How to Fill Out Connecticut Form H-13B: Sections, Fees, and Filing

Connecticut Form H-13B is the Registration and Title Application you file with the DMV to put a vehicle in your name and get plates for it. You fill out the sections that apply to your transaction, sign it, and submit it in person at any DMV hub or branch office along with proof of ownership, insurance, identification, an emissions or VIN check, a Bill of Sale, and payment for the fees and sales tax. The form covers cars, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, buses, and most other vehicle types registered in the state.

What To Bring With the Form

The DMV will not process the H-13B without the supporting documents, so gather these before your appointment:

Proof of ownership. For vehicles newer than 20 model years, that means the title signed over by the previous owner. For vehicles 20 or more model years old, the previous owner’s registration is accepted instead.¹
Bill of Sale (Form H-31) showing the price, date, and parties.
A Connecticut Insurance Identification Card from your insurer. Continuous liability coverage is required on any registered vehicle.²
Photo ID (driver’s license, non-driver ID, or U.S. passport) for each person listed as an owner.¹
A passing emissions test for vehicles four or more model years old. Vehicles exempt from emissions (full electrics, motorcycles, and model year 2001 or older) need a VIN verification instead.³

A few vehicle types require extra paperwork. Farm vehicles need a completed farm registration certificate (Form E-110) and a current farmer’s tax exemption permit. School buses and student transportation vehicles need a certified brake inspection report (Form R-380) dated within three months or 3,000 miles. Taxis need an approved intrastate livery permit from the Department of Transportation.¹

Before you start writing, the form itself tells you to check the DMV website for any outstanding compliance issues on the vehicle.⁴ Use black or blue pen. Only fill in the sections that apply to your transaction.

Filling Out the Sections

Section 1: Owner Information

Enter the owner’s full legal name (last, first, middle initial) exactly as it appears on your ID. If two people will own the vehicle, complete the co-owner line and pick a co-ownership type. “Common/And” requires both owners to sign for future transfers; “Joint/Or” lets either owner act alone. Add mailing address, birthdate, and driver’s license or non-driver ID number with the issuing state.

The form asks whether your resident address is where the vehicle most frequently leaves from, returns to, or stays. That answer determines which town bills you for property tax. If your resident address is different from your mailing address, list both.

Section 2: Vehicle Information

Copy the VIN exactly as it appears on the dashboard plate or the driver-side door jamb. Enter color (up to two), make, model, year, fuel type, body style, and whether the vehicle is new or used. Record the current odometer reading in miles. The form also asks for cylinders or cubic centimeters, empty weight, and number of wheels.⁴

Buses, trucks, and commercial vehicles have more fields here: seat capacity, standees, axles, manufacturer’s GVWR, and declared gross weight. You also indicate whether the vehicle carries hazardous materials, operates in interstate commerce, or transports a vessel. Trailers must have rear lights, and brakes are required if the GVWR is 3,000 pounds or more.

Get the odometer figure right. Federal odometer disclosure applies to every ownership transfer until a vehicle reaches 20 years of age, and for model year 2011 and newer vehicles that disclosure duty runs for a full two decades.⁵ A wrong number will flag a discrepancy the next time the vehicle is transferred.

Section 3: Seller’s Information

Enter the seller’s full name and address, the sale date, and the selling price. That price is what Connecticut uses to calculate your sales tax, so it needs to match what appears on your Bill of Sale (Form H-31).

Sections 4 and 5: Tax Exemption and Leased Vehicles

Most buyers leave Section 4 blank. If you qualify for a sales tax exemption, the codes are listed on the back of the form; enter the matching code number with supporting information. Section 5 applies only to leased vehicles, where the lessee’s name, address, and license number go.

Section 6: Lien Information

If you financed the vehicle, enter the lienholder’s name, address, and the date of the lien. A second lienholder line is available. Adding a lien costs an extra $10 on top of the title fee.⁶

Section 7: Owner Signatures

Owner and co-owner (if any) sign and date. The signature has legal weight; the form warns that providing false information to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles is punishable under Connecticut General Statutes Sections 14-110 and 53a-157b.⁴

Section 8: Dealer Transactions

Section 8 is for licensed dealers selling vehicles other than standard passenger cars. The dealer enters their Connecticut dealer license number, sales tax permit number, total sales price, trade-in allowance, net sales price, and state tax collected. Leave this section blank if you are buying from a private party.

Fees You Will Owe

Connecticut charges several separate fees at registration. For a standard passenger car or SUV, expect at least:

Registration fee of $120 for a regular passenger vehicle. Motorcycles are $63 and trailers start at $28.50. Commercial vehicle fees depend on gross weight and can run from $47 to over $1,500.⁶
$25 title fee.
$10 administrative fee.
Plate fee of $5 for standard plates or $7 for classic plates.
$10 lien fee if the vehicle is financed.
Passport to the Parks fee of $24 as of July 1, 2025.
Clean Air Act and Greenhouse Gas fees that vary by vehicle type ($5, $10, or $15 each).⁶

Make checks payable to “DMV.” Your check needs to cover all DMV fees plus the sales tax on the purchase.⁴

Sales Tax

Connecticut collects sales tax at registration. The standard rate is 6.35 percent of the selling price. For a passenger or combination vehicle with a total cost above $50,000, the rate is 7.75 percent. Vessels and trailers that transport vessels are taxed at 2.99 percent.⁷

Where To Submit

Bring the completed H-13B, your supporting documents, and payment in person to any Connecticut DMV hub or branch office. Schedule an appointment first; walk-ins are not guaranteed service. The DMV’s main office is at 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161, but any hub or branch can process the application.⁸

Individual buyers have to appear in person. Only out-of-state dealers that are not licensed in Connecticut can mail the H-13B and supporting documents to the DMV’s Vehicle and Business Regulation office.⁷

Not the Same as Form H-6B

These two forms get mixed up constantly. The H-13B is for registering and titling a vehicle in your name. Form H-6B is the Application for Replacement Certificate of Title, used only when an existing title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed and you need a duplicate.⁹ If you are selling a vehicle and cannot find the title, the H-6B is the form you need, not the H-13B.

What Happens After You Submit

At the counter, you receive your registration certificate and plates on the spot once the transaction clears. The title comes later. Connecticut issues titles roughly 30 days from the registration date.¹⁰ If there is a lienholder, the title is sent directly to the lender until the loan is paid off.

Keep the registration certificate in the vehicle. Maintain continuous insurance, since a lapse can trigger registration suspension. If your address changes, update it with the DMV promptly; the address on your H-13B determines which town assesses property tax on your vehicle.

1
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Register a New Vehicle or Boat
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Proof of Ownership Requirements for Vehicles
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State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Connecticut Registration and Title Application
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV Fees
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Use the DMV’s Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Contact the DMV
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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Replace Your Title
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CT.gov. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles – Vehicle Title Service