Law enforcement agencies in the Denver metro area are intensifying efforts to address vehicles with expired license plate tags.
The Aurora Police Department, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office have joined forces in a high-visibility campaign to target violators of vehicle registration laws.
The campaign, which began on July 1, aims to address a growing trend that emerged during the pandemic.
Lieutenant Carrigan Bennett of the Aurora Police Department highlighted the impact of the temporary closure of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) during the pandemic.
“The DMV shut down for only a little while, but during that time, people got the general impression that, ‘Hey, I don’t even need to register my car.’ It cascaded into this big thing where it’s taken a while to get people to register their cars,” Bennett stated.
Residents in the Denver metro area have expressed concern about the increasing number of vehicles with expired license plates, some dating back several years. The frustration is shared by Tyler Elliot, an Aurora resident.
“Two years, like what’s going on? [Because] two years, you should have your stuff together,” Elliot said.
To tackle the issue, law enforcement agencies have implemented a campaign to enforce vehicle registration laws. Officers are authorized to stop and ticket drivers whose tags are more than 60 days expired, with fines reaching up to $100.
Sergeant Jeremiah Gates from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office urged members of the public to renew their vehicle’s registration, as the fees collected play a crucial role in funding emergency services and road improvements.
“We get a lot of complaints from people asking, ‘Why do I have to pay my registration if these people don’t have to pay theirs?’” Gates added.
Law enforcement officers are actively patrolling the streets to identify vehicles with expired tags. The enforcement efforts were witnessed firsthand by a FOX31 and Channel 2 crew accompanying Gates, who swiftly identified a driver with plates expired since July 2022, only blocks away from the sheriff’s office.
Police continue to urge motorists to renew or register their vehicles online, through personal kiosks in some counties or by visiting the respective motor vehicle offices. State authorities have confirmed that all county-operated motor vehicle offices are open and operational.
