How to Prove Residency in Colorado

Last Updated: January 13, 2023 References

If you move to Colorado, you'll need to prove residency in the state before you can get a state driver's license, buy a resident hunting or fishing license, or qualify for in-state tuition at any of the state's public colleges and universities. The length of time you need to live in Colorado and the documents you need to prove your residency varies depending on what you're applying for. At a minimum, you need to be employed by a Colorado employer or operate a business in Colorado to be considered a resident. Otherwise, you need to live in the state for at least 90 days. If you want a hunting or fishing license or want to qualify for in-state tuition, there are additional requirements.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting a Driver's License

1
Confirm you qualify as a resident of Colorado. You can't get a Colorado driver's license unless you qualify as a resident. Generally, this means you have an address where you live in the state of Colorado. If you own or operate a business in Colorado or work for a Colorado employer, you are considered a Colorado resident from the first day you move. Otherwise, you have to live in the state for at least 90 days.
- If you're unemployed and want to qualify as a resident after 90 days, you have to be able to prove that you've lived in the state for at least 90 days. For example, if you rented an apartment, a lease agreement that was signed more than 90 days ago would prove the length of time you've lived in the state.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
2
Gather 2 documents with your name and physical address. To prove your residency, find 2 documents that were sent to you by name from an official source, such as a government agency or financial institution, with your name and address pre-printed on them. The documents must be less than a year old. You can't use hand-written documents or bulk mail. Examples of acceptable documents include:^{[2]
X
Research source}
- A computer-generated bill from a utility company, credit card, or other institution
- A bank statement
- A pre-printed pay stub
- Mail from a government agency or court
- Your current homeowner's, renter's, or motor vehicle insurance policy
- Your mortgage or lease
- Your transcript or report card
Tip: If you are under the age of 21 and still live with your parent or legal guardian, you can use documents with your parent or legal guardian's name on them.

Advertisement
3
Begin your application online if you have a valid license from another state. Go to https://mydmv.colorado.gov/_/ to start your online application for a new Colorado license. Have your license from the other state handy so you can provide the required information.
- You can also use the online service if your old license is expired, provided it expired in the past year and you wouldn't be required by the other state to take a written or drive skills test.
4
Visit your nearest driver license office to complete your application. Take your old driver license along with the required identification and proof of address documents and the applicable fee ($33 for a new driver license, as of 2020). Your documents must be originals, not photocopies.
- If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must sign an affidavit in the presence of a notary, or come with you to the driver license office and sign it in front of a driver license employee.
- To find the nearest driver license office, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dmv/driver-license-office-locations. If you click on a location on the map, it will give you the exact street address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Tip: It's a good idea to bring more documentation than you need, just in case one of your documents isn't accepted as proof of your address. For example, you might bring a utility bill, a copy of your lease, and a copy of your insurance policy.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Applying for a Hunting or Fishing License

1
Live in Colorado for at least 6 months before you apply. A Colorado resident hunting and fishing license is considerably less expensive than a non-resident license. However, to qualify you must live in the state for at least 6 consecutive months before the date you apply for your license. You also have to be able to prove that you've lived continuously in Colorado for that long.
- If you've had a resident hunting or fishing license in another state within the past 6 months, you automatically don't qualify for a Colorado resident license.
- If you're under 18 years of age, you're considered to have the same residence as your parent or legal guardian.
Tip: If you're a full-time student who has lived in the state of Colorado for at least 6 months, you qualify for a resident hunting and fishing license, even if you pay out-of-state tuition. Full-time students who pay out-of-state tuition to a school in another state but live in Colorado are also considered residents.
2
Use your Colorado driver's license if it's more than 6 months old. If you have a Colorado driver's license and it was issued more than 6 months ago, this is the easiest way to prove that you're a state resident. If you don't drive, you can use a state ID card instead.
- If you're a full-time student, you can use your student ID card to prove your residency, provided it's from a school in Colorado and was issued more than 6 months ago.
3
Gather additional documentation if your state ID isn't 6 months old. If you can't use a Colorado ID, you'll need at least 2 or 3 documents that prove not only that you currently live in Colorado, but that you've been living in the state continuously for at least 6 months. Acceptable documents include:
- At least 6 months worth of pay stubs from a Colorado employer
- Utility bills
- State income tax documents
- Lease agreements and rent receipts
- Your voter registration card
- Your school transcript and current class schedule
- Proof of tuition payments
Tip: Keep your documentation with you while you're out hunting or fishing. In addition to showing your license, you may also be required to prove your residency.
4
Buy your license through the nearest license agent. To complete an application for a hunting or fishing license and have your documentation verified, go to your nearest Colorado Parks and Wildlife office or any of the licensed agents. There are more than 650 licensed agents throughout the state of Colorado.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- To find the nearest licensed agents, go to https://www.cpwshop.com/issuerlist.page and enter your city or ZIP code, then click "Search" to receive a list.
- In addition to your proof of residency, bring verifiable identification, your habitat stamp, and your hunter education card or certificate.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Establishing Domicile for Tuition Purposes

1
Meet the age and residency requirements to establish domicile. Generally, if your parents don't live in Colorado, you have to be over the age of 22 to establish domicile. You (or your parents) also have to live in Colorado for at least a year before you start classes.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you're 22, you still have to live in Colorado for a year. That means you aren't eligible for in-state tuition until after you turn 23.
- According to the state's tuition law, you're automatically considered emancipated (not dependent on your parents) at the age of 22. However, if you were legally emancipated before the age of 22, you might be able to claim that you've established domicile. Legal emancipation is rare and requires a court proceeding.
- If your parents are divorced and one of them has lived in the state of Colorado for over a year, you might be able to qualify for in-state tuition based on their domicile.
2
Maintain a physical presence in Colorado for at least 12 months. Your physical presence is based on where you live and spend most of your time. You can only have one legal residence for the purpose of establishing physical presence for tuition purposes. Either you or your parents must have lived there for at least 12 months before you start classes.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- You typically prove physical presence with a mortgage or lease for residential property in Colorado. Evidence of a job in Colorado, voter registration, or other connections to the state also helps establish your physical presence.
- If you or your parent are serving active duty in the military, you can still qualify for in-state tuition if you lived in Colorado before you were stationed elsewhere. However, you still have to prove that either you or your parents intend to live in Colorado permanently.
- If you're under 23 and your parents are divorced, it's the parent living in Colorado who has to prove their physical presence, not you. In other words, you could live most of the time with your parent who lives in another state and still qualify for in-state tuition provided your other parent established a continual presence in Colorado for at least 12 months before you started school.
3
Gather evidence that you have established domicile in Colorado. In addition to physical presence, to prove that you've established domicile, you must also demonstrate that you intend to live in Colorado permanently. A Tuition Classification Officer looks for ties that you have to the state of Colorado compared to ties you might have with neighboring states. Documents you can use to prove that you've established domicile include:^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Colorado state income tax returns
- A Colorado driver's license
- A Colorado voter registration card
- Colorado vehicle registration
- Ownership of residential property in Colorado
- Permanent employment in Colorado
- Ownership of a business in Colorado
- Graduation from a Colorado high school
Tip: Gather as much documentation as you can. The Tuition Classification Officer can consider everything you bring, and more documentation shows greater ties to the state.
4
Fill out your school's verification of residency form. Each Colorado public college and university has its own verification of residency form that you'll fill out when you are first accepted to the school. The school's Tuition Classification Officer assesses the information you provide on this form to determine if you qualify for in-state tuition.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- You're expected to submit supporting documentation for the information you provide on the form. Include documentation that shows as many connections to the state as possible to increase your chances of getting in-state tuition.
- It is possible to qualify for in-state tuition while you're going to school if you're over the age of 23, living on your own, and have a job. However, you'll need documentation to prove that you intend to make Colorado your home permanently and aren't just living there so you can go to school.
5
Submit your form with evidence to your school's admissions office. Typically, you'll submit your verification of residency form after you're accepted for admission to a Colorado public college or university. However, if your status changes while you're a student, you can also submit a form then to have your tuition classification re-assessed.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you're over 23 and have a full-time job while going to school part-time, you might qualify for in-state tuition, even if you've previously been paying out-of-state tuition. However, the school won't adjust this automatically. You'll have to submit the verification form.
- Talk to staff in your admissions office to find out what your school's deadline is for verification of residency forms, especially if you're asking for a re-classification.