A few months ago, I bought a new car. I did this because my previous car had a rattle I couldn’t get rid of and the only solution, I finally decided, was to trade it in for something else. This transaction (which did solve the rattle problem) served to remind me how complicated the laws of Colorado dealing with the titling and registration of a vehicle, and license plates, have become.

Mostly out of curiosity but also because I ran into a titling and registration issue with my new car, I recently spent several hours reading through the voluminous Colorado statutes addressing title and registration applications and license plates. There, I came across lots of interesting, and perhaps even useful, information I didn’t know before. Here is some of what I learned.

• A car dealer is to cause a vehicle purchaser to obtain a certificate of title within 30 days of purchase. Purchasers have 60 days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle.

• When you buy a vehicle from a dealer, the dealer will give you a temporary registration and placard good for 60 days. If you run into a titling and registration snag (these things happen…), the dealer is authorized to issue a second temporary registration and placard, good for another 60 days. If you buy a vehicle other than from a dealer, you’ll have to apply for a title and register the vehicle at the county motor vehicle department.

• Someone moving to Colorado from another state has 90 days from the date they become a Colorado resident to register their vehicle in this state. Someone living in Colorado but who is a resident of another state, and whose vehicle is properly registered and licensed in the state of residence, is not required to register the vehicle in Colorado.

• When you register a vehicle in Colorado, you will receive two copies of the registration receipt. One copy has your address; the other does not. As a crime deterrent, Colorado recommends that you only keep the copy without your address in your vehicle.

• Standard license plates can no longer be transferred to a new vehicle. (Specialty plates, however, can be transferred.) If you want to keep your old standard license plate number, you must apply for — and pay for — personalized plates.

• Vehicles must have a front and a rear license plate. Having only a rear license plate is a violation of law.

• If you repaint your vehicle and change its color, you need to promptly report this to the county motor vehicle department.

• If you pay for your registration with a bad check, the county can cancel your registration and instruct the sheriff to repossess your registration receipt and your plates.

• Colorado has a bewildering (over 100) array of specialty license plates. (Italian/American heritage; stegosaurus, the state fossil; Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche, Rockies; Vietnam war veteran; etc.) Some of these require confirmation of your affiliation with a related organization — for example, if you want raptor plates, you must be a member in good standing of the Raptor Education Foundation.

• There are many laws providing special rules for armed services members.

The phone number for the helpful folks at the El Paso motor vehicle department, who know these laws inside and out, is 719-520-6240.

There is also much information at the department’s website — https://clerkan-drecorder.elpasoco.com/motor-vehicle-department. Before you attempt any action involving titling or registration of a vehicle, or license plates, do your homework. Otherwise, you might find yourself having to make multiple trips to a department office to accomplish your mission.