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WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KDVR) — “Oh boy, we know this one is going to cause a ruckus,” was the response from the Wheat Ridge Police Department after they shared a photo of a driver pulled over with tags that expired in December 2020.

In the photo, the plates showed an expiration date of Dec. 18, 2020.

WRPD said that was not the most expired plate spotted during a traffic stop this week, another officer saw a plate that expired in September 2020 on Monday.

“You know how you ask us all the time why we don’t pull people over for expired registration? Well, we do. We can’t catch them all; there are too many of them and not enough of us. But we certainly try, especially when the date is as outrageous as the one in this photo,” WRPD said on Facebook.

The Colorado Department of Revenue said failing to register your vehicle on time could cost you a late fee.

“Here’s the bottom line: the citation these drivers get is for 60 days or more expired, and the fee associated with that is relatively nominal… there’s not a more egregiously expired category to put tabs like these in,” WRPD explained.

How much is the fee for late registration?

There is a one-month grace period before drivers will receive a fine for not renewing their vehicle registration.

For example, if your tags expire on April 30, you will have until May 31 to complete your registration.

Otherwise, you will have to pay a $25 late fee for each month you are late on your registration. The fee can be assessed for up to four months, so the maximum you will pay is $100.

Here is an example from the State of Colorado:

Vehicle registration expired in April. The grace period expired in May.

If you register the vehicle in:

  • June: Late Fee: $25.00
  • July: Late Fee: $50.00
  • Aug.: Late Fee: $75.00
  • Sept.: Late Fee: $100.00
  • Oct.: Late Fee: $100.00

The DMV said that newly purchased vehicles are subject to vehicle registration late fees 61 days after the purchase date.

WRPD said that the driver of this vehicle was not the registered owner of it, it actually belonged to a family member.

“This is a good opportunity to remind you that if you choose to drive a car with expired plates– whether it’s yours or not–you are the one who will be ticketed,” WRPD explained.