To register a car in CT, you need proof of ownership, Connecticut insurance meeting the state minimums, valid ID, two documents proving your Connecticut address, and a completed Form H-13B, all brought to a DMV hub, DMV branch, or participating AAA office by appointment. Fees run about $200 or more before sales tax. New residents have 90 days from establishing residency to get it done.1https://portal.ct.gov/dmv
How Long You Have
If you’ve just moved to Connecticut, you can drive on your out-of-state registration for up to 90 days after establishing residency. After that, operating or even parking an unregistered vehicle on a public road is an infraction. A Connecticut resident caught with out-of-state plates faces a $250 fine, though a first-time violator can have it suspended by showing proof of registration before it’s imposed. A registration that lapsed within the past 30 days carries a lesser infraction penalty. Once it has been expired longer than one full renewal cycle, online renewal is off the table.
Documents You’ll Need
Get this paperwork together before your appointment:
- Proof of ownership. For vehicles less than 20 model years old, that’s the original title assigned to you. For a brand-new car from a dealer, it’s the manufacturer’s certificate of origin assigned from the dealership to you. Vehicles 20 or more model years old don’t require a title; the previous owner’s registration is used instead.
- Bill of sale on Form H-31 if you bought from a private party, along with the seller’s assigned title.
- The Connecticut Registration and Title Application, Form H-13B, filled out in advance.
- Proof of Connecticut insurance: an insurance ID card or declarations page showing coverage that meets the state minimums.
- Proof of identity: a Connecticut driver’s license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID.
- Two proofs of residency from two different sources, each showing your name and Connecticut address, each dated within 90 days. Utility bills, bank statements, and lease agreements qualify. Both must be computer-generated originals.
- Lienholder name and address if the vehicle is financed. A $10 lien fee applies, and the title will be mailed to the lender until the loan is paid off.
Insurance Minimums
Connecticut requires liability coverage in place before you can register. The minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 per accident for property damage. The state also mandates uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at those same limits, which not every state requires. If coverage lapses for more than 14 days after your car is registered, the DMV imposes a $200 fine and can suspend the registration until you prove coverage has been restored.
Inspections That Have to Happen First
Depending on the vehicle, you may need to complete an emissions test, a VIN verification, or a salvage safety inspection before the DMV will process a registration.
Emissions
Gasoline vehicles from model year 1996 and newer must pass an OBDII emissions inspection. Diesel light-duty vehicles are tested with either an OBDII scan or an opacity test, depending on model year. Testing runs every two years at more than 200 privately owned automotive service facilities, not at the DMV. A passing report is required at registration.
Vehicles four model years old or newer are exempt from tailpipe testing, but you’ll pay a $40 emissions exemption fee at registration. Miss your emissions deadline by more than 30 days and a $20 late fee gets added to your next registration transaction.
VIN Verification
If you’re bringing a vehicle in from another state, you need a VIN verification completed by an out-of-state law enforcement agency on the DMV’s verification form. The completed form goes to the DMV’s Emissions Division in Wethersfield.
Salvage Vehicles
A vehicle that was totaled and rebuilt must pass a specialized safety inspection before it can be registered. You can’t drive a salvage vehicle to the DMV; it has to arrive on a flatbed with no wheels touching the ground. Bring the completed Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (Form K-186), the original insurance appraisal that triggered the salvage designation, receipts for major replacement parts, and clear photos of the damage before repair, the new parts installed before painting, and the finished work.
What It Costs
The base registration fee for a passenger car, SUV, or van is $120, but several mandatory surcharges push the real total higher:
- Registration fee: $120 (regular passenger) or $132 (combination passenger/commercial use)
- Title fee: $25
- Plate fee: $5
- Administrative fee: $10
- Clean Air Act fee: $15
- Passport to the Parks fee: $24 (increased from $15 effective July 1, 2025), which grants free entry to Connecticut state parks and beaches for the vehicle’s registered plate holders
- Greenhouse gas fee: $15, only for new vehicles with a certificate of origin
- Emissions exemption fee: $40, if the vehicle is four model years old or newer
- Lien fee: $10, if the vehicle is financed
A used car with no lien that isn’t brand-new or within the four-year emissions exemption window runs roughly $199 before sales tax. A financed new vehicle can hit $274 or more in fees alone. The DMV accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, plus debit cards bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo. Cash and checks are also accepted at DMV offices.
Sales Tax
Sales tax is collected at registration. Vehicles sold for $50,000 or less are taxed at 6.35%. Vehicles sold for more than $50,000 are taxed at 7.75% on the full amount.
For private-party purchases, the DMV bases the tax on either the NADA average trade-in value or the price on your bill of sale, whichever is higher. If you bought from a licensed dealership, the tax is based on the actual purchase price, and you get full credit for any trade-in.
Family Transfers and Gifts
No sales tax is due when a vehicle is transferred between immediate family: parent, sibling, child, or spouse. The vehicle must have been registered in the transferring family member’s name for at least 60 days, and Section 5 of Form H-13B must be completed to claim the exemption. Vehicles received as outright gifts are also exempt, but need a completed Motor Vehicle or Vessel Gift Declaration (Form AU-463) signed by the donor. In either case, the vehicle can’t be transferred if it has delinquent property taxes or outstanding parking tickets in any Connecticut municipality.
Where to Go
An initial registration can only be handled at a DMV hub office, a DMV branch office, or a participating AAA location. Hub offices handle every transaction type. Branch offices are more limited, so check the specific location’s service list before making the trip. AAA offices charge a convenience fee of $6 for members and $8 for non-members on top of the standard DMV fees.
All in-person visits require an appointment, which you can schedule through the DMV website. Walk-ins risk being turned away. When you arrive, present your completed Form H-13B along with your proof of ownership, insurance card, ID, residency documents, and your emissions report or VIN verification if applicable. Once everything checks out and you pay the fees, you’ll receive your license plates, a registration certificate, and a title receipt. Keep the registration certificate in the vehicle at all times.
Temporary Registration
If the vehicle still needs an emissions test or safety inspection, you can get a temporary registration at any DMV hub or branch office. It costs $21 per 10-day period and gives you legal permission to drive the vehicle to an inspection station and back. You’ll still need proof of ownership, insurance, ID, and a completed Form H-13B.
The Annual Town Property Tax
This is the cost that catches newcomers by surprise. Every Connecticut municipality levies an annual property tax on motor vehicles, and it applies whether the vehicle is registered or not. The tax is calculated by taking the vehicle’s MSRP, applying a depreciation schedule, assessing 70% of that depreciated value, and multiplying by the local mill rate. Mill rates vary significantly, so the same car might cost $400 a year in one town and over $1,000 in another.
Vehicles with active registrations as of October 1 appear on the regular property tax bill due the following July. Vehicles registered after October 1 land on a supplemental list and are taxed from the month of registration through September, with that bill due in January. Fall behind on payments and the DMV will block every registration transaction in your name, including new registrations and renewals, until the balance is cleared.
Renewals
Nearly all passenger vehicle registrations can be renewed online through the DMV website, which is far simpler than the initial process. You’ll need your license plate number, driver’s license number, date of birth, and a credit or debit card. A few specialty vehicle types like ambulances, hearses, and state service buses must renew in person. If your registration has been expired longer than one full renewal period, online renewal is no longer available and you’ll need to book an in-person appointment.
If You Fall Out of Compliance
Connecticut ties registration to several other obligations, and a lapse in any of them creates a cascading problem. Delinquent town property taxes will block all registration transactions in your name. Outstanding parking tickets do the same. An insurance lapse triggers a $200 fine and possible suspension. A missed emissions test adds a $20 late fee. Once your registration is suspended, no vehicle can be registered or renewed in your name until every issue is resolved. The DMV sends warning notices before suspensions take effect; ignoring them doesn’t buy time.