Got expired plates? Be warned

Drive just about anywhere and you'll see one – expired license plates…and not just a couple months past due.

"We see plates expired from years and years ago," said Trooper Brenton Kriel with Colorado State Patrol.

Now, law enforcement agencies are pumping the brakes on the so-called "grace period" for those overdue tags. Police in Parker and Lone Tree along with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and CSP joined forces on Wednesday for expired plates enforcement.

"It's like a public education day -- contacting drivers, letting them know we're out here enforcing traffic laws," said Kriel.

CBS Colorado rode along with CSP Wednesday afternoon, and it didn't take long to find problem plates. Whether a tag is outdated or missing, it's no longer tolerated.

"Depending on how expired it is, it'll be a fine," Kriel explained.

And the days of blaming the pandemic for the overdue registration? Yeah, those are over.

"COVID really did impact people," Kriel said. "They lost their jobs, had financial difficulties, so I'll see why they're past due. If they can show they have an appointment with the DMV, that's good enough for me [to let them go]."

With most DMV locations no longer requiring appointments though, and self-service kiosks available for easy registration renewal in some King Soopers locations, excuses for expired tags are running thin. If you're caught, don't be surprised if you get a citation.

"Failing to register your vehicle is a citation in itself," said Kriel.

Kriel said there's also an increase in people with fake license plates. During our ride-a-long, Kriel noticed a car with a suspicious temporary tag.

"You can see the fonts aren't the same," Kriel said, noting the plate frame also covered important information.

That driver was pulled over and Kriel's suspicions were confirmed after running the temp tag number with dispatch. On top of that, the driver provided a forged registration.

"They're usually purchased off of social media," Kriel said of the fake tags. "That tag and registration will now be confiscated."

So, what was perhaps easy to get away with then is a target on your vehicle now. Best advice from CSP – do the right thing and register your car. It may be expensive, but it's cheaper than when fines are piled on as well.

"Put those tabs on your vehicle," said Kriel. "It could save you some hassle."