Optional $29 vehicle fee raises $39.7M, exceeds goal for Colorado Parks and Wildlife

(The Center Square) – Coloradans contributed $39.7 million to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife in the first year of a vehicle registration program.

More than 1.5 million Coloradans purchased a $29 “Keep Colorado Wild Pass” when they registered a car, motorcycle, recreational vehicle or light truck through the Division of Motor Vehicles. The fee is included in the registration unless the resident chooses to opt out. If a resident purchases a pass, the Department of Motor Vehicles prints a Colorado Parks and Wildlife logo on the vehicle registration card. Colorado Parks and Wildlife operates within the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

Special discounts and free park passes also are available for Colorado residents who are income eligible, veterans or Purple Heart recipients, disabled first responders and those with disabilities.

The pass allows residents to save 60% on a traditional pass to state parks, which costs $80, for entry by car, bike and foot.

Residents age 64 and older can receive a $3 discount per night when camping at primitive, basic, electric and full hookup sites on Sunday through Thursday and excluding holidays.

The pass doesn’t provide any discount or pay any fees to gain access federal recreation areas, state wildlife areas or state trust lands. The pass doesn’t provide any discount for camping, fishing and hunting activity fees.

The contributed amount exceeded the Colorado Parks and Wildlife goal of raising at least $36 million annually from the pass program. The first $32.5 million will pay for park maintenance and development. Approximately $2.5 million will provide funding for search and rescue teams. Colorado Backcountry Search and Rescue organizations annually average more than 3,600 searches and rescues. A 2022 study found volunteers responding to searches and rescues annually spend an average of $1,587 on equipment, fuel and other out-of-pocket expenses.

Approximately $1 million will go to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, which provides avalanche safety information to the public.

“This is a substantial increase in revenue for our agency compared to previous years, which means our state parks, wildlife, search and rescue volunteers, and avalanche forecasters will get a boost in funding in the coming year too,” Justin Rutter, Colorado Parks and Wildlife chief financial officer, said in a statement.

The optional fee was created through Senate Bill 21-249 , a 16-page bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in 2021. The bill’s fiscal note stated this was the first and only optional fee and estimated between 75% and 85% of individuals would opt-out of the fee. Approximately 5.4 million vehicles were subject to the fee, according to the fiscal note. It also stated the average collected fee is $725 in specific ownership tax and $570 in other fees and surcharges.

Critics say the opt-out system would be considered deceptive if practiced by a commercial enterprise with most taxpayers not knowing they are being charged an optional fee.