The short answer
| Item | Connecticut answer |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $25, plus a $10 administrative fee. |
| Registration | $120 for a standard passenger car, and it lasts three years. |
| DMV fees | $199 before tax, with registration. |
| Tax | 6.35%, or 7.75% when the car costs more than $50,000. Private sales: on the NADA value or the price, whichever is higher. |
| Deadline | No fixed day count for a buyer after an in-state purchase. New residents: 90 days. |
How much does a title transfer cost in Connecticut?
The title is the document that proves who owns the car. For a regular passenger car, the DMV fees are:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title | $25 |
| Administrative fee | $10 |
| Registration (three years) | $120 |
| Plate fee | $5 |
| Clean Air Act fee | $15 |
| Passport to the Parks (a state parks fee charged with registration) | $24 |
| Total before tax | $199 |
| Lien (only if the car is financed: the lender's claim on the car until the loan is paid) | +$10 |
Title only, with no registration: $25 + $10 = $35, or $45 with a lien.
Add these when they apply:
- Emissions exemption fee: $40, if the car is four model years old or newer. (Newer cars skip the emissions test and pay this fee instead.)
- Greenhouse gas fee: $15, on a brand-new car.
About Passport to the Parks: the DMV fees page still shows $15 next to its own note that the fee is $24 from July 1, 2025. $24 is the current figure.
Worked example: new $30,000 car from a dealer
- DMV fees: $199.00
- Emissions exemption fee (new car): $40.00
- Greenhouse gas fee (brand new): $15.00
- Sales tax: 6.35% × $30,000 = $1,905.00
Total: $2,159.00.
The Connecticut calculator below starts from the same $2,159.00. Pick "Bought from a private seller" for a private sale.
How much tax do you pay on a car in Connecticut?
6.35% of the purchase. For a passenger or combination vehicle that costs more than $50,000, the rate is 7.75%.
- Dealer purchase: tax on the invoiced price, with full credit for a trade-in. Trade-in credit exists only on dealer purchases.
- Private purchase: tax on the car's current NADA guide value or the bill of sale, whichever is greater. So a low price on the bill of sale doesn't lower the tax if the book value is higher.
- Paid less than book value? If you can prove you really paid less than the NADA average trade-in value, you can claim the difference back from the Department of Revenue Services with Form CERT-106.
How long do you have to transfer a car title in Connecticut?
Connecticut doesn't publish a fixed number of days for a buyer after an in-state purchase. Many websites claim a set number of days, but no Connecticut law or DMV page we found says so.
What the rules do say:
- The seller must sign the title over to you when the car is delivered.
- You can't drive, tow or park an unregistered car on a public road. So title and register it promptly. DMV visits are by appointment.
- When a required title document isn't delivered to the DMV within 10 days of when it was due, the state charges a penalty equal to the fee.
New residents do get a clear deadline: 90 days (see below).
What documents do you need?
- The title, signed over to you by the seller.
- Form H-13B (Application for Registration and Title).
- A bill of sale (Form H-31).
- Your identification.
- Proof of insurance.
- For a car coming from another state: the Vehicle Inspection Report from the emissions test or VIN verification (a check that the car's ID number matches its papers).
Licensed Connecticut dealerships can also process the registration for a private purchase. They may not charge more than $25 to do it.
Family and gift transfers
- Immediate family: no sales tax when the car moves between a mother, father, spouse, daughter, son, sister or brother. That's the whole list. The car must have been registered in that relative's name for at least 60 days (Form H-13B, exemption Code 1).
- Gifts from anyone: tax-free with a Motor Vehicle Gift Declaration (Form AU-463, Code 5A).
Title and registration fees still apply in both cases.
New residents and out-of-state buyers
- Deadline: 90 days after moving to Connecticut to register. Do the emissions test and VIN verification first.
- No Connecticut tax if you bought the car while living in another state and it was registered there at least 30 days before you apply here (Code 4).
- Paid tax elsewhere? You get credit for sales tax paid to another state on the car, with an official receipt or the dealer's invoice (Code 3).
Plates and registration
A standard passenger registration runs three years. New plates cost $5.
Cars more than 20 model years old don't have to be titled. A car without a title transfers with its prior registration plus Form Q-1.
Emissions
Cars from another state need an emissions test and/or VIN verification before they can be registered. A late emissions test costs a $20 late fee.
Seller's steps
Sign the title over when you hand over the car, with the buyer's name and address.
Forms
- H-13B: Application for Registration and Title.
- H-31: Bill of sale.
- Q-1: Supplemental assignment for cars without a title.
- AU-463: Motor Vehicle Gift Declaration.
- CERT-106: Claim for a tax refund when you paid less than book value.
What this guide doesn't cover
Town motor vehicle property tax, two-year registrations, trucks, motorcycles, special plates, and dealer paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Connecticut?
The title is $25 plus a $10 administrative fee: $35, or $45 with a lien. With the $120 three-year registration and the other DMV fees, it's $199 before tax. Sales tax is 6.35% (7.75% over $50,000).
How long do you have to transfer a car title in Connecticut?
Connecticut doesn't publish a fixed number of days for a buyer after an in-state purchase. You can't drive an unregistered car on a public road, so title and register it promptly. New residents have 90 days.
What paperwork do I need to register a car in CT?
The signed-over title, Form H-13B, a bill of sale (Form H-31), your ID and proof of insurance. A car from another state also needs its emissions test or VIN verification report.
Can I transfer a car title to a family member in Connecticut without tax?
Yes, between a mother, father, spouse, daughter, son, sister or brother, if the car was registered in the relative's name for at least 60 days. Title and registration fees still apply.
Do I pay tax on a gifted car in Connecticut?
No, if you file a Motor Vehicle Gift Declaration (Form AU-463). The title and registration fees still apply.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Connecticut fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- Registration (3 yrs)CT DMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$120.00
- License plate$5.00
- Title fee$25.00
- Administrative fee$10.00
- Clean Air Act feeCT DMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$15.00
- Passport to the Parks feeCT Office of Legislative Research · checked Oct 17, 2026$24.00
- Emissions exemption feeFour years old or newerCT DMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$40.00
- Greenhouse gas feeCertificate of originCT DMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$15.00
- Sales tax6.35% of priceCT DMV · checked Oct 16, 2026$1,905.00
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal: not available in this calculator.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Connecticut car registration fee calculator page.
- Connecticut DMV – All DMV fees (title $25, administrative $10, lien $10, registration $120 for three years, plate $5, Clean Air Act $15, Passport to the Parks $24 from July 1, 2025, emissions exemption $40, greenhouse gas $15)
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 247 (§ 14-192: penalty equal to the fee when a title document is more than 10 days late)
- Connecticut General Statutes §§ 14-12, 14-49, 14-166, 14-179 and 14-180 (cited by name, not linked)
- Connecticut DMV Form H-13B (Application for Registration and Title; sales tax exemption codes 1, 3, 4 and 5A) (cited by name, not linked)
- Connecticut DMV Form AU-463 (Motor Vehicle Gift Declaration) (cited by name, not linked)
- Connecticut DRS Form CERT-106 and Policy Statement PS 96-10 (cited by name, not linked)
- Connecticut DMV – sales tax, emissions late fee, in-transit, and dealership registration pages (cited by name, not linked)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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