Colorado Change of Address: DMV, Voter, and Federal Agencies

A Colorado change of address is not one task but several. State law gives you 30 days to update your driver’s license or state ID after moving, and missing that window is a $30 fine under C.R.S. 42-2-119.¹ Your vehicle registration, voter registration, professional licenses, and federal records sit on separate systems and need their own updates. Here is who to notify, how, and when.

Driver’s License and State ID

Under C.R.S. 42-2-119, anyone holding a Colorado driver’s license, minor driver’s license, instruction permit, or state ID must notify the Division of Motor Vehicles in writing within 30 days of moving. The notice has to include your old address, new address, and the number on your license, permit, or ID.¹

You have three ways to do it:

Online through the myDMV portal, using your license or ID number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. This is the fastest route.²
By mail, using Change of Address form DR 2285 sent to the Division of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 173350, Denver, CO 80217-3350.³
In person at any driver’s license office with your current license or ID.

Updating the record itself is free. The DR 2285 form tells you to write the new address on the back of your existing license as an interim measure.³ If you want a replacement card showing the new address on the front, the duplicate card fee is $12.30.⁴

Missing the 30-day deadline is a class 2 petty offense with a flat $30 fine.¹ The bigger problem is downstream: court notices and traffic citations sent to an old address can turn into missed hearings.

Vehicle Registration

Changing the address on your license does not change the address on your vehicle registration. The DMV’s online tool says so directly: the driver’s license address change does not update your registration.² Registration is handled by your county motor vehicle office.

You can update it through the myDMV portal’s Vehicle Services tab, at a county kiosk where available, or in person at your county motor vehicle office.⁵ Because Colorado’s specific ownership tax is calculated by county of residence, an outdated registration can produce incorrect assessments as well as delayed renewal notices.

Voter Registration

Colorado sends every registered voter a mail ballot.⁶ If your voter record still shows the old address, the ballot goes there, and your new address determines which precinct’s races appear on it.

Update your registration at GoVoteColorado.gov, the Secretary of State’s portal. You will need your Colorado driver’s license or state ID number.⁶

Professional Licenses

If you hold a license issued through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), the licensing board sets its own address rules by regulation. The State Board of Nursing, for example, requires written notice of an address change within 30 days and accepts fax or email.⁷ Boards covering other healthcare providers, real estate agents, and contractors typically use similar deadlines.

Most boards let you update your address by logging into your account on the DORA website, though some may also want written notice. Check your specific board. A missed renewal notice sent to an old address can lead to a lapsed license, which is a worse problem than the update itself.

Federal Agencies

USPS Mail Forwarding

File a change of address with the Postal Service to forward mail from your old address. Online at usps.com costs $1.25 for identity verification; filing in person at a post office is free. Temporary forwarding runs up to one year, which usually covers the time it takes to update individual senders.⁸ Do this first; it catches whatever you forget.

IRS

File IRS Form 8822 to update your home address with the IRS.⁹ If you file a return with the new address before the form is processed, the return updates your record on its own. If you are not filing soon, send the form, especially if you are mid-audit or on a payment plan.

Social Security and Medicare

You do not need to update your Social Security card for an address change. If you receive Social Security or Medicare benefits, update your address through your personal my Social Security account online. If you receive Supplemental Security Income, contact your local Social Security office directly instead.¹⁰

Passport

A U.S. passport does not need to be reissued when you move. You can write the new address on the personal data page, and there is no requirement to notify the State Department.

If You Own a Business

Businesses and other entities with an Employer Identification Number file IRS Form 8822-B to report a change in business mailing address or location. If the move also changes your responsible party, that must be reported to the IRS within 60 days.¹¹

At the state level, update your principal office and registered agent addresses through the Colorado Secretary of State’s business filing portal. An outdated registered agent address can mean you miss service of process in a lawsuit.

A Short Checklist

The 30-day clock under C.R.S. 42-2-119 applies to your driver’s license and ID only.¹ Professional boards usually impose a similar 30-day window. Everything else is on you to catch:

Driver’s license or state ID (DMV, within 30 days)
Vehicle registration (county motor vehicle office)
Voter registration (GoVoteColorado.gov)
Professional license (your DORA board)
USPS mail forwarding
IRS (Form 8822, or 8822-B for a business)
Social Security Administration, if you receive benefits
Colorado Secretary of State, if you own a registered entity

Working through the list on moving week is far easier than untangling a missed ballot, a misrouted tax notice, or a lapsed license months later.

1
Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-119 – Notices – Change of Address or Name
2
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Help with Address Change Process
3
Colorado Department of Revenue. Colorado Department of Revenue Form DR 2285 – Change of Address
4
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
5
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. FAQs – Registration
6
Colorado Secretary of State. Mail-in Ballots FAQs
7
Legal Information Institute. Colorado Regulation 3 CCR 717-1.4 – Change of Name and Address
8
United States Postal Service. Standard Forward Mail
9
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822, Change of Address
10
Social Security Administration. How Do I Change My Address on My Social Security Card?
11
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business