Connecticut offers three kinds of temporary plates, and which one you can get depends on how you bought the vehicle and whether you already hold a Connecticut registration. The standard option is a 10-day temporary registration issued at a DMV office for $21 on a passenger vehicle.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration A licensed Connecticut dealer can issue a 60-day transfer if you already have a current registration on another vehicle, and out-of-state buyers can get a 30-day in-transit plate to drive the car home.
The Three Types and Who Each One Is For
10-Day DMV Temporary Registration
This is the default for most buyers. You get it at a DMV office, and it covers passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, combinations, campers, camp trailers, and motorcycles.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration It is valid for 10 days from the date of issue. If you need more time, you can go back and pay for another 10-day period. There is no automatic renewal.
Fees run per 10-day period:
- Passenger vehicles: $21.
- Commercial vehicles with a GVWR of 6,000 lbs or less: $27.
- Commercial vehicles over 6,000 lbs GVWR: $49.
- Inspection-only temporary registration: $49.2Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Commercial Registration
60-Day Dealer Temporary Transfer
If you buy from a licensed Connecticut dealer and you already hold a current Connecticut registration on another vehicle, the dealer can issue a 60-day transfer. You surrender your existing registration certificate, the dealer transfers that registration to the new car, and the dealer has 10 days to submit your permanent registration application to the DMV.3Justia. Connecticut Code 14-61 – Issuance of Temporary Transfer of Registration by Dealer You have to be at least 18. This path is not available if you are buying your first Connecticut vehicle or do not already have a registration to surrender.
Some vehicles can’t be moved on a 60-day transfer without extra inspection: a used car never previously registered in Connecticut, any vehicle 10 or more model years old, and anything an insurer has declared a total loss.3Justia. Connecticut Code 14-61 – Issuance of Temporary Transfer of Registration by Dealer
30-Day In-Transit Registration
If you live out of state and bought a vehicle in Connecticut to drive home and register where you live, this is your plate. It is valid for 30 calendar days, cannot be renewed, cannot be transferred, and cannot be used for a Connecticut DMV vehicle inspection.4Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration for In-Transit Vehicles It works for vehicles bought from either a dealer or a private seller, trailers included.
What to Bring to the DMV
You need an appointment. Walk-ins are not accepted for this transaction. What you bring depends on whether the vehicle is already registered in your name.
If it is not yet registered to you, bring the previous owner’s title with the ownership assignment, a bill of sale (DMV Form H-31), a registration and title application (Form H-13B), your Connecticut Insurance Identification Card, and a valid ID.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration If the vehicle is already registered in your name, bring the insurance card and your ID.
Insurance Has to Be in Place First
No Connecticut temporary plate will issue without proof of insurance. You present your Connecticut Insurance Identification Card at the counter.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration State minimum liability coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.5Justia. Connecticut Code 14-112 – Proof of Financial Responsibility
Coverage has to stay in force the whole time you’re driving on a temp plate. A lapse carries the same penalties as any other uninsured-driver offense: a fine between $100 and $1,000 for a first offense, a one-month suspension of both your registration and your driver’s license, and a $175 restoration fee. Subsequent convictions push the suspension to six months. An officer who finds an uninsured vehicle with a suspended registration can impound it on the spot, and anything held more than 45 days can be forfeited to the state.
Rules While You’re Driving on the Plate
A temporary registration covers one specific vehicle. Moving the plate to another car is an infraction under state law.6Justia. Connecticut Code 14-147 – Improper Use of Number Plate, Marker, Registration or License The plate or paper marker has to be displayed so law enforcement and automated systems can read it.
Toll cameras read temporary plates. When automated systems can’t resolve the tag, a human reviewer reads the image. Because the plate ties back to your information on file with the DMV or the dealer, unpaid tolls catch up with you.
If the Plate Expires or Gets Misused
An expired temporary plate is treated the same as any unregistered vehicle. Driving, parking, or letting someone else drive it is an infraction. If the registration lapsed within the prior 30 days, you’ll be fined for failure to renew, but your driver’s license is not affected. A Connecticut resident caught driving on out-of-state plates faces a $250 fine, which can be suspended for a first-time violator who later shows proof of proper registration.7Justia. Connecticut Code 14-12 – Motor Vehicle Registration
Using a plate on the wrong vehicle, or using someone else’s plate, is also an infraction. These are not criminal charges, but they carry fines and create a record.6Justia. Connecticut Code 14-147 – Improper Use of Number Plate, Marker, Registration or License Counterfeiting a plate, altering registration documents, or passing a fake marker to someone else is a class D misdemeanor. A registration obtained through a material false statement is void from the date of issue, and refusing to turn in the voided plate when the DMV demands it can cost up to $200.7Justia. Connecticut Code 14-12 – Motor Vehicle Registration
Budget for Sales Tax Before You Come Back for Permanent Plates
The temp plate fee is a small piece of what you’ll owe. Connecticut charges 6.35% sales tax on vehicle purchases, rising to 7.75% for passenger and combination vehicles priced above $50,000.8Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Use the DMV’s Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator Vessels and vessel trailers are taxed at 2.99%. The tax is collected when you apply for your permanent registration, so plan for it during the temporary window rather than being surprised at the counter.