Visiting the Colorado DMV: appointments, what to bring and what to expect

Which Colorado offices handle driver licenses and which handle vehicles, what you can finish online or at a kiosk, how to book a driver license appointment, and which documents and payment to bring.

Guide · Colorado · Appointments · updated October 29, 2026

In Colorado, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), part of the Colorado Department of Revenue, runs the state driver license offices. Vehicle titles and registrations are mostly handled by county motor vehicle offices run by each county's clerk and recorder. This guide explains who does what, what you can finish without a visit, how appointments work and what to bring.

Who handles what

The DMV describes three kinds of service points:

• State driver license offices handle driver license, permit and ID card services. The DMV's list of services that need an office visit includes a first-time driver license or permit, written permit, CDL permit and endorsement tests, and renewals that cannot be done online. The DMV says walk-in availability is limited, so book an appointment.
• County motor vehicle offices (run by each county's clerk and recorder) handle vehicle registration and titles, replacement tags and plates, temporary tags, and disability placards and plates. The DMV says counties set their own hours and their local taxes and fees, and that business hours, transaction options and procedures vary by county. Unless you use an online service or a kiosk, you must go to the office of your own county. Other counties' offices, the state driver license offices and the State DMV Vehicle Services office cannot do these county transactions.
• Motor vehicle kiosks handle vehicle registration renewal, duplicate registrations, duplicate tabs and title status checks.

To find a driver license office near you, see the Colorado DMV office list on this site, and check the DMV's own location pages for closures and delays.

Check whether you need to visit at all

The DMV says it offers most services online, through myDMV (mydmv.colorado.gov). The online services it lists include:

• Renewing a driver license or ID card
• Instruction permit tests taken at home ("@Home")
• Changing a driver license or ID address
• Checking where your driver license is ("Where's my driver license?")
• Paying a citation or reinstatement fee, and requesting a driving record
• Renewing vehicle registration, ordering duplicate titles and registrations, replacing plates and tabs, and reporting the sale of a vehicle (Release of Liability)

The DMV says that if you cannot find what you need online, you must schedule an appointment before visiting a DMV office. For title and registration help, it directs you to your county office.

Appointments

The DMV's online appointment tool is for driver license and ID services you cannot complete online, such as getting a new license or changing your name. The DMV says walk-in availability is limited. Booking takes a few steps:

1. Choose a location. Any state DMV office works for license services.
2. Choose the service you need.
3. Pick a date and time.
4. Confirm your contact details with a code sent by email or text.
5. Keep the confirmation email. It contains a barcode you must bring or show on your phone.

County vehicle appointments cannot be booked on the state site; contact your county office directly. Some vehicle services can be booked at the State DMV Westgate office. You can cancel online with your appointment ID and the phone number you booked with. If you do not have the appointment number, the DMV lists 720-295-2965 for help.

Driving (skills) tests are not booked with the DMV. You book them directly with a DMV-approved driving school or testing location.

Pre-register first. If you are applying for your first Colorado license, permit or ID card, or transferring an out-of-state license, the DMV asks you to pre-register online. You get a PDF confirmation to bring with you, and staff scan its barcode. Pre-registration does not replace the appointment. You do not need to pre-register if you already have a Colorado credential.

DMV2GO is a mobile service that brings driver license services to people who cannot easily reach an office. At the time of checking, the DMV said it was not accepting new requests for service because of high demand.

What to bring

If you are renewing in person with a valid Colorado card and nothing has changed, the DMV says you only need your current license, permit or ID. For a new card, a card expired more than a year, or a change of information, bring:

1. Proof of identity and lawful presence, such as a U.S. passport or certificate of naturalization, or a combination of documents from the DMV's lists (for example a certified birth certificate together with another document).
2. Proof of any name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. The DMV says to update your name with Social Security first.
3. Your Social Security number, if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. You can give it verbally at your appointment.
4. Proof of your Colorado address: two documents for a REAL ID, one for a standard card. They must show your full name and Colorado street address and be dated within the last year. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
5. Your out-of-state license, if you are transferring one.

All documents must be originals or government-certified copies. The DMV does not accept photocopies, photos, laminated or notarized copies. Documents not in English need the original plus a complete English translation. The full lists, including the rules for temporarily lawfully present and non-lawfully present applicants, are on the DMV's Required Documents page. The DMV calls missing documents the number one reason appointments fail.

For background on federal ID rules, see REAL ID explained.

Forms

First-time applicants enter their details through online pre-registration (see above). Applicants under 18 need a parent, guardian or responsible adult to sign Form DR 2460 (Affidavit of Liability and Guardianship). The DMV says it is signed in front of a DMV employee, or notarized beforehand if the signer cannot come. Vehicle forms such as DR 2395 (Application for Title and/or Registration) are covered in the Colorado vehicle registration and title guide.

Paying

The DMV says fees at a driver license appointment can be paid by cash, check or credit card. Online renewals accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express and include a small convenience fee. County offices set their own vehicle fees, so check with your county.

At the counter

When you arrive, show your appointment email so staff can scan the barcode. The DMV also lists checking in by text or a QR code at the entrance. During the visit you are fingerprinted, photographed and given a basic eye exam. You must take a new photo, and glasses must be removed. If you fail the eye exam, you get Form DR 2402 for an eye doctor to complete and bring it to a rescheduled appointment. Depending on your application, you may also have to take tests or pay more fees.

You leave with a temporary credential, and the card is mailed. The DMV says cards usually arrive in 10 to 14 business days but can take up to 30 days.

Language help and accessibility

The DMV says translation devices are available at all offices. You can also bring a friend, family member or interpreter, but interpreters cannot be used for CDL written tests. For accommodations such as a sign language interpreter or assistive listening devices, book your appointment first and then submit the DMV's ADA Accommodation Request Form. The DMV asks for 7 business days to arrange them.

For licenses, renewals and REAL ID, see the Colorado driver license and ID card guide.