How To Register a Car In Connecticut
Your vehicle must pass a Connecticut inspection in order for you to register it from out of state. You’ll also need to submit various forms and pay fees.
Written by Mary Cahill
Reviewed by Amy Bobinger
If you need to register a vehicle in
Connecticut
, you’ll have to make an appointment. New residents will have 90 days to register an out-of-state vehicle—which requires passing an inspection. In Connecticut, you are required to renew your registration every two years. If you’re registering a car in Connecticut for the first time, you’ll need to complete a series of steps and pay the applicable fees before the DMV issues you Connecticut license plates. After that, you’ll be able to conveniently renew your registration online.
Whether you’ve just moved to the Constitution State or are a resident registering a newly purchased car,
Jerry
is here to guide you through what’s needed to successfully complete your vehicle registration.Make auto loan refinancing easy with PriceProtect™
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversHow to register a car in Connecticut
Before you rush to make an appointment at a Connecticut DMV office to register your car, make sure there are no compliance issues that might prevent you from completing the registration. For example, if you have outstanding parking tickets or unpaid taxes, you won’t be able to register your car.
To ensure that you’ll be able to go through with your vehicle registration you can check for compliance issues via
Connecticut’s DMV website
. As long as you’re in the clear, you can proceed with registering your car in Connecticut. The next steps include having your car inspected, submitting the necessary paperwork, paying the applicable fees, and purchasing insurance for your vehicle.
If you just moved to Connecticut
New Connecticut residents are granted 90 days to complete the registration process for any vehicle they intend to drive in-state. Before you’re able to register your vehicle in Connecticut, you must complete a
car inspection
. The type of inspection your car undergoes will depend on the age of your vehicle. Cars that are four years old or more are required to undergo and pass a
Connecticut emissions test
. The cost of this test is $20, and you can find easily find a testing site in your area on the CT Emissions Program website. If your vehicle is less than four years old, you are not required to go through emissions testing. Instead, you must get what’s known as a VIN verification.
Similar to an emissions test, VIN verification will ensure that your vehicle meets state regulations, and it’s necessary if you want to register an out-of-state vehicle in Connecticut. It costs $10 to have your vehicle’s VIN verified.
Once your vehicle passes inspection, you’ll receive a form verifying that the inspection is complete. You will be asked to present this document at the DMV when you register your car.
In addition to verifying that you’ve passed inspection, you’ll need to bring the following documentation to the DMV on the day of your registration appointment:
- OriginalCertificate of title
- Proof of identity
- Proof of Connecticut residency (such as a lease agreement or utility bill)
- Bill of Sale for your vehicle
- $120 registration fee
- $25 title transfer fee
If you just bought a car
In order to register a newly purchased car in Connecticut, you’ll still be required to submit all of the documents listed above to the DMV—even if you’re not a new resident. Additionally, you’ll also need to complete a Connecticut title transfer to legally take ownership of the car, which includes paying the $25 fee.
Once you’ve provided all of these verifications, you’ll be issued a pair of
Connecticut license plates
and your registration certificate will be mailed to you. How much insurance coverage do you need in Connecticut?
If you’ve just moved to Connecticut from another state, you’re also going to need to update your car insurance. The legally required minimums for car insurance are a little different in each state and you must make sure your policy complies with Connecticut’s traffic law.
The least amount of insurance you can carry in Connecticut is
liability coverage
. Here’s a closer look at what the lowest legal limits of a Connecticut liability policy will cover:- $50,000 of bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 of bodily injury per person for uninsured/underinsured motorists
- $50,000 of bodily injury per accident for uninsured/underinsured motorists
Again, these are the minimum limits for liability insurance in Connecticut. You and your vehicle will be better protected if you up your coverage to include
collision
and comprehensive coverage
—these two policies combined are often referred to as full coverage. Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
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How to renew your Connecticut vehicle registration
Ok, the hard part’s over—now what? Remember that hefty $120 registration fee you paid to the Connecticut DMV? That’ll hold you over for a period of three years, but after that, you’ll need to renew your vehicle’s registration in Connecticut every two years.
Connecticut no longer requires drivers to display a registration sticker on their windshield. Instead, you should receive a notice in the mail roughly 45 days prior to your current registration expiring as a reminder that you’re due for a registration renewal.
There is a 30-day grace period applied to your registration renewal, but failure to take action after that will result in you having to pay a late fee. Luckily,
renewing your registration can be done online
, so it’s much quicker and easier than the initial, in-person process you went through the first time. When you’re up for renewal, make sure that there isn’t anything preventing you from completing this process—just like the first time. Unpaid taxes, parking tickets, or overdue emissions testing must be taken care of beforehand.
If your registration has been expired for two years or more, you’ll be required to completely start the process over, by filling out the H13B form and making a registration appointment at a participating DMV location.
How to replace a lost license plate
Lost or stolen license plates are an unfortunate occurrence—but it does happen. If you observe that one or both Connecticut license plates are missing from your car, notify the police. A local officer will create a police report.
Make an appointment
with the DMV to obtain replacement plates. Be sure to complete the Lost or stolen parker plate notice (form E-159
) and bring it with you to the appointment. If you also provide a copy of the police report, replacing the plates will cost $5. Without a police report, you’ll be charged $25 to replace the plates.
How to save on auto insurance in Connecticut
Registering your car in Connecticut isn’t just important—it’s the law. Once you’ve gotten all your registration responsibilities squared away, why not take a couple minutes to find the best-priced
car insurance
available? It’s free to download the
Jerry
app, which grants you access to the cheapest quotes from over 55 top-rated insurers that partner with Jerry. In less than a minute, you’ll be scrolling through a personalized selection of hot insurance deals—all you need to do is choose one! Jerry is a
trustworthy insurance comparison app
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FAQs
What are the requirements to register a vehicle in Connecticut?
You need to pass a vehicle inspection, purchase car insurance, and submit DMV form H13B as well as proof of your identity and proof of your ownership of the vehicle you want to register. There are also taxes and fees you’ll need to pay.
How much does it take to register a car in Connecticut?
There is a $120 registration fee in Connecticut while emissions testing costs $20. Other fees associated with registering your car in Connecticut can total up to around $60.
Who is exempt from registering their vehicle in Connecticut?
If you are on active military duty in Connecticut but actually live out of state, you won’t be required to register your vehicle in Connecticut.
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