How to fill out Colorado DR 2445

A nine-line survivor from a Colorado that notarised its titles. The subtitle printed under the heading still reads In lieu of Notarization of Colorado title, and the sentence under that says the form exempts notarization requirement ONLY; all sellers must sign the Colorado title in addition to this form. The section of statute governing a transfer was amended in its entirety with effect from 8 August 2005 and now asks a seller to affirm the sale with a written declaration made under the penalties of perjury in the second degree - the sentence printed on the back of every certificate issued since. What survives is the one job this sheet still does cleanly: a sworn statement, from up to two sellers, that ownership of a described vehicle has been transferred to a named new owner.

Written against DR 2445 (06/09/05), issued under C.R.S. 42-6-110 and 18-8-503. The revision printed in the footer is the oldest of any form in this set. Treat it as a document a particular county may or may not ask for, rather than as part of an ordinary private-sale packet.

Two documents, and they are not the same thing. Take the blank DR 2445 from the dmv.colorado.gov copy so you get the revision that is current today.

Every line, in the order you meet it

1. 1
   You fill this in

   Name of New Owner(s)

   The buyer, spelled the way they will be spelled on the new certificate.

   Watch out: This is the same name that goes into the Buyer's Hand Printed Name field on the back of the title. If the two sheets disagree, the sworn statement is the one that looks wrong.

2. 2
   You fill this in

   Address of New Owner

   One line, which has to hold street, city, state and ZIP.

   Watch out: There is no room to be generous. Write the address the buyer will register at, because that is the one the county is matching.

3. 3
   You fill this in

   The vehicle and the title number

   Vehicle identification number, year, make and the title number from the face of the certificate.

   Watch out: Only the title number ties this sheet to a document. A statement about a year and a make could be about any of several cars.

4. 4
   You fill this in

   Name of Seller(s)

   Printed, matching the face of the certificate, and covering both owners where two are named.

   Watch out: Two owners go on one rule here, separated by the word and, and then take a signature row each below.

5. 5
   You fill this in

   Signature of Seller (1) and Date

   A signature and a date under the certification at the top of the sheet.

   Watch out: The date is the date of the transfer, not the date the county asked you for the form. Those are often weeks apart and the transfer date is the one that matters.

6. 6
   You fill this in

   Signature of Seller (2) and Date

   The second row, used only where the certificate was issued to two owners.

   Watch out: Leave it empty on a single-owner title rather than filling it with a witness or a spouse who is not on the certificate.

What gets this one rejected

• •Used instead of signing the certificate. The line under the subtitle says all sellers must sign the Colorado title in addition to this form, in those words.
• •One signature where the face of the certificate names two owners. The form gives two signature rows because Colorado expects both.
• •A title number left blank. Every other field describes a vehicle; the title number is the only one that identifies the document.
• •Filed to correct something. It states that a transfer happened - it does not amend a reading, a price or a name.
• •Expecting it to explain itself to a clerk. It is dated 2005 and most counter staff will not have seen one this year; ring the county before you build a packet around it.

Rules that decide whether it is accepted

• •Nothing on a modern Colorado title needs notarising. The oath is printed on the certificate itself. A seller reaching for this form because they were told a title has to be notarised has been told something that stopped being true two decades ago.
• •It is the shortest sworn statement the department publishes. Nine fillable fields and no instructions page. That brevity is why it survives as a way of putting a plain fact - ownership changed - on the record under oath.

Every line here was read off DR 2445 (06/09/05) itself — the PDF is here — and off the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles pages. This is plain-language help with a form, not legal advice, and where our wording and the agency's differ, theirs governs.

Back to all Colorado seller paperwork, or what selling a car in Colorado involves.