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Colorado Vehicle Transfer After Death

Transfer a car title after death in Colorado by checking how the title was held first. Colorado offers three nonprobate paths: a transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary designation (DMV form DR 2009), joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and the small-estate affidavit (DR 2712), plus a probate path for estates that do not qualify. Titling is handled at a county motor vehicle office, not the state DMV.

Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue); titling is processed at county motor vehicle offices
https://dmv.colorado.gov/
Transfer fee
Processed at the county motor vehicle office
Title fee
$7.20 title application fee (C.R.S. 42-6-137)
Registration
Varies by vehicle, county, and specific ownership tax
Small estate limit
$88,000 for deaths in 2026 (DR 2712 affidavit)

How Was the Vehicle Titled?

The transfer process depends on ownership type. Pick your situation below.

Reading a joint title: look at the word between the two owner names. "OR" (or a slash) means either owner can act alone, so the surviving owner can usually transfer the title without probate. "AND" means both owners must act together, so the vehicle usually has to go through probate when one owner dies.
Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Beneficiary (DR 2009)Probate may not be needed

The owner named a TOD beneficiary on the Colorado title during their lifetime using DMV form DR 2009

Process

Colorado lets a vehicle owner (or joint owners) name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on the title during their lifetime with DMV form DR 2009, under C.R.S. 42-6-110.5. On the death of the owner (or the last surviving joint owner), the beneficiary presents the designation, a certified death certificate, and the title fee at a county motor vehicle office and receives a new title. The transfer is nonprobate and cannot be revoked by will. It remains subject to any security interest on the title.

Documents Needed
  • DMV Form DR 2009 (beneficiary designation, executed during the owner’s lifetime)
  • Certified death certificate of the deceased owner (or last surviving joint owner)
  • Title application and title fee at a county motor vehicle office
  • Beneficiary photo ID
Joint Owner With Right of Survivorship (WROS)Probate may not be needed

A surviving co-owner held the vehicle as a joint tenant with right of survivorship

Process

When a Colorado vehicle is titled to joint owners with right of survivorship and one owner dies, the surviving joint owner holds the vehicle without probate. Under C.R.S. 42-6-110.5 a joint owner is someone holding the vehicle as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship (tenants in common are excluded), and C.R.S. 42-6-114 covers transfer by operation of law. The survivor presents the existing title and death certificate at a county motor vehicle office, and the authorized agent issues a new title in the survivor’s name alone.

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title showing joint tenancy with survivorship
  • Certified death certificate of the deceased joint owner
  • Title application (DR 2395 or the current title application form; verify at the county office)
  • Title fee
Surviving Spouse or Heir (Small-Estate Affidavit DR 2712)Probate may not be needed

No personal representative is appointed and the estate is worth $88,000 or less for deaths in 2026

Process

A surviving spouse or other successor can transfer a Colorado vehicle without probate using the DMV’s Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property Pursuant to Small Estate Proceeding, form DR 2712, when the estate qualifies under C.R.S. 15-12-1201. At least 10 days after death, and only if no personal representative has been appointed or applied for, the successor completes and notarizes DR 2712 (listing the vehicle year, make, and VIN) and presents it with the title and a certified death certificate at any county motor vehicle office. The Colorado DMV does not accept the court’s general JDF 999 affidavit for vehicle titles. DR 2712 is required.

Documents Needed
  • DMV Form DR 2712 (completed and notarized, with vehicle year, make, and VIN)
  • Original vehicle title (if available)
  • Certified death certificate
  • Secure and verifiable identification
Sole Owner (Probate / Personal Representative)Probate likely needed

The vehicle is titled only to the decedent, with no TOD beneficiary or survivorship co-owner, and the estate is too large for the small-estate affidavit

Process

A vehicle titled solely in the decedent’s name with no DR 2009 TOD designation, no survivorship joint owner, and an estate too large for the small-estate affidavit must go through probate. Open informal or formal probate in the district court (or the Denver Probate Court) of the county where the decedent lived. Once appointed, the personal representative presents letters testamentary or letters of administration, the death certificate, and the title at a county motor vehicle office, and the authorized agent issues a new title under C.R.S. 42-6-114.

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title (or a duplicate on DR 2539A if lost)
  • Certified death certificate
  • Letters testamentary or letters of administration from the Colorado district court (or Denver Probate Court)
  • Title application and title fee at a county motor vehicle office
  • Valid photo ID
See the full step-by-step processThe forms, the order to do them, and what to bring

Read the Colorado title before anyone signs

Confirm whether the title is sole or joint, whether it names a transfer-on-death beneficiary, and whether a lien is listed. A deceased owner cannot sign, so you need the correct authority path first. A title joining two names with "AND" is tenancy in common, not survivorship.

Match your situation to a transfer path

A named TOD beneficiary uses DMV form DR 2009. A surviving joint owner with right of survivorship uses the existing title. An estate worth $88,000 or less for 2026 deaths with no personal representative uses the DR 2712 small-estate affidavit. Otherwise the estate goes through probate.

Gather the death certificate and the right form

You need a certified death certificate for every path. Add DR 2009 (TOD), the current title application such as DR 2395 (survivorship), or a notarized DR 2712 (small estate). For probate, get letters testamentary or letters of administration.

File at a county motor vehicle office

Colorado processes titles at county motor vehicle offices (county clerk and recorder motor vehicle divisions), not a state DMV counter. Bring the title, certified death certificate, your form, and photo ID. The state title fee is $7.20 under C.R.S. 42-6-137, and counties may add a recording fee.

Keep insurance and registration current

Colorado sets no statutory deadline to transfer a deceased owner’s title, but keep registration current and liability insurance in force until ownership changes. If the original title is lost, apply for a duplicate on DR 2539A before you try to transfer.

Good to knowShort notes that save a second trip to the title office
  • Use DR 2712 for vehicles, not JDF 999. Colorado has two small-estate affidavits. The Judicial Branch general form JDF 999 covers most personal property, but the Colorado DMV does not accept it for vehicle titles. For a vehicle you must use DMV form DR 2712, notarized, listing the vehicle year, make, and VIN.
  • Titling happens at a county office, not the state DMV. Colorado vehicle titles are issued by county motor vehicle offices (county clerk and recorder motor vehicle divisions). The state title application fee is $7.20 under C.R.S. 42-6-137. Your county may charge an additional recording fee, so confirm the total at your local office.
  • "AND" on the title is not survivorship. The joint survivorship route only applies when the title reflects a right of survivorship. If two names are joined by "AND" (tenancy in common), survivorship does not apply and the estate needs a DR 2712 small-estate affidavit or probate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a car title without probate in Colorado?
Often, yes. Colorado allows a transfer-on-death beneficiary on the title (DMV form DR 2009), joint survivorship, and a small-estate affidavit (DR 2712) when the estate is $88,000 or less for 2026 deaths. Titling is handled at a county motor vehicle office.
What documents do I usually need to transfer a vehicle after death in Colorado?
Common documents include the original title, a certified death certificate, your ID, a title application, and in some cases letters of administration, a small-estate affidavit, or beneficiary paperwork.
What if there is a loan on the vehicle?
A lender still has rights in the vehicle. Before transfer, contact the lender to confirm payoff, refinance, or release requirements so the DMV filing is not rejected. Depending on the estate finances, the options are usually paying off the loan, refinancing it in the new owner name, or returning the vehicle.
Do I need to keep the car insured during the transfer?
Yes. Keep insurance on the vehicle throughout the transfer process. If the policy was in the deceased person name, contact the insurer to add yourself as a driver or move the policy, and do not let coverage lapse before the title and registration are updated.
What if several heirs inherit the car together?
The title agency may require signatures or authority from each person with an interest in the vehicle. Verify exactly whose signatures are required before the office visit. In practice, one heir often keeps the car and buys out the others, or the estate sells it and splits the proceeds.
What if the car is titled in another state, not Colorado?
If the person who died lived elsewhere or the vehicle is registered in another state, that state's motor vehicle agency usually handles the deceased-owner transfer first. Complete the transfer under the title state's rules, then register the vehicle in Colorado if it is staying here.
Does Colorado offer transfer on death (TOD) for a vehicle?
Yes. Under C.R.S. 42-6-110.5, a Colorado owner can name a beneficiary on the title during their lifetime using DMV form DR 2009. On the owner’s death the beneficiary presents the designation and a certified death certificate at a county motor vehicle office and receives a new title, outside probate.

Not Sure Whether Probate Is Required?

Use the Colorado probate assessment before you submit DMV paperwork if the vehicle was solely owned or the estate looks close to a small-estate threshold.

Take Colorado Assessment

Still weighing whether to keep or sell the car? Read what to do with the car when someone dies for the keep-or-sell decision, or see how to sell the car if you cannot find the title in Colorado.

Official Colorado Sources

What to Do When a Loved One Dies (vehicle title transfer; DR 2712) - Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV page, accessed 2026-06-26.
C.R.S. 42-6-110.5 (Transfer of title upon death; beneficiary designation) - Colorado Revised Statutes. Official statute, accessed 2026-06-26.
C.R.S. 15-12-1201 (Collection of personal property by affidavit) - Colorado Revised Statutes. Official statute, accessed 2026-06-26.
DMV Form DR 2009 (Transfer of Title Upon Death Beneficiary Designation) - Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV form, accessed 2026-06-11.

Information current as of July 8, 2026

Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Colorado can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

Need Help With the Full Estate?

Vehicle transfers are often just one part of settling an estate. See our related guides.

All Asset TransfersColorado Probate Guide

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