ColoradoColorado routes vehicle fees to its driver services account
If the specified provision in House Bill 26-1289 becomes law, Colorado's fee-routing rules take effect, sending some late and special registration fees to the DRIVES account.
What it does
Specified fees and public or private gifts, grants, and donations go to the DRIVES account to support driver and vehicle services, including license plates.
Registration offices keep ten dollars from each late fee. For fees forwarded starting July 1, 2027, two dollars goes to the DRIVES account and the rest goes to the highway users tax fund.
The department handles special vehicle registrations. Fees received on or after July 1, 2026, go to the DRIVES account, except two dollars from certain registrations goes to the county general fund.
Argument forPutting specified fees in the DRIVES account could help pay for driver and vehicle services, if lawmakers appropriate the money.
Argument againstVehicle services funding may depend on annual legislative appropriations, so money in the account is not automatically available to spend.
More detail
The state treasurer credits specified fees, gifts, grants, and donations to the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account. The account supports Colorado's driver and vehicle systems, the motorist insurance database, and the purchase and issuance of license plates, decals, and tabs. The legislature must appropriate the account's money each year for these purposes. The text sets out account rules before July 1, 2027, and rules scheduled to apply starting that date.
The department or its authorized registration agent keeps ten dollars of each late registration fee. This applies to late fees collected for late motor vehicle registration. Fees forwarded on or before June 30, 2027, go to the highway users tax fund. Starting July 1, 2027, two dollars of each fee goes to the DRIVES account and the remainder goes to that fund. The two-dollar share applies to fees forwarded on or after July 1, 2027; the earlier allocation rule is repealed effective July 1, 2028.
The department administers special registrations, and fees received from them go to the DRIVES account. The fee rule covers special vehicle registrations under section 42-3-211. Two dollars from each fee for registrations covered by subsections (6)(a) to (6)(c) goes to the county general fund. This allocation applies to fees received on or after July 1, 2026; the earlier allocation rule is repealed effective July 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 1Governor Jared Polis SignedBecame Law
- May 20Signed by the Speaker of the HouseMajor
- May 20Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- May 20Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- May 13House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
- Vote recorded REPASS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded CONCUR. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded CONCUR. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded REPASS. Result: pass.Lower
- May 12Senate Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed Senate
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Upper
- May 11Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1102, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.042. Result: pass.Upper
- May 11Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
- Apr 7Senate Committee on Finance Refer Amended to AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.041 (Attachment B). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1102, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 25Introduced In Senate - Assigned to FinanceMinor
- Mar 20House Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed House
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
- Mar 17House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
- Mar 3House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
- Feb 26House Committee on Finance Refer Amended to House Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.001. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1102, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Introduced In House - Assigned to FinanceIntroduced
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