies the vehicle by VIN, year, make, and specifies the term of coverage.

• Commercial – Covers a fleet of vehicles and drivers, identifies the commercial entity and specifies the term of coverage.

• Self-insurance – Certificate of self-insurance issued by the State Commissioner of Insurance to an owner of twenty-five or more vehicles.

• Blanket/Operator – Covers the insured driver for any vehicle driven by them, specific vehicles are not listed. Specifies the term of coverage.

• Owner/Operator Broad Form – The policy insures any or all vehicles owned by a person or business. The person or business name must show as one of the owners of the vehicle. This policy is not vehicle specific.

Note: New residents to the state of Colorado must have a complying insurance policy on their vehicle pursuant to 42-3-105(1)(d) before it can be registered in Colorado. Failure to have complying insurance that puts the new resident in a late fee situation is not an acceptable exemption of late fees.

Affidavit of Non-Use of Vehicle

Colorado residents who wish to register vehicles that will not be operated for a period of time may follow the appropriate procedure listed below:

Completed DR 2303 Non-Use of Vehicle:

• The completed form, with applicant’s’ signature, shall act as proof of the owner’s vehicles insurance when the vehicle is in a non-use status.

• Non-Use dates must show a month and a year (Valid until plates expire, not to exceed 12 months).

Notes: Owners of collector and horseless carriage plates must complete a new form yearly. Emissions requirements must be met. (See Emissions)

Insurance Indicators Shown in Drives

Note: Insurance indicators of “U”, “A”, or blank requires the operator to insert the appropriate insurance indicator code. Inserting an insurance indicator code into the indicator box DOES NOT update the database.

There is no statutory requirement for the name of the state to be listed on the proof of insurance. Several insurance providers are either completely omitting “Colorado” from all of their proof of insurance media types or are omitting it from specific media types (i.e., electronic proof).

When a motor vehicle owner provides proof of insurance that is in compliance with 42-3-105 for Registration – Proof of Insurance that has “Colorado” omitted, the clerk should validate that the motor vehicle meets all insurance requirements in Colorado by logging into the Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB). If the motor vehicle is listed as insured, the Division of Insurance has validated that the insurance provider has met all insurance laws and requirements in Colorado and the clerk should accept the proof of insurance and complete the transaction. Please note that insurance providers must meet the MIIDB reporting requirements in 10-4-615, C.R.S., and because of this, there may be delays experienced from providing proof of insurance to an owner and it posting in MIIDB. In these cases, your individual county policy should dictate if your clerk should complete the transaction.

In order to validate insurance in MIIDB the clerk must obtain authorization and be issued a username and password. 

To obtain login credentials, clerks will need to complete the CI security agreement and submit it to dor_Access@state.co.us.