Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle

If you or a family member have been charged with the Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, you are going to need assistance from a skilled and confident attorney right away. The penalties for this charge can include up to a year in jail if charged as a misdemeanor, or up to three years in prison if charged as a felony. The sooner you obtain legal representation, the easier it will be to navigate the criminal justice system.

Call the Law offices of Jason R. Gardner today at (303) 552-1720 to setup a free consultation appointment, fill out the Contact Form on this page, or click on the button below to schedule a consultation.

What IS THE Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle?

  • Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle is when a person either takes or keeps a vehicle they know they should not have taken or should have returned to the rightful owner, and the owner does not know or has not given then authorization to take or continue to use the vehicle.

    • Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to 1 year in jail, and a fine of up to $1,000.

    • If this is the second time a person was caught in the Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, the charge will be a Class 5 Felony, which carries a penalty of up to 3 years in the Department of Corrections, and a fine of up to $100,000.

C.R.S. 18-4-409.5 - Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle

(1) A person commits unauthorized use of a motor vehicle if the person obtains or exercises control over the motor vehicle of another person without authorization of the owner and:

(a) The person does not commit a criminal offense other than a misdemeanor traffic offense except eluding a police officer as described in section 42-4-1413 in the course of obtaining control over or in the exercise of control of a motor vehicle; and

(b) The motor vehicle is returned to the owner or recovered by law enforcement within twenty-four hours after being reported as missing or stolen by the owner, with no damage to the motor vehicle.

(2) Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle is a class 1 misdemeanor; except that a second or subsequent offense for a violation of this section is a class 5 felony.

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