Colorado § 40-7-113 - Civil penalties - fines - rules.

§ 40-7-113. Civil penalties - fines - rules.

(1) [Editor's note: This version of the introductory portion to subsection (1) is effective until January 1, 2027.] In addition to any other penalty otherwise authorized by law and except as otherwise provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, any person who violates article 10.1 or 10.5 of this title 40 or any rule promulgated by the commission pursuant to article 10.1 or 10.5, which article or rule is applicable to the person, may be subject to fines as specified in the following paragraphs:

(1) [Editor's note: This version of the introductory portion to subsection (1) is effective January 1, 2027.] In addition to any other penalty otherwise authorized by law and except as otherwise provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, a person that violates article 10.1 or 10.5 of this title 40 or a rule adopted by the commission pursuant to article 10.1 or 10.5 of this title 40, which article or rule is applicable to the person, may be subject to fines as follows:

(a) Any person who fails to carry the insurance required by law may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than eleven thousand dollars.

(b) Any person who violates section 40-10.1-201 (1), 40-10.1-202 (1)(a), 40-10.1-302 (1)(a), 40-10.1-401 (1)(a), 40-10.1-502 (1)(a), or 40-10.1-702 (1)(a) may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand one hundred dollars.

(b.5) [Editor's note: Subsection (1)(b.5) is effective January 1, 2027.]

(I) The commission may assess a civil penalty of not more than one thousand five hundred dollars per violation against a transportation network company that violates part 6 of article 10.1 of this title 40.

(II) The commission shall consider the size of the transportation network company when assessing a civil penalty pursuant to this subsection (1)(b.5).

(III) The assessment of a civil penalty pursuant to this subsection (1)(b.5) does not preclude a party from initiating a civil action or any other legal recourse against a transportation network company.

(c) and (d) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (HB 11-1198), ch. 127, p. 421, § 18, effective August 10, 2011.)

(e) A person subject to section 40-10.1-111 who operates a motor vehicle without having paid the annual identification fee for any motor vehicle operated as required by section 40-10.1-111 may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than four hundred dollars.

(f) and (f.5) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (HB 11-1198), ch. 127, p. 421, § 18, effective August 10, 2011.)

(g) [Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(g) is effective until January 1, 2027.] A person who violates any provision of article 10.1 or 10.5 of this title 40 not enumerated in subsection (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(e) of this section, any rule promulgated by the commission pursuant to this title 40, or any safety rule adopted by the department of public safety relating to motor carriers as defined in section 40-10.1-101 may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand one hundred dollars; except that any person who violates a safety rule promulgated by the commission is subject to the civil penalties authorized pursuant to 49 CFR 386, subpart G, and associated appendices to part 386, as the subpart existed on January 1, 2017.

(g) [Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(g) is effective January 1, 2027.] A person that violates a provision of article 10.1 or 10.5 of this title 40 not enumerated in subsection (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(b.5), or (1)(e) of this section, a rule adopted by the commission pursuant to this title 40, or a safety rule adopted by the department of public safety relating to motor carriers as defined in section 40-10.1-101 may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand one hundred dollars; except that a person that violates a safety rule adopted by the commission is subject to the civil penalties authorized pursuant to 49 CFR 386, subpart G, and associated appendices to 49 CFR 386, as the subpart existed on January 1, 2017.

(h) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (HB 11-1198), ch. 127, p. 421, § 18, effective August 10, 2011.)

(2) The commission shall set the amount of the civil penalties to be assessed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section in rules.

(3) If a person is assessed a civil penalty for a violation referenced in subsection (1) of this section occurring on a date within twenty-four months after a previous violation, the civil penalty assessed for the second violation may be up to two times the amount specified by rule for the violation.

(4) If a person violates subsection (1) of this section three times within twenty-four months, the person may be assessed a civil penalty up to three times the amount specified by rule for the third violation and for each subsequent violation.

(5) (a) A person who fails to pay in full all civil penalties assessed by commission order under this section, subject to article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., within thirty days after the due date established by the order may have his or her vehicle registration canceled by the department of revenue as specified in section 42-3-120 (4), C.R.S. Registration of a vehicle owned by the person for which the penalty was assessed may be denied until all penalties are paid or collected. Upon written notice from the commission, the department of revenue shall cancel the registration as specified in section 42-3-120 (4), C.R.S.

(b) This subsection (5) applies to all vehicles, regardless of when purchased, on or after August 10, 2011.

Source: L. 89: Entire section added, p. 1540, § 1, effective April 12. L. 93: (1) amended, p. 2069, § 27, effective July 1. L. 95: IP(1) and (1)(f) amended, p. 1209, § 24, effective May 31. L. 96: (1)(g) amended, p. 1549, § 8, effective July 1. L. 98: (1)(f) amended, p. 1058, § 6, effective July 1. L. 2001: (1)(g) amended, p. 1281, § 61, effective June 5. L. 2003: IP(1), (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (1)(d), (1)(f), and (1)(g) amended, p. 1703, § 15, effective May 14; (1)(f.5) added and (1)(g) amended, p. 2380, § 4, effective August 6. L. 2004: IP(1) amended, p. 1211, § 98, effective August 4. L. 2006: IP(1), (1)(e), and (1)(g) amended and (1)(h) added, p. 1096, § 8, effective August 7. L. 2009: (5) added, (HB 09-1230), ch. 232, p. 1067, § 4, effective August 5. L. 2010: (1)(f) amended, (HB 10-1167), ch. 125, p. 415, § 2, effective April 15. L. 2011: Entire section amended, (HB 11-1198), ch. 127, p. 421, § 18, effective August 10. L. 2013: (5)(a) amended, (SB 13-189), ch. 365, p. 2126, § 2, effective June 5. L. 2017: IP(1), (1)(g), (3), and (4) amended, (SB 17-180), ch. 281, p. 1531, § 2, effective August 9. L. 2018: (1)(b) amended, (HB 18-1320), ch. 363, p. 2164, § 3, effective August 8. L. 2026: IP(1) and (1)(g) amended and (1)(b.5) added, (HB 26-1424), ch. 333, p. 1978, § 6, effective January 1, 2027.

Editor's note: (1) Amendments to subsection (1)(g) by Senate Bill 03-225 and House Bill 03-1289 were harmonized.

(2) Section 8(2) of chapter 333 (HB 26-1424), Session Laws of Colorado 2026, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after January 1, 2027.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 26-1424, see section 1 of chapter 333, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.

ANNOTATION

Jurisdiction over interstate carriers. The public utilities commission is not precluded from issuing a civil penalty against a person conducting unauthorized interstate operations merely because the person holds an interstate certificate from the federal motor carrier safety administration (FMCSA) in a case in which the facts are clear and no technical interpretation of the FMCSA certificate is necessary. Trans Shuttle, Inc. v. Pub. Utils. Comm'n, 89 P.3d 398 (Colo. 2004).