How To Get a Rebuilt Title in Colorado

Rebuilt titles are used to overrule salvage titles after a previously totaled vehicle has been completely repaired.

This makes it possible for the driver/owner of the revived salvaged car to be able to drive the car confidently without getting into licensing issues. In Colorado, getting a rebuilt title follows a similar process as registering a new car.

You’d have to fully rebuild the salvaged vehicle and then head on to your local DMV for the processing, which costs $50 for the rebuilt title – there could be other fees to pay when you reach the local DMV office.

The revived salvaged vehicle would also need to pass a vehicle inspection test. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about how to get a rebuilt title in Colorado.

Let’s get started!

What Is a Revived Salvaged Vehicle?

When a vehicle is damaged beyond repair due to an accident or other scenarios, the insurance company that insured the vehicle would mark it as a total loss and report it to the state’s DMV. The state’s DMV would then mark the car as being salvaged, which confers a “salvage title” on the car.

Any car with a salvage title is “unregistered” and deemed unfit to be driven any longer. If you later decide to restore the car to good condition, you must get a rebuilt title.

This will overrule the salvage title and give you legal rights to drive the car around the state and even use it for virtually any purpose as you would a similar car that has not been totaled previously.

A revived salvage vehicle is any car previously marked as a “total loss” by an insurance issuer or title owner but has been restored to drive normally – after the damaged parts and systems were completely rebuilt, replaced, or repaired.

Getting a rebuilt title certifies that a once-totaled vehicle has been “brought back to life” and is roadworthy. While it may still be difficult to resell cars with “rebuilt titles,” it’s easier to sell such cars than the ones with a “salvage title.” When you revive a salvaged vehicle, getting a rebuilt title is imminent.

To get a rebuilt title in Colorado, you must apply through the Colorado Motor Vehicle Office. The application follows a process, and the vehicle must be physically inspected to confirm its roadworthiness.

Of course, you must pay a fee for the application and inspection – it takes around four to six weeks for the title certificate to be out. Hereunder is the procedure to obtain a rebuilt title in Colorado.

1. Fix the Car

First, you need to fix the car, repair and replace all the damaged components and systems, and fix the body.

When the car is completely fixed and each system is running as expected, you can proceed with the other steps below. Ensure that all your receipts and tellers are intact – you’d submit all of them.

2. Apply for a Rebuilt Title

After the car is fixed, you must walk into your local Motor Vehicle office and request a rebuilt title. You’d be given some forms and documents you must complete, sign, and submit. At this time, you’d be required to provide the following:

The salvaged title document
Original title document
Secure and verifiable identification (SVID)
Forms DR-2424 (Salvage Title Statement of Fact, DR-2173 (Secure Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale), and DR-2704 (Certified VIN Inspection). The DR-2173 form must be purchased via a dealership’s association.
Provide receipts and tellers of the parts replaced on the salvaged vehicle
Pay the necessary fee of $50 for a physical inspection

Note: If the vehicle doesn’t have a salvaged title, you’d need to get one. You need to have a salvaged title before you can get a rebuilt title.

3. Wait for the Title

When you have accomplished the above procedures, you should wait for the rebuilt title certificate, which takes around four to six weeks. However, you should regularly check in with your local DMV office to know when the certificate is actually out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rebuilt titles are issued after you have completed the application process with your local Colorado Motor Vehicle Department. Only the Colorado Motor Vehicle Department issues rebuilt titles.

An insurance company can only file for a salvaged title when a car is considered “a total loss,” the company cannot issue a rebuilt title even if the car is later fixed to become roadworthy again.

Anyone buying a used car would request the vehicle history report and the title documents. So, selling a car without a title in Colorado or any other state is impossible. Also, if a vehicle has a salvaged title, it’d be challenging to sell it unless you get a rebuilt title for that car.

You’d pay a static fee of $50 for a physical inspection of the revived salvaged car – that’s the statutory payment you’d make. However, there could be additional fees you’d have to pay for processing your submitted documents.