Connecticut
Vehicle Resource Center
Connecticut is a major hub for technology and development and is also known for its beautiful natural landscapes. The state is a desirable place to live, which means it's home to a large number of drivers. Connecticut vehicle owners and drivers have strict requirements to meet, and keeping up with all those different requirements can feel overwhelming.
Ownership and Maintenance
Owning a vehicle in Connecticut comes with a set of rules and regular requirements. It's essential to meet those requirements, but not everyone knows what's expected of them. Learn about annual renewals, insurance requirements, and more:
Vehicles in Connecticut are required to pass an emissions test to be registered and to have their registration renewed. Fortunately, having an emissions test done is simple.
Drivers may get an emissions test performed up to 90 days before the old test expires. To get an emissions test, drivers must visit a testing station and pay $20 for the test. The inspector will examine the vehicle and measure its emissions using specialized tools and either pass or fail the vehicle.
Failing vehicles must be retested until they receive a passing score. Once the test is passed, the vehicle owner receives a VIR, or vehicle inspection report, that they can use to renew the vehicle's registration. See answers to common inspection-related questions on the Connecticut Government's FAQ page.
Every vehicle registered in Connecticut must have valid liability insurance coverage on it. This insurance is legally required to pay for any injuries or damages caused during an automobile accident. Without enough insurance, drivers can receive tickets and fines, and they open themselves up to lawsuits in the event of an accident.
How Much Liability Insurance is Enough?
Every vehicle must be insured with the following limits as minimum standards.
If the minimums above are met, vehicle owners can legally drive on the roads in Connecticut. There are still potential risks during an accident though, and having greater coverage levels protects the driver more effectively against potential medical costs and property damages.
For more specific information about liability insurance requirements in Connecticut, see the state's liability insurance overview.
Each year, owners of vehicles registered in Connecticut must go through a renewal process. This process can be completed up to 45 days before the expiration date listed on the renewal notice. Notices are sent to residents annually, but residents are expected to renew their registration even if a notice does not arrive for some reason. The process is simple but requires owners to have a valid emissions inspection, as well as to meet the extra requirements listed below.
If the vehicle meets all the requirements listed above, it can be registered legally within the state. Use the renewal notice to go through the registration process.
Gather What is Needed
When renewing a registration, the following things are needed to go through the process:
With all the information on the list above, it's possible to renew online, in-person, or through the mail. Follow the instructions listed on the government's registration renewal page here for more information.
Drivers may not Renew Online if:
In these cases, drivers must go to a local DMV or to an express DMV location to renew their licenses.
Gather the Essential Information
To complete a renewal online or in person, drivers must have all the proper information. The following data points must all be available to renew:
Visit an Office or Renew Online
Finally, drivers are ready to renew their licenses. If online renewal is available, drivers should use that option to renew in just a few minutes. Drivers can also renew in person at an express location or a DMV hub with an appointment.
Once the license has been renewed, it's valid for at least six years.
Each year, every vehicle owner in Connecticut must have their vehicle's value assessed and pay property taxes for that vehicle to their county. Each vehicle owner must submit a payment to their county for their vehicle. They will receive a receipt from the county showing the taxes were paid, and that receipt can be used to qualify to renew the vehicle's registration.
Get more details about property tax requirements for vehicles in this guide created by the Office of Legislative Research.
Emissions Inspection
Each inspection facility charges a standard $20 for the emissions testing. This fee may be required multiple times if the vehicle fails an initial test.
Registration Renewal
There is a late fee that's assessed to anyone who renews their registration more than 6 days after the registration expiration date.
Driver's License Renewal
Drivers must pay $72 when renewing a 6-year license or $96 when renewing an 8-year license. For more information about driver's license fees, see the Connecticut guide on driver's licenses.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling vehicles in Connecticut, it's essential to file the proper paperwork and take the proper actions to achieve desirable results.
Fill Out the Back of the Original Title
Completely fill in any required sections on the back of the original title of the vehicle to be sold. Sellers should be careful to ensure they aren't leaving anything blank on the title because this can cause problems for the buyer.
Remove the License Plates
Take off the license plates from the vehicle and either hand them to a local DMV office or transfer them to a different vehicle.
Discontinue the Insurance Policy
There is no reason to insure a vehicle that isn't owned any longer. This is why sellers should stop insuring the vehicle once it is sold and passed to the buyer.
Each buyer should focus on going through the steps below to protect themselves and meet the legal requirements for buying a vehicle in Connecticut.
Investigate the Vehicle
Before paying money for a vehicle, buyers must determine whether the vehicle is worth purchasing or not. The best way to do this is to invest in a VIN search report or a license plate report from GoodCar. These services give substantial car history data, including information about previous owners, odometer readings, title brands, open recalls, and in-depth vehicle feature information.
Get a Bill of Sale
Each buyer should provide a Bill of Sale document for the seller to fill out with them. This document proves the vehicle was sold and how much the sale was for. It's essential for titling and registering the vehicle and will determine how much property taxes the buyer owes during the initial registration.
Obtain the Original Title
Ensure the seller provides the vehicle's original title without any liens on it. If there is a lien present, the seller must also provide a lien release to prove they can legally sell the vehicle. Get the seller to fill out any required information on the rear of the title, including an odometer reading and sale price if this information is required.
Take Out an Insurance Policy
Buyers must work with a licensed insurance company to adequately cover the purchased vehicle with at least liability insurance. An insurance policy is necessary to register the vehicle in Connecticut.
Pay Property Taxes
After purchasing a vehicle it's essential to pay their property taxes to the county. Work with the local county to pay any due taxes and present the receipt during the registration process.
Title and Register the Vehicle
Travel to a DMV Hub or Express Office and title and register the vehicle. Provide insurance and tax information, as well as the title and Bill of Sale, to finalize the registration process. The buyer must pay all the fees associated with titling and registering the vehicle as well.
For more information about buying or selling a vehicle in Connecticut, see the Connecticut Government's guide on selling a vehicle.
There are fees that buyers must prepare for after obtaining a vehicle from a seller.
Registration Fees
There is a standard $120 registration fee, as well as a $7 plate fee. Along with those basic fees, there are extra fees such as a $10 administration fee, a $15 greenhouse gas fee, another $15 fee for the Clean Air Act, and a $15 fee for the Passport to the Parks program. These fees combine to approximately $182 in fees that must be paid at the time of registration.
Taxes
Taxes are assessed by the county the vehicle is to be registered in. The taxes are 6.35% of the vehicle's purchase price.
Titling
Title fees are approximately $25 in the state of Connecticut.
For information about additional fees used by the Connecticut DMV, see the state's DMV fees page.
Laws and Regulations
Connecticut requires all of its drivers to meet specific legal requirements. Knowing the laws that govern Connecticut roadways is an excellent way to avoid trouble and drive more effectively. Many drivers don't know these laws, but they would benefit by understanding them well.
According to Connecticut's seat belt laws, everyone in a vehicle must be buckled regardless of their age or where they are sitting.
Car Seat Regulations
Along with having strict seat belt laws, the state also has specific car seat regulations for children under the age of 9.
Children are expected to be in either a car seat or a booster seat based on specific guidelines.
Car Seat Guidelines:
Learn more about the state's belt laws and car seat regulations here.
Many Connecticut vehicle owners tint their windows to keep the interior cool and enhance privacy. Connecticut does not allow all tints to be used on its vehicles. Owners within the state must understand how the tint laws work to avoid fines or an order to remove the tint.
What Tint is Allowed?
Drivers on the roads in Connecticut must follow all the DUI (driving under the influence) rules. This means that adults over 21 years old must not have a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of more than 0.08 in their system when taking a breathalyzer.
Minors under the age of 21 must not have a BAC of more than 0.02 in their system when taking a breathalyzer for Connecticut law enforcement.
Anyone found disobeying these laws can face very stiff penalties. A license suspension and fine are standard punishments for a DUI, but some individuals may also face jail sentences after being charged with a DUI in the state.
To get more information about specific DUI laws and punishments, see the Connecticut DUI Information Page.
Any car buyer who purchases a vehicle with fewer than 24,000 miles and with less than two years of ownership since it was delivered to the original owner is protected by the state's Lemon law. This law states that new vehicles must not have serious safety defects or issues that hurt their resale value significantly. If the vehicles suffer from qualifying defects that are covered under the manufacturer's warranty, the manufacturer is expected to repair the vehicle adequately.
If the manufacturer is notified of the defect and unsuccessfully repairs the vehicle four separate times, the vehicle is a lemon. The manufacturer then must refund the cost of the vehicle or replace it.
Get more details about the Connecticut Lemon Law using this state guide page.
Useful Things to Know
Being a Connecticut driver and vehicle owner requires having extensive knowledge of state regulations and laws. Things do not have to be overwhelming, however. The information above, along with the resources below, should help most vehicle owners meet their obligations and be successful in their endeavors.
Locate the Nearest Connecticut DMV
Many tasks related to driving and owning a vehicle in Connecticut must be completed in person at a DMV location. This simple table helps with finding the nearest DMV location: Connecticut DMV Locations
Express DMV Offices
For most registration and license renewals, as well as other simple matters, it's possible to get help quickly at an Express DMV office. Office locations are available at the link below: Connecticut Express DMV Offices
EV Charging Station Locations
Any EV (electric vehicle) owners in the state of Connecticut need to know how to locate functional charging stations in the area. Drivers can use this station locator to find the most convenient station locations: Connecticut EV Charging Station Locator
Connecticut Car Crash Trends
Connecticut is one of the safest states to drive in according to data collected by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). In 2021, Connecticut suffered from approximately 1.03 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, an excellent figure compared to the country's average of 1.37. During that same year, 298 deaths occurred in 283 accidents. Drivers can get a complete picture of what's happening in the accidents with Connecticut car crash statistics on GoodCar.
See the Connecticut DMV Fees
Quickly see all the different fees charged by the Connecticut DMV for simple reference: Connecticut DMV Fees Chart
Get the Latest Connecticut Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Connecticut vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN Check and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.