How to Get a Bonded Title in Colorado
If you’re holding a vehicle without a clean title in Colorado, a bonded title (also called a surety bond title) is the standard legal remedy. This process lets you establish documented legal ownership even when the original title chain is incomplete, the seller is unreachable, or the title was never issued.
Our downloadable guide walks you through the entire Colorado process — every form, every fee, and every step — so you can complete it yourself without hiring an attorney.
Step-by-step PDF. Instant download. Everything you need for Colorado's bonded title process.
Get the Colorado Guide →
What You Need to Know First — Colorado
Colorado processes bonded titles at the county clerk and recorder’s office, not the state DMV. This means requirements and processing times vary slightly by county. Denver, El Paso, and Arapahoe counties see the highest volume and have the most established processes.
The Colorado Bonded Title Process
Submit your surety bond, completed title application, and supporting documents to your county clerk. A VIN inspection by a Colorado law enforcement officer or licensed dealer is required.
Required Surety Bond Amount
Colorado uses a bond formula of 1.5× the vehicle’s appraised value. Your bond premium — the amount you actually pay to a surety company — is typically 1–3% of the bond amount per year. For example, if your vehicle is valued at $10,000 and the bond requirement is 1.5× value ($15,000 bond), you’d pay approximately $150–$450 per year in bond premiums.
The guide includes a step-by-step bond amount calculation worksheet and a list of licensed surety bond companies serving Colorado.
Fees and Costs
County title fees range from $7.20–$8.20 plus applicable ownership tax. The ownership tax is calculated on the vehicle’s value and model year.
These figures reflect the most recently published fee schedules. Our guide is updated annually each July to reflect any changes.
Timeline
Most applicants in Colorado complete the bonded title process in approximately 5–9 weeks. The guide includes a checklist and timeline tracker so you know exactly where you are in the process at every step.
What’s in the Colorado Guide?
The PDF includes four sections:
Section 1 — Overview: What a bonded title is, when you need one, and whether Colorado’s bonded title process applies to your situation.
Section 2 — Step-by-Step Process: Every action in the correct order, from gathering documentation through receiving your Colorado bonded title.
Section 3 — Checklist: A single-page checklist you can print and use to track your progress through the process.
Section 4 — Appendix: Direct links to all Colorado DMV forms, fee schedules, surety bond companies, and applicable statutes — verified and current as of the guide’s publication date.
Frequently Asked Questions — Colorado
Do I need an attorney to get a bonded title in Colorado? For most straightforward cases, no. The bonded title process is an administrative procedure designed for self-filing. The guide provides everything you need to complete the application yourself.
Can I drive the vehicle while waiting for my bonded title? In most cases, yes — with a temporary registration or under specific conditions described in Section 2 of the guide. Colorado’s specific rules on this are covered in detail.
What if someone challenges my bonded title later? The surety bond protects against this. If a prior legitimate owner files a claim during the bond period, the bonding company compensates them (up to the bond amount). Your guide explains how to build a strong documentation record that minimizes this risk.
Part of the Bonded Title DIY Guides — All 50 States series. Also available in the Mountain West Regional Bundle.