Moving to Reno from Colorado

Colorado is one of the few states where the flow into Nevada clearly outweighs the flow back. Denver is about a mile high and Reno about 4,500 feet, so the altitude change is smaller than for most arrivals, while the distance is large. This page covers Colorado's rules, the tax difference and how the shipment travels.

Colorado's windows: 30 days for the license, 90 for the car

Colorado's Division of Motor Vehicles tells people who move into the state to transfer a driver's license within 30 days and to title and register a vehicle within 90 days of establishing residency. Residency there begins at the earliest of owning a Colorado business, taking Colorado employment or living there 90 consecutive days. Those windows apply to arrivals, but they show how long Colorado considers you its resident, which matters on your last tax return.

Before you leave, keep your Colorado registration and insurance current until your Nevada registration is issued. Ask a tax professional whether a part-year Colorado return fits your dates.

A 4.4 percent flat tax against no state income tax

Colorado's individual income tax is a flat 4.4 percent according to the Colorado Department of Revenue's 2025 return booklet, and the state sales tax base rate is 2.9 percent, with cities and counties adding their own. Nevada has no state personal income tax. The Census puts Colorado's median household income at 95,470 dollars, so a household near the median would see a meaningful change in take-home pay.

Colorado is also expensive for housing: the Census median home value is 539,400 dollars and median gross rent 1,761 dollars. Compare those with Reno on our cost of living page before deciding how much house to buy.

Over the Rockies, across the Great Basin

The Denver to Reno drive is about 1,036 road miles, and the Colorado Springs drive is about 1,102. A household shipment that size is a true long-distance move, priced by weight and carried through the Bekins network, not a one-day local job. Plan for your own car trip separately, and carry what you cannot replace: medicines, passports, the deed or lease, and a few days of clothing.

Bikes, skis and other sports gear are bulky. Mention them at the in-home estimate so the inventory lists them, and read the moving inventory form guide to see how high-value items are recorded.

How a Colorado to Reno move works with O'Brien's

The move is booked with O'Brien's. From there we coordinate it from your Colorado home through the Bekins Van Lines network, and our Sparks crews handle delivery, unpacking and storage. The free in-home estimate includes 10 free heavy-duty boxes, and your written estimate sets the delivery window.

Route pages cover the common starting points: Denver and Colorado Springs. Each shows the drive and the figures on both ends.

Nevada in one short block

Nevada gives new residents 30 days for both vehicle registration and a driver's license, and collects no state personal income tax. The details sit in our moving to Reno guide, with separate pages for Nevada taxes and the new-resident checklist.