Colorado does not publish a standalone odometer disclosure PDF. The odometer statement is printed on the back of the vehicle’s Certificate of Title, and that is where the seller and buyer sign it. If the title has no room for the statement, Colorado uses Form DR 2173, a secure Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale that includes the odometer fields. DR 2173 is security-printed, so it cannot be downloaded; you have to buy it from an approved vendor.1Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Buyer’s and Seller’s Responsibilities
Where the Disclosure Lives
On a standard Colorado title, the back has a designated section for the odometer reading, the status box, and signatures from both parties. For a routine private sale, that section is the entire form. Nothing else needs to be filled out, and nothing needs to be printed from the DMV website.
When the title lacks space, or when the odometer area has been damaged or already used, DR 2173 takes its place. It is the Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale, not a dedicated odometer form, but it carries the same mileage fields and satisfies the federal disclosure rule on a single document. Because it is tamper-resistant, the DMV only distributes it through five authorized vendors: the Colorado Auto Dealers Association, the Colorado Independent Automobile Dealers Association, A-B-C Enterprises, Colorado Automobile/Powersports Support Services, and BML Dealer Supplies and Title Service.1Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Buyer’s and Seller’s Responsibilities
Which Vehicles Need an Odometer Statement
Not every transfer requires disclosure. Colorado follows the federal rules, and the categories are short.
- Model year 2011 and newer vehicles need a disclosure. Federal rules require it for the first 20 years of the vehicle’s life, so in 2026 everything from 2011 onward is still covered.
- Model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt. They fell under the old 10-year window and have aged out.2eCFR. 49 CFR 580.17 – Exemptions
- Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating above 16,000 pounds is exempt regardless of age.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
- Trailers and other non-self-propelled vehicles never need a mileage statement.
How to Fill It Out
The fields are the same whether you’re writing on the title or on DR 2173. The seller enters the full 17-digit VIN, the year, make, and model, and the current odometer reading in whole miles. Drop the tenths. Read the number exactly as it appears on the dashboard.
Then the seller checks one of three boxes:
- Actual mileage, meaning the reading reflects the true distance driven.
- Not actual mileage, meaning the seller has reason to believe the reading is wrong, whether from a prior odometer replacement, a repair, or an unknown history. This option results in a permanent “Not Actual” brand on the title that cannot be removed and lowers resale value.
- Exceeds mechanical limits, meaning the odometer has rolled over past its maximum display. This mostly applies to older cars with five-digit odometers that stop at 99,999.
Both signatures are required by federal law. The seller signs and dates the disclosure; the buyer prints their name and address and signs to acknowledge the reading. A title application missing either signature will be rejected.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles
If someone needs to sign for either party, Colorado provides Form DR 2175, a non-secure power of attorney that works when the agent is signing for one side of the transaction. When the same person must sign as both buyer and seller, you need the secure version, Form DR 2174.5Colorado Department of Revenue. State of Colorado Power of Attorney for Motor Vehicle Only
Accuracy counts. A wrong VIN digit, a misspelled name, or an unsigned line will get the paperwork kicked back when the buyer tries to title the vehicle. Secure forms cannot be corrected after the fact. If you make a mistake on DR 2173, you have to start over with a new one, which means another trip to a vendor.
Leased Vehicles
Leases follow the same federal rules but with a different flow. At lease-end, the lessee completes the odometer disclosure and returns it to the leasing company, which usually mails the form ahead of the return date with instructions.6eCFR. 49 CFR 580.5 – Disclosure of Odometer Information The information required is identical: VIN, year, make, model, mileage in whole miles, and the status box. Failing to return the completed statement, or providing a false reading, carries the same penalties as fraud in a private sale.
What Happens If the Disclosure Is Wrong
Colorado treats odometer tampering as a class 2 misdemeanor. State law makes it illegal to install any device that causes an odometer to display false mileage, to disconnect or reset the odometer, or to fail to meet the federal disclosure rules when transferring the vehicle.7FindLaw. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42 Section 42-6-202
Federal penalties are heavier. Each violation can draw a civil penalty of up to $10,000, with a $1,000,000 cap for a related series of violations. Knowingly and willfully tampering with an odometer or filing a false disclosure can bring up to three years in federal prison. Prosecutors do not have to prove a completed sale; possession of a tampered vehicle with intent to defraud is enough.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32709 – Penalties and Enforcement
On the buyer’s side, Colorado gives 60 days from the purchase date to apply for a new title. Late penalties run from $15 to $100, and broader violations of the titling statute can bring fines up to $300 or up to 10 days in county jail.9Colorado General Assembly. SB22-123 Late Vehicle Titling and Registration Penalties If the disclosure was filled out wrong and the seller has since moved or stopped answering, fixing it inside that window is far easier than fixing it after.