Shiny new license plates coming next year, at a cost

At the first of the year, the state of Colorado will begin reissuing license plates with a bright new design.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, or CDOR, website, the new license plate program will improve safety for drivers and emergency responders. The plates will be more reflective and easily visible in low-light conditions.

According to the CDOR FAQ for the program, license plates lose 50% of their reflectivity within five to 10 years of use and the average age of vehicles in Colorado is around six years. The new program will refresh the lifespan of vehicle plates.

According to CDOR, license plates will now expire when the vehicle owner transfers the title or interest on a vehicle. If a vehicle owner wants to keep their existing license plate numbers, they will have to apply for personalized plates, otherwise a new plate configuration will be issued.

Costs for the new plates vary greatly depending on personalization. Replacing standard plates with a new license plate number will cost $4.73, while personalized and designer plates run from $33.06 up to $118.06, not including renewal fees. Colorado drivers who wish to keep their current license plate configuration will play $68.06 to cover the materials cost, CDOR states.

The program will start reissuing plates with the new reflective material on Jan. 1 as part of the License Plate Expiration on Change of Ownership Act S.B. 21-069, affecting all Class C motor vehicles, with the exception of a horseless carriage.