Montezuma County car sales tax: 3.3% to 7.69%

The rate in Montezuma County

Vehicle sales tax in Montezuma County is not a single number — it runs from 3.3% to 7.69% depending on which city you register in. Most of the county is at 3.3%.
That is above the 2.9% most Colorado counties charge — about $140.00 more tax on a $35,000 car than the typical county in the state.
No other county in Colorado charges this rate — Montezuma sits at number 36 of 64 by combined rate.

Where the rate changes inside Montezuma County

7.69% — Cortez (dealer inside your area).
7.3% — Dolores (unincorporated) (dealer inside your area), Mancos (dealer inside your area).
7.15% — Cortez.
3.3% — Cortez (unincorporated), Dolores (unincorporated), Lewis (unincorporated), Mancos, Mesa Verde National Park (unincorporated), Pleasant View (unincorporated), Towaoc (unincorporated), Yellow Jacket (unincorporated).
This is why a county-wide figure is not enough here: two addresses in Montezuma County can carry different tax on the same car, and in 3 of its ZIP codes the boundary runs through the middle so the ZIP alone cannot settle it. The calculator asks you which side you are on.

What a $35,000 car actually costs in Montezuma County

Sales tax (7.15% — Cortez, Montezuma County) — $2,547.97
Doc fee (typical) — $636.00
Title fee — $7.20
Specific ownership tax — $3.00
Registration fee (by weight) (est.) — $9.00
Vehicle age fee — $7.00
Road safety surcharge (est.) — $19.30
Bridge safety surcharge (est.) — $18.00
County clerk hire fee — $4.00
Emergency medical services fee — $2.00
Peace officer training fee — $1.00
Air account and county emissions-program fees — $1.20
Motorist insurance database fees (est.) — $0.60
License plates and tabs (est.) — $8.31
Out the door — $38,264.58 on a $35,000 used car, before any down payment or financing.

ZIP codes in Montezuma County

81321, 81323, 81327, 81328, 81330, 81331, 81334, 81335.
Any of these resolves to Montezuma County in the calculator, at whichever of the county's rates applies to that ZIP.

Montezuma County against nearby counties

Archuleta County is 2.9% — $140.00 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Montezuma County.
Summit County is 3.025% — $96.25 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Montezuma County.
Bent County is 3.9% — $210.00 MORE tax on a $35,000 car than Montezuma County.
Elbert County is 3.9% — $210.00 MORE tax on a $35,000 car than Montezuma County.
This follows where you REGISTER, not where the dealer is, so a lower rate nearby only helps if you actually live there. It is not something you can choose at the dealership.

Run your own numbers

Vehicle price

$

The negotiated or advertised price, before tax and registration.

Your ZIP code

Tax and registration follow where YOU register — not the dealership.

Dealer's ZIP code (optional)

A few states tax at the dealer's location instead of yours. If you know the dealer's ZIP, enter it for an exact tax.

Condition

New Used CPO

Fuel

EV/PHEV surcharges apply in many states.

More options — trade-in, rebates, doc fee, add-ons

Common questions

Why is the car sales tax different in parts of Montezuma County?

Cities inside the county can levy their own rate on top of the county and state rate, so the combined figure changes at the city line. In Montezuma County it ranges from 3.3% to 7.69%.