To obtain a rebuilt title in Connecticut, you’ll need to repair the vehicle, submit all the essential documents to the DMV, and pass a salvage inspection. The cost of the inspection is $88.
Totaling a car, for most people, is the end of the road as far as their car is concerned. All that’s left is to have it written off, let it be towed away to a scrap yard where it’s salvaged for parts, and then finally crushed into a cube to be recycled. But for some people, a totaled car can be an opportunity.
If you’ve got the skills, the connections, or both, you can rebuild a totaled car to working order, and drive or sell it legally once again. But that’s contingent upon you getting the car a rebuilt title to finish the job.
But if you’re not familiar with rebuilt titles, or how to legally obtain one in the state of Connecticut, you’ve got Jerry
here to help. We’ve compiled the following guide to applying for and obtaining a rebuilt title in the Constitution State. 
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers What is a rebuilt title?
A rebuilt title certifies that a car that was previously considered a total loss by its insurance company has been successfully restored to drivable condition. You’ll have to demonstrate to Connecticut’s DMV that you’ve met all of the terms and conditions required to obtain a rebuilt title.
Does my car need a rebuilt title?
If a car that has been declared totaled has not yet been deemed safe to drive on the road by a salvage inspection in Connecticut, it cannot be driven, regardless of its condition. In addition, it cannot be rebuilt by another party, because the original insurance declaration in the owner’s name is a required document in the salvage inspection process.
Without a rebuilt title, your car is only usable for scrap.
MORE: Selling a car in Connecticut
How to get a rebuilt title in Connecticut
Getting a rebuilt title takes almost as much effort as rebuilding the car itself, although Connecticut’s process is a little shorter than you might find in other states. So we’ve compiled the following guide to obtaining a rebuilt title, to help things along.
The salvage title
You do not need to apply for a salvage title in Connecticut. Your insurance company will have already notified the DMV that the car has been totaled. The registration on the car, therefore, is automatically canceled, and you’ll have to have it retitled before you can register it again.
Make the necessary repairs to your vehicle
Before you begin repairs, make sure you have a camera available. You’ll be documenting the repair process as you go, so keep it handy.
You’ll need pictures of damaged areas and any parts or panels that were installed or repaired before you do any seam sealing, rust-proofing, corrosion-proofing, or welding.
You’ll also need photographs of the car from each vehicle corner.
Keep all receipts, invoices, and records of major components purchased and used in the rebuild. These will be required when you apply for the rebuilt title.
MORE: Car loan in Connecticut 2023
Essential documents for a rebuilt Connecticut title
Once the rebuild is complete, the next major step is to have it inspected for road-worthiness.
The first stop in this part of the process is to head to your local DMV to purchase a Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186). This form must be purchased before you take the car to a salvage inspection site.
If your car is equipped with airbags, you will also need an Air Bag Certification Statement (form B-303).
At the present time, salvage inspections are only being performed in Wethersfield. No appointment is needed, but inspections are only performed between the hours of 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Monday through Friday. Customers must show up before 11:00 am at the latest.
Make sure you’ve brought the following documents to the salvage inspection:
Receipts, invoices, and records of major components purchased and used.
If any parts were purchased used, the VIN of the car they were pulled from must be on the receipt.
A copy of the original insurance appraisal that designated the vehicle a salvage (should have the word SALVAGE stamped on it).
The photographs taken of the repaired areas of the vehicle.
The Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186).
The Air Bag Certification Statement (form B-303) if needed.
The inspection fee is $88, which can be prepaid at the DMV.
If your car does not pass inspection, you may no longer drive it. It will be transported away on a flatbed trailer.
If it does pass the inspection, you’ve completed the journey! All that’s left now is to apply for a new title.
How long does a rebuilt title take in Connecticut?
The amount of time the whole process can take varies. It depends on how quickly you finish repairs and how expedient the salvage inspection is. Because there is now only one inspection site in Connecticut, wait times may be longer.
MORE: Connecticut car insurance laws
Finding cheap car insurance in Connecticut
Now that the hard part is over, it’s time to find car insurance
. But unlike rebuilding and retitling your car, if you’ve got Jerry
, shopping for car insurance is the easy part! Jerry’s the fully-licensed brokerage app that gets you tailored quotes from dozens of great insurance companies in minutes. All you have to do is tell Jerry a bit about yourself and let it handle the rest! All you have to do is pick the policy that’s right for you.
And not only does Jerry help finalize your paperwork, and even cancel your old policy if needed, the average Jerry user saves about $887 a year on their auto insurance. So in just minutes, you’ll be joining the thousands of drivers who’ve saved big by switching with Jerry!
“Jerry
makes choosing new insurance as easy as grocery shopping. Even though I had a car accident within the past 2 years, Jerry found me a great deal with Nationwide–I went from paying $340 to $90 a month!”—Pan N.
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