2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 42 - VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC (§§ 42-1-101 — 42-21-106) › TAXATION (§§ 42-3-101 — 42-3-314) › Article 3 - REGISTRATION, TAXATION, AND LICENSE PLATES (§§ 42-3-101 — 42-3-314) › Part 2 - LICENSE PLATES (§§ 42-3-201 — 42-3-271) › Section 42-3-259 - Electric vehicle license plates

(1)
The electric vehicle license plate is hereby established. On or after January 1, 2022, the department shall design the plate to indicate that the motor vehicle to which the plate is attached is an electric motor vehicle.
(2)
(a)
Upon registering an electric motor vehicle, the department shall issue electric vehicle license plates for the motor vehicle unless the owner elects to use different license plates in accordance with subsection (2)(b) of this section. An owner that is issued the plates shall display the plates on the electric motor vehicle in accordance with section
42-3-202
.
(b)
The owner of the electric motor vehicle may elect to use different license plates issued under this article 3 or the rules promulgated under this article 3, not including the license plates issued in accordance with section
42-3-203
. If this article 3 or the rules promulgated under this article 3 require different license plates to be issued for a motor vehicle, the department shall issue the different license plates for the motor vehicle. If an electric motor vehicle is not issued electric vehicle license plates, the owner shall use the decal issued in section
42-3-304(25)
to identify the electric motor vehicle.
(3)
Except as provided in section
42-3-304(25)
, the amount of the taxes and fees for the electric vehicle license plates issued under this section is the same as the amount of the taxes and fees for regular motor vehicle license plates.
(4)
An owner may apply for personalized electric vehicle license plates. Upon payment of the additional fee required by section
42-3-211(6)(a)
for personalized license plates, the department may issue the plates if the applicant complies with section
42-3-211
. If an applicant has existing personalized license plates for a motor vehicle, the applicant may transfer the combination of letters or numbers to a new set of electric vehicle license plates for the electric motor vehicle upon paying the fee required by section
42-3-211(6)(a)
and upon turning in the existing plates to the department. An owner that has obtained personalized license plates under this subsection (4) must pay the annual fee imposed by section
42-3-211(6)(b)
for renewal of the personalized plates. The fees under this subsection (4) are in addition to all other applicable taxes and fees.
Added by 2021 Ch. 339,§4, eff. 9/7/2021.
L. 2021: Entire section added, (HB 21-1141), ch. 2197, p. 2197, § 4, effective September 7.
Section 7(3) of chapter 339 (HB 21-1141), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that the act adding this section takes effect only if SB 21-260 (chapter 250) becomes law and takes effect either upon the effective date of HB 21-1141 or SB 21-260, whichever is later. SB 21-260 became law and took effect June 17, 2021, and HB 21-1141 became law and took effect September 7, 2021.
2021 Ch. 339, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1141, see section 1 of chapter 339, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.