Top1) Determine the Status of Your Registration

Residents should renew their registration biennially (annually if you are 65 years old or older) through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Renew CT Registration

Residents must maintain current registration and insurance on their vehicles in order to legally operate them. Compare auto insurance quotes to make sure you are getting the best rate possible.

To get more information on how to renew your registration, go to the second step below, "Check Your Renewal Notice."

Register a Vehicle in CT for the First Time

First-timer registrants―whether you are new to the state or recently purchased a car―should visit our Car Registration page dedicated to initial registration.

Register a Non-Operational Vehicle

If you plan to keep insurance on a non-operational vehicle, you'll also keep up with the registration the same way you would if the vehicle were operational.

However, if you no longer plan to keep insurance on the vehicle, you must return the plates at your DMV branch office or mail them to:

• Department of Motor Vehicles

• ATTN: Plate Return

• 60 State St.

• Wethersfield, CT 06161

If you want a canceled plate receipt, include a request for one when you mail in the plates.

Top2) Check Your Renewal Notice

Within 60 days of your registration expiring, the DMV will mail to the address it currently has on file your invitation to renew. If you didn’t receive it, complete an online request for another.

This invitation will indicate the amount you owe and have specific instructions for you to follow. For example, it may include a Personal identification Number (PIN) for you to renew online, or it might inform you that your vehicle is not emissions compliant (see our Smog & Emission Checks page).

It might also list delinquent municipal property taxes or parking tickets, or mention whether your registration privilege has been suspended.

Top3) Calculate Your Fees

Read the amount of money you owe displayed on your invitation. You’ll either pay a two-year registration fee of $75 or a $38 one-year fee (option for individuals 65 and older), plus additional fees such as the $10 Federal Clean Air Act Fee. If you don’t have the invitation, you can request another from the DMV.

If the invitation indicates you have delinquent property tax or unpaid parking tickets, the state will not allow you to renew your registration until you can prove otherwise. To show the DMV you are paid up on an overdue municipal property tax, have your Tax Collector's stamp imprinted on the back of the invitation before mailing it back in.

While you are looking at your budget, you might also consider comparing auto insurance quotes to be sure you aren’t paying more than you need to.

Avoid Late Fees and Penalties

If you don’t renew within five days after your registration expires, you’ll face an additional $10 fee. If you allow the registration to expire, your renewal process might be a little more of a hassle.

For example, you’ll have to call the DMV Telephone Center for info on the requirements and options available to you; in certain cases you’ll be able to renew online up to 30 days after the registration has expired.

Top4) Renew Online, In Person or By Mail

Online

Your invitation will indicate whether you are eligible to use the DMV’s AutoRenew online system by assigning you a PIN. Those eligible to renew online include:

• Owners of passenger-type vehicles who do not have delinquent taxes, outstanding parking tickets, or suspended registration, and who have complied with the state’s insurance and emissions requirements.

• Owners who don't need to make address changes (these folks must use the mail-in option instead).

• Owners with expired registrations that aren't beyond 30 days of the expiration date.

To renew online:

1. Have ready your Registration Renewal Application containing your PIN, your class code, and your plate number.
2. Have valid car insurance.
3. Be ready to pay using a MasterCard or Visa credit card. (There aren’t any additional fees to use the online renewal system, but be prepared to pay the $10 late fee if you renew more than five days after the registration expired.)
4. Go to AutoRenew.
5. Expect your new expiration sticker within 10 days. If you don't receive it, call the DMV at (860) 263-5700 outside the Hartford area or at (800) 842-8222 elsewhere in CT. If you lease your vehicle, the DMV will mail your registration certificate and sticker to the leasing company (legal owner).

In Person

You don’t have the option to renew in person. You must renew online or by mail.

By Mail

1. Gather your invitation.
2. Make a money order, personal check, or bank check payable to the DMV to cover the fees.
3. Obtain an emissions check if noted as a requirement on your invitation.
4. Place the above in the return envelope you received with your invitation and drop it in the mail. If you have misplaced the envelope, mail the invitation and your payment to:
   • Department of Motor Vehicles
   • P.O. Box 150444
   • Hartford, CT 06115-0444

Top5) Affix Your Stickers

The state is phasing out the license plate sticker as a safety measure to prevent fraud, and trading it for a windshield version that displays the expiration date. If the sticker is removed it will partially destruct.

Once you receive your new windshield sticker in the mail, affix it on the lower inside corner of the driver’s side of the front windshield. Be careful not to block the view of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

If you don’t receive this sticker in the mail (or if you lose it before placing it on your windshield) you can obtain a replacement at a DMV branch office once you sign a replacement affidavit.

Top6) Get a Tax Deduction

Unlike other states that base registration fees on car value, this state charges its residents a flat fee. Therefore you are not able to deduct any portion of your fees. If you have any tax-related questions, consult a tax attorney.

Top7) Do Your Part to Keep Our Roadways Safe

One way to increase your chances of a safe ride include making sure your vehicle is in optimal running condition. That means keeping up with changing your oil, rotating or replacing your tires, and making sure your vehicle receives routine tune ups.

Look into roadside assistance programs if you are concerned your car might break down or you might blow out a tire. Having a mechanic you can trust and an after-market auto warranty might also give you a little peace of mind.

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