Connecticut offers three kinds of temporary plates, and the right one depends on how you bought the vehicle and where you plan to register it. A 10-day temporary registration from the DMV costs $21 for a passenger vehicle and can be extended in additional 10-day increments. A licensed Connecticut dealer can issue a 60-day temporary transfer if you already hold a current Connecticut registration on another vehicle. And if you’re an out-of-state buyer driving a Connecticut purchase home, you need a 30-day in-transit registration.
Which Temporary Plate You Need
The three options are not interchangeable. Picking the wrong one wastes a trip to the DMV at best and voids your registration at worst.
The 10-Day DMV Temporary Registration
This is the default choice for most buyers, including anyone buying from a private party or registering a vehicle in Connecticut for the first time. It covers passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, combinations, campers, camp trailers, and motorcycles, and it runs 10 days from the date of issue.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration If you need more time before completing your permanent registration, you can return to the DMV and pay for another 10-day period. There is no automatic renewal.
The 60-Day Dealer Transfer
When you buy from a licensed Connecticut dealer and already hold a current Connecticut registration on another vehicle, the dealer can issue a 60-day temporary transfer. You surrender your existing registration certificate, the dealer transfers it to the new vehicle, and the dealer then has 10 days to submit your permanent registration application to the DMV.2Justia. Connecticut Code 14-61 – Issuance of Temporary Transfer of Registration by Dealer You must be at least 18. This option is not available if you don’t already have a valid Connecticut registration to surrender.
Some vehicle conditions also disqualify the 60-day transfer. A dealer cannot issue one for a used vehicle never previously registered in Connecticut unless it passes inspection, for a vehicle 10 or more model years old without a separate inspection, or for a vehicle previously declared a total loss without meeting additional inspection requirements.2Justia. Connecticut Code 14-61 – Issuance of Temporary Transfer of Registration by Dealer
The 30-Day In-Transit Registration
If you live out of state and bought a vehicle in Connecticut to register back home, you need an in-transit registration. It’s valid for 30 calendar days, cannot be renewed or transferred to another vehicle, and cannot be used to obtain a Connecticut DMV vehicle inspection.3Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration for In-Transit Vehicles It covers purchases from both dealers and private sellers, including trailers.
How to Get the DMV Temporary Plate
You need an appointment at a Connecticut DMV office. Walk-ins aren’t accepted for this transaction. What you bring depends on whether the vehicle is already registered in your name.
If the vehicle is not yet registered to you, bring the previous owner’s title with the ownership assignment completed, a bill of sale (DMV Form H-31), a registration and title application (DMV Form H-13B), your Connecticut Insurance Identification Card, and a valid ID. If the vehicle is already in your name, you only need the insurance card and ID.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration
Fees by Vehicle Type
Temporary registration fees are charged per 10-day period, so an extension costs the same as the original:
- Passenger vehicles: $21
- Commercial vehicles with a GVWR of 6,000 lbs or less: $27
- Commercial vehicles with a GVWR over 6,000 lbs: $49
- Inspection-only temporary registration: $49
Each new 10-day period requires a new fee.4Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Commercial Registration
Insurance Is Required Before You Can Drive
Every vehicle on a Connecticut road must be insured before it can receive any temporary registration, and you must present your Connecticut Insurance Identification Card at the DMV counter.1Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Get a Temporary Registration State law sets the minimum liability coverage at $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.5Justia. Connecticut Code 14-112 – Proof of Financial Responsibility
If your insurance lapses while you’re on a temporary plate, you face the same penalties as any other uninsured driver: a fine between $100 and $1,000 for a first offense, plus a one-month suspension of both your registration and driver’s license. Later offenses push the suspension to six months. Reinstatement costs $175. An officer who finds an uninsured vehicle with a suspended registration can impound it, and any vehicle impounded for more than 45 days can be forfeited to the state.
Rules While the Plate Is on Your Vehicle
A temporary registration covers one specific vehicle. Moving it to a different car, or using someone else’s registration on yours, is an infraction under Connecticut law.6Justia. Connecticut Code 14-147 – Improper Use of Number Plate, Marker, Registration or License The plate or paper marker must be displayed visibly.
Toll cameras read temporary plates too. When automated systems can’t capture a paper tag cleanly, the image is forwarded to a human reviewer. The registration ties back to your identifying information on file with the DMV or the issuing dealer, so unpaid tolls will find you.
If the Plate Expires or Gets Misused
Connecticut treats an expired temporary registration the same as any other unregistered vehicle. Operating, parking, or letting someone else drive a vehicle with an expired registration is an infraction. If the registration expired within the previous 30 days, you’ll be fined for failure to renew, but your driver’s license isn’t affected. A Connecticut resident caught driving on out-of-state plates faces a $250 fine, though a first-time violator can have the fine suspended by later showing proof of proper registration.7Justia. Connecticut Code 14-12 – Motor Vehicle Registration
Obtaining a registration through material false statements voids it from the date of issue, and refusing to surrender the voided plate when the DMV demands it carries a fine of up to $200.7Justia. Connecticut Code 14-12 – Motor Vehicle Registration Counterfeiting or altering a plate or registration document is a class D misdemeanor.6Justia. Connecticut Code 14-147 – Improper Use of Number Plate, Marker, Registration or License
Budget for Sales Tax Before You Return to Register Permanently
The temporary plate fee is a small piece of what you’ll pay. Connecticut charges 6.35% sales tax on vehicle purchases, rising to 7.75% for passenger and combination vehicles that cost more than $50,000.8Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Use the DMV’s Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator Sales tax is collected when you apply for permanent registration, so set that money aside during your temporary window rather than discovering it at the counter.