Vehicle lifts in Colorado: plate rules, lamps and hail country

A wheelchair or scooter lift on the back of a car solves one problem and can quietly create another. In Colorado the question drivers ask is simple: if the platform sits behind the bumper, is the license plate still legal? The statute gives a clear checklist, and a lift that ships with a plate mount usually makes it easy to meet.

The other Colorado question is weather. A device carried outside rides through whatever the Front Range or the passes throw at it, while an inside hoist keeps it in the cargo area. Both approaches are covered below.

Colorado's rear plate and lamp requirements

Plate display is governed by C.R.S. 42-3-202. Subsection (2)(a)(I) requires that "The owner or driver of a motor vehicle shall securely fasten the license plate to the vehicle to which it is assigned so as to prevent the plate from swinging." Subsection (2)(a)(II) then sets out where the rear plate goes:

• "(A) Horizontal at a height not less than twelve inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of the plate;"
• "(B) In a place and position to be clearly visible;"
• "(C) Maintained free from foreign materials and clearly legible;"
• "(D) At the approximate center of the vehicle measured horizontally; and"
• "(E) Mounted on or within eighteen inches of the rear bumper."

The list opens with "Except when authorized by this article 3 or rule of the department," and under 42-3-202(3)(a), "A person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B traffic infraction." A folded platform or a scooter riding on a hitch lift can cover the plate where it normally sits, which is why so many lifts come with a plate mount that moves it onto the lift itself. If you relocate the plate, check it against all five points above, including the eighteen-inch limit from the bumper.

Lighting matters too. Under C.R.S. 42-4-206(3), "Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet to the rear." The same section requires a rear tail lamp that "emits a red light plainly visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear." A plate moved onto a lift still needs that white light on it after dark.

We searched Title 42 for a provision naming wheelchair carriers, scooter lifts or hitch racks and did not find one, so the general rules above are what apply. For a question about your exact setup, the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles or local law enforcement is the right place to ask.

Help paying for a vehicle modification

We could not find vehicle modifications listed on the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation website, which describes services including "assistive technology, and needed accommodations to participate with DVR and on the job." If a lift is tied to getting to work, ask your DVR counselor directly what the program can consider.

Snow, hail and the long drive between towns

NOAA's Colorado State Climate Summary describes a hailstorm on May 8, 2017, in Denver and surrounding communities that damaged "more than 100,000 vehicles," the costliest in state history. It also records a March 2019 "bomb cyclone" that "produced widespread blizzard conditions and record-high wind gusts and caused avalanches and major travel disruptions," and it notes that "Thunderstorms are common in the eastern plains and eastern mountain slopes, with the more intense storms bringing damaging hail."

A scooter on an outside lift sits exposed to all of that, so a cover is worth adding, and in snow or slush the plate and its lamp collect road grime quickly. Clearing both before driving helps keep the plate "clearly legible" as the statute requires. Households that would rather keep the device indoors at every stop often choose an inside hoist instead.

Four lifts and the drivers they suit

• Harmar AL500HD: a powered hitch lift for power wheelchairs with a 400 lb capacity on a 26 x 39 in platform. Plan on a Class III or greater hitch; the box includes a license plate mount. A good fit for a power chair user who wants the cargo area left free.
• Harmar AL425: a 2-axis inside hoist with power lifting and power rotation, rated for 400 lb, for vans, SUVs and trucks. Mounting it inside keeps the backup camera usable and the device out of the weather. It needs 30 in of headroom.
• Harmar AL001 Hitch Carrier: fully manual, with a 500 lb capacity, a 28 x 48 in platform and a 60 in folding ramp. It weighs 84 lb installed and suits a household that wants a simple carrier with no motor.
• Harmar AL300RV: engineered for RVs, carrying power wheelchairs and scooters up to 350 lb, with a drop hitch adapter that adjusts up to 26 in of hitch height. A license plate mount comes with it, which helps on long summer trips through the mountains.

Colorado's assistive technology program

The Assistive Technology Program of Colorado, based at CIDE at the University of Colorado Denver, runs device loans that let people "trial devices before purchasing," along with demonstrations and the AT Exchange, which "allows individuals who no longer need their equipment to repurpose them for others" (2024 annual report). A demonstration of mobility devices can help settle which chair or scooter the lift must carry before you choose one.

Ordering a lift for delivery in Colorado

We work with a team of credentialed local specialists to guarantee timely, safe, and optimal delivery and installation. We ship to the lower 48 states and DC, with free shipping on orders over $500 ($15 under $500), and we cover the sales tax on every order. Most products are processed in 2-5 business days; some brands differ. Details are on our Colorado shipping page, and the vehicle lift fit check helps match a lift to your vehicle and device.

Questions about vehicle lifts in Colorado

Can a hitch lift block my license plate in Colorado?

It can, and the law expects the rear plate to be "In a place and position to be clearly visible" and "Maintained free from foreign materials and clearly legible" (C.R.S. 42-3-202(2)(a)(II)). Many hitch lifts include a license plate mount so the plate rides on the lift instead. A violation of the section is a class B traffic infraction.

How high and where must a relocated plate be mounted?

The statute requires the rear plate to be horizontal, at least twelve inches from the ground measured from the bottom of the plate, at the approximate center of the vehicle, and "Mounted on or within eighteen inches of the rear bumper." It must also be fastened securely so it does not swing. Measure after the lift is fitted to confirm.

Does the plate on my lift need its own light?

Colorado requires that a tail lamp or separate lamp "illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet to the rear" (C.R.S. 42-4-206(3)). If the lift moves the plate away from the vehicle's own plate lamp, make sure the new position is still lit.

Inside hoist or outside lift for Colorado weather?

NOAA's summary records damaging hail across the eastern plains and a 2017 Denver hailstorm that damaged more than 100,000 vehicles. An outside lift leaves the device exposed, so add a cover. An inside hoist such as the Harmar AL425 keeps the device in the cargo area but uses that space and needs 30 in of headroom.

Will Colorado vocational rehabilitation pay for a vehicle lift?

We could not find vehicle modifications listed on the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation website, which mentions assistive technology and on-the-job accommodations. Whether it can help with a lift is a question for a DVR counselor, especially if the lift is needed to get to work.

Compare models in the vehicle lift collection, use the fit check, or work through the full assessment. Questions? Email us at info@faithmobility.com.

Sources

• Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 42 (42-3-202 plates, 42-4-206 lamps)
• Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• NOAA NCEI State Climate Summaries: Colorado
• AT3 Center: Colorado
• Colorado Assistive Technology Act Program 2024 annual report
• Harmar AL500HD product page
• Harmar AL425 product page
• Harmar AL001 product page
• Harmar AL300RV product page