The Colorado DR-2100 form is a notarized release that injured parties sign to free an at-fault driver from all claims arising out of a specific motor vehicle crash. Filed with the Division of Motor Vehicles, it satisfies Colorado’s Financial Responsibility Act and can keep the released driver from having to post a security deposit of up to $35,000 or lose their license.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-301 – Security and Proof of Financial Responsibility2Colorado Department of Revenue. DR 2100 Release From Liability
When the DR-2100 Actually Matters
After a reportable Colorado crash, the DMV reviews the accident report and decides whether each driver or owner must prove they can cover the damages. Under C.R.S. 42-7-301, a driver named in the report has to file both a security deposit sufficient to cover potential judgments (capped at $35,000) and ongoing proof of financial responsibility, usually an SR-22.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-301 – Security and Proof of Financial Responsibility
The clock is short. Within 15 days of receiving the report, the DMV notifies each driver that they must comply. Within 60 days, a formal written notice goes out by first-class mail with a deadline of 20 days from mailing.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-301 – Security and Proof of Financial Responsibility Miss that deadline without complying and the license is suspended automatically until security is posted, proof is filed, or a release is obtained from every injured party.
That release is where the DR-2100 comes in. C.R.S. 42-7-302 exempts anyone who has been “released from liability, or finally adjudicated not liable” before the suspension date, and a notarized DR-2100 signed by everyone with a claim is the standard proof of that release.3Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-302 – Exemptions from Requirement of Filing Security2Colorado Department of Revenue. DR 2100 Release From Liability
One important boundary: if the at-fault driver had a valid Colorado auto liability policy in effect at the time of the crash, the entire Financial Responsibility Act process does not apply to them, and nobody needs to sign a DR-2100.3Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-302 – Exemptions from Requirement of Filing Security The form is really a tool for situations where the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured and needs the injured parties to formally release them.
How to Fill Out the Form
The DR-2100 is a single page you can download from the Colorado DMV website. Every field needs to be complete and legible, and the whole thing has to be notarized before you send it in.2Colorado Department of Revenue. DR 2100 Release From Liability
Case and Crash Information
At the top, enter the Financial Responsibility Act (FRA) case number. The DMV assigns this and puts it on the written notice mailed to the at-fault driver after the crash report is processed. If that notice hasn’t arrived yet, call the Division of Motor Vehicles to get the number. Without it, the form can’t be matched to the right file. Then enter the crash date in month/day/year format.
Person Being Released
This section identifies the driver you’re releasing. You’ll need their full legal name, Colorado driver’s license number, date of birth, and complete mailing address with street, city, state, and ZIP. Get these details directly from the driver rather than guessing. A wrong license number will slow the processing down.
Other Persons Involved
The form has room for up to three other people with injuries or property damage from the crash. Enter each person’s name and full mailing address. If you were the only other person involved, put your own information on the first line and leave the rest blank. Everyone listed has to sign. The release only works if every claimant agrees to it.
Signatures
Each person releasing the driver signs and dates the form on one of the three numbered signature lines matching the names above. If a minor has a claim, a parent or guardian signs on the separate line provided. Every signature must be made in front of a notary public.
Notarization
The bottom of the form is reserved for the notary’s seal and signature, county and state, the date signatures were witnessed, and the notary’s commission expiration date. You can find Colorado notaries at banks, UPS stores, county clerk offices, and many law offices. Everyone signing needs a valid government-issued photo ID at the appointment so the notary can verify identities before witnessing signatures.
Where to Send It
Mail the completed, notarized form to:
Colorado Department of Revenue
Division of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 173350
Denver, CO 80217-3350
This is the same address the DMV uses for other Financial Responsibility Act filings.4Colorado Department of Revenue. DR 2316 Financial Responsibility Requirements Keep a copy for your records before dropping it in the mail. Send it by certified mail or with delivery confirmation, especially if a license suspension deadline is close. You want proof the DMV received it.
What Signing Means for You
Once the DMV receives and processes the DR-2100, the released driver is exempt from posting the security deposit and from filing proof of financial responsibility for that specific crash.3Justia. Colorado Code 42-7-302 – Exemptions from Requirement of Filing Security If the license was already suspended, the driver still owes a $40 reinstatement fee and may be required to carry an SR-22 filing for three years going forward.
For the person signing, the release is permanent as to the crash listed on the form. By signing, you give up the right to pursue the other driver for any injuries or property damage from that accident. Once the DMV processes the form, you cannot undo it. If the full extent of your injuries isn’t yet clear, talk to a physician or attorney before you commit.
The rule that every claimant has to sign matters here too. If three people were injured and only two sign, the release is incomplete and the at-fault driver still faces the security deposit requirement for the outstanding claim. The exemption under 42-7-302 requires that the driver be released from liability before the suspension date, which in practice means all claimants, all signatures, on time.
The form is sometimes used even after an insurance claim has already settled. If the at-fault driver’s insurer paid out but the DMV’s FRA file is still open, signing a DR-2100 formally closes that administrative case.
Not to Be Confused With the Vehicle Sale Release
Colorado’s myDMV portal has a feature called “Report Release of Liability” under Vehicle Services that sellers use to notify the state after transferring ownership of a vehicle.5Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Buyer’s and Seller’s Responsibilities Despite the similar name, that process has nothing to do with the DR-2100. The vehicle sale notification is governed by C.R.S. 42-6-109 and must be filed within five business days of transfer.6Justia. Colorado Code 42-6-109 – Sale or Transfer of Vehicle – Program The DR-2100 deals only with crash liability under the Financial Responsibility Act. If you sold a car, you’re looking for the wrong form.