AURORA, Colo. — While driving around it can be hard not to notice when you get stuck behind a vehicle with expired plates.
"The Aurora Police Department, since the beginning of the year, have written 550 some registration violations," said Lt. Carrigan Bennett.
APD is teaming up with sheriffs offices in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties to target expired and unregistered vehicles. State law gives drivers a 30-day grace period, but officers say those ones aren't the main problem.
"We've definitely seen people that are expired all the way back to 2019, 2020 time frames," said Lt. Bennett.
It's an issue all across the metro. Denver7 crews walked three blocks near downtown Denver and found nearly a dozen plates were expired. One needed to be renewed back in 2021.
Drivers who are pulled over for plates expired more than three months will get a $75 ticket.
"Just because they gave you a ticket today, doesn't mean that an officer tomorrow couldn't give you the same exact ticket. It starts adding up to where, now it's a lot more than your registration fees," he said.
To update a vehicle registration quickly, you can visit a Colorado MV Express Kiosk at various locations and grocery stores across the state.
A full list of locations can be found by clicking here.
The machines are able to print out license plate stickers right on the spot and you don't need a trip to the DMV.
APD said drivers who need to, should renew their registration now before increased enforcement begins, or it could cost drivers even more later.
"If you're expired now and you go in to get caught up, there will be a late fee built into that registration and they'll backdate you to whatever your month of expiration was," said Lt. Bennett.
The City of Aurora said they receive millions of dollars annually from vehicle registrations that make local projects possible.
The increased enforcement begins June 25 and lasts through July 1.
