To apply, you must:
9 Connecticut Dealer License Requirements
Connecticut Dealer Licenses are issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles' Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit. This page covers Connecticut's 3 Dealer License types, their requirements, bond size, costs, and how to apply.
Name your Dealership
Your company name is the first step, because you use it through the entire Dealer License process. Connecticut's Dealer application accepts a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation.
An LLC keeps your business separate from your personal life and adds trust to the name. An LLC or corporation registers with the Connecticut Secretary of State first and files its Certificate of Existence with the application.
With an LLC or corporation, you can add an owner and keep your license, for $20 per officer or member. A sole proprietorship cannot add an owner. Changing it to an LLC or corporation later means filing the full application, bond, and insurance certificate again.
Choose your Dealer License Type
Connecticut issues 3 Dealer License types on one application, Form K-7. The same form issues the Repairer License for repair shops, which isn't a Dealer License. Wholesale isn't a separate license either: selling to other Dealers is part of the Used Car Dealer License.
| License Type | What It Lets You Do |
|---|---|
| New Car DealerLicense numbers start with N | Sell new vehicles, and used ones. A franchise certificate and a dealer agreement are required for this license only |
| Used Car DealerLicense numbers start with U | Buy and sell used vehicles at retail and wholesale; a salvage yard is the separate Recycler license. Selling at auction adds a $20 Auction Permit |
| Electric Low Speed Dealer | Sell low-speed electric vehicles. Licensed at the Repairer's tier, a $340 license fee and a $25,000 bond, with no franchise section and no dealer plates on the application |
Get your Dealer Bond (Surety Bond)
A Connecticut New Car Dealer or Used Car Dealer License requires a $60,000 bond, filed with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (§14-52(b)). The bond protects customers if you break Connecticut's dealer laws. A $60,000 Dealer Bond costs only $600 a year at the base rate, after a credit check.
An Electric Low Speed Dealer License requires a $25,000 bond. Either bond stays in force continuously, through every renewal. The commissioner can require a Used Car Dealer to post more than $60,000 after reviewing the applicant's finances (§14-52(c)).
Dealer 101 Insurance Services
Licensed in Connecticut · NPN 22346185
| License Type | You Pay | Bond Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Car DealerConnecticut - Motor Vehicle Dealer ($60,000). Credit check required | $600/yearabout $50 a month | $60,000 |
| Used Car DealerConnecticut - Motor Vehicle Dealer ($60,000). Credit check required | $600/yearabout $50 a month | $60,000 |
Get your Dealer Insurance Certificate (Form R1325e)
A Connecticut Dealer License requires a CT Special Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate, Form R1325e, filed with every original application (§14-58(c)). A Connecticut-licensed insurance carrier issues it; the DMV doesn't supply the form, and your agent sets the price.
The certificate states how many dealer plates you're insuring, even if that number is zero. An Electric Low Speed Dealer writes zero. It is financial responsibility for the vehicles you drive on dealer plates, not general business liability insurance.
Set up your Dealer Office
A Connecticut Dealer License requires a location at the exact address where business is conducted, with all business records kept there for 2 years. Each location needs its own application, and on the K-8 you certify that you employ at least one qualified mechanic.
The table below is the DMV's own minimum for each license type, from the K-8 instructions. Every location also needs a waste-oil tank of at least 250 gallons, unless the DMV grants an exemption under Reg. §14-63-27.
| New Car Dealer | Used Car Dealer | Electric Low Speed Dealer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | Display and storage area for new and used vehicles | Display area for used cars | Display and storage area for new and used vehicles |
| Repair department | At least 2 vehicles at once | At least 2 vehicles at once | At least 2 vehicles at once |
| Office | An office and a parts department | A suitable office | An office and a parts department |
| Town approval | Zoning official, building official, and fire marshal sign Section 3 of the K-7 | The same 3 signatures on Section 3 | Not required |
Get your town's signatures first
Section 3 of the K-7 is a certificate of approval your town fills in before the DMV sees the application (§14-54). The zoning enforcement official confirms the location and its use conform to local zoning, and the building official and fire marshal sign it too.
Pass the Background Check (CCHRS Fingerprinting)
Each applicant for a Connecticut New Car Dealer, Used Car Dealer, or Repairer License is fingerprinted for state and national criminal history checks (§14-52a). Connecticut runs it through the Connecticut Criminal History Request System (CCHRS). The DMV also verifies each applicant's prior work experience, sometimes by calling former employers.
How the check works:
- Email [email protected] for a service code
- Pre-enroll in CCHRS online and pay the $75 fee
- Get fingerprinted by the state police (DESPP) in Middletown, or at a local police department
- Send proof of pre-enrollment with your license application; results arrive electronically in about 4 to 6 weeks
The CCHRS form asks your country of citizenship, and that field is optional.
If you have a record
- Denial is discretionary, never automatic. The commissioner “may” refuse a license after notice and a hearing (§14-52a), and state law bars disqualifying you solely for a conviction (§46a-80).
- Three grounds. A civil judgment for odometer fraud or unlicensed dealing, a conviction under dealer laws, or any conviction for fraud, larceny, or misappropriation of property. Any state's or federal court counts, a misdemeanor counts the same as a felony, and a no-contest plea is a conviction.
- No waiting period. The statute sets no number of years; time since the conviction or release must count in your favor (§46a-80(c)). An eligible misdemeanor erases 7 years after your most recent conviction, an eligible felony after 10.
- An erased record can't be used. The DMV can't grant, deny, or revoke a license on an erased record (§46a-80g). A provisional pardon or certificate of rehabilitation creates a presumption you're rehabilitated, and a denial after one must be explained in writing.
- Disclose it on the K-8. The form asks about any arrest, charge, conviction, or no-contest plea, felony or misdemeanor, excluding traffic violations, with court judgments attached. You disclose again at each renewal.
- You get a hearing first. No refusal happens without notice and a hearing, and a final decision can be appealed to the Superior Court within 45 days (§4-183).
Get your Dealer License Plates
Connecticut dealer license plates cost $145 each, a $140 plate fee plus a $5 safety plate fee, collected once the license is approved. A Used Car Dealer or Repairer applicant requests up to 3 on the K-7, based on the number of full-time employees. An Electric Low Speed Dealer gets none.
Dealer tags let a bona fide full-time employee drive a dealership-owned vehicle for business and personal use (§14-60(b)). Full-time means at least 35 hours a week, on the payroll with the required withholdings. A part-time employee drives on them for business only, and every driver carries a supplemental identification card the business issues.
New and Used Car Dealers can also request SX commercial plates by vehicle weight. Later plates come by Form K-6 at $145 each, $79 for a motorcycle, with a written justification tied to your employee count and service volume.
Submit your Dealer License Application (Form K-7)
You apply to the DMV's Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit on paper; there is no online dealer application. Mail the K-7 packet to 60 State Street in Wethersfield, or bring it to an appointment on a Tuesday or Thursday. The application fee is $140 per location, non-refundable, and every fee is itemized under costs.
The K-7 asks for an SSN from every owner, partner, officer, or LLC member, plus the business's EIN; a sole proprietor uses their SSN instead. Each owner listed also gives a driver's license number and notarizes their own section of the K-8.
A corporation, LLC, or trust also files Form K-198, naming an agent for service in Connecticut, with its Certificate of Existence. The 2-year license fee, $700, $560, or $340 by license type, is paid after final approval, not with the application.
Pass the Location Examination (License Inspection Application)
Connecticut examines your location before the license issues, not after. You document it yourself on the K-8, the License Inspection Application, with a site drawing to the DMV's K-93 specification. The K-8 records your repair bays, departments, hours, and the forms you keep on hand.
Photographs you attach:
- The posted business-hours sign
- The waste-oil tank, with its capacity marked
- The front of the building, showing the repair bays
- Your tools and equipment
- The office
- Any floor drains
The $40 location examination fee is paid with the application, and a DMV inspector marks the K-8 approved or disapproved. After the commissioner's final approval you pay the license and plate fees, and the license issues.
Dealer License Cost
A Connecticut Dealer License costs $140 to apply, per location, plus a 2-year license fee. That fee is $700 for a New Car Dealer, $560 for a Used Car Dealer, or $340 for an Electric Low Speed Dealer. Every other fee on this page is in the table.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $140 per location, non-refundable |
| License fee, 2 years | $700 New Car Dealer$560 Used Car Dealer$340 Electric Low Speed Dealer |
| Location examination | $40 paid with the application |
| Dealer Bond | $600 a year, $60,000 bond, New or Used Car Dealer, credit check required$25,000 bond for an Electric Low Speed Dealer |
| Financial responsibility insurance certificateForm R1325e, from a Connecticut-licensed carrier | Priced by your agent |
| Background checkCCHRS pre-enrollment | $75 |
| Dealer plates | $145 per plate: $140 plate fee plus $5 safety plate fee$145 each additional plate, Form K-6$79 motorcycle plate |
| General distinguishing number registrationThe yearly registration of your dealer number, by statute (§14-58(b)) | $70 a year |
| Auction PermitTo sell at auction, added to a New or Used Car Dealer License | $20 |
| Trade name (DBA) certificate | Set by your town clerk |
| Adding or removing an officer or LLC member | $20 per person |
| Late renewal | $100 within 45 days after expiration |
| Administrative feeFor failing to prove bond or insurance renewal by its expiration date | $200 |
Dealer License Renewal
A Connecticut Dealer License is valid for 2 years, on a staggered schedule the commissioner sets. It renews for the same fee as the original, $700, $560, or $340 by license type, and there is no continuing education. The DMV sends the renewal application at least 45 days before expiration.
A renewal filed after expiration carries a $100 late fee. A license expired more than 45 days is not renewed, and you apply again as a new applicant. At renewal you also disclose any civil judgment or conviction, under penalty of false statement.
Common Questions
Can you get a Connecticut Dealer License with a felony?
Yes. A felony isn't an automatic bar to a Connecticut Dealer License. The commissioner may refuse, after a hearing, for a conviction involving fraud, larceny, or misappropriation of property, or under dealer laws (§14-52a). State law bars disqualifying you solely for a conviction (§46a-80), there is no waiting period, and an erased record can't be used.
Can you get a Dealer License in Connecticut without a lot?
No. Every Connecticut Dealer License type requires a display area and a repair department that holds at least 2 vehicles at once, plus an office. A New or Used Car Dealer location is also approved by the town's zoning official, building official, and fire marshal before the DMV reviews it. The full list is under Office.
How many cars can you sell in Connecticut without a Dealer License?
Connecticut sets no specific number. A Dealer License is required once you're “engaged in the business” of buying, selling, offering for sale, or brokering motor vehicles (§14-52), not at a per-year count.
How do you get an auction license in Connecticut?
For Dealers, Connecticut's auction credential is a $20 Auction Permit. It lets a Dealer who already holds a New or Used Car Dealer License sell at a wholesale or public auction. Buying at the dealer-only auctions comes with the New or Used Car Dealer License itself.
Does Connecticut have a wholesale dealer license?
No. Connecticut issues no standalone wholesale license; selling to other Dealers is part of the Used Car Dealer License. Selling at auction takes the $20 Auction Permit on top of it.
How long does a Connecticut Dealer License take?
No Connecticut law sets a deadline for the DMV to decide; the state's general licensing statute, §4-182, sets none either. The fingerprint results alone take about 4 to 6 weeks, and the town signs Section 3 before the DMV sees the application. After final approval you pay the fees, and the license issues.
Do I need a business bank account?
No. Neither the K-7 application, the K-8 inspection application, nor the K-36 checklist asks for a business bank account or any banking information. The K-7 asks for an SSN or EIN, and nothing about a bank.
Do salespeople need a license in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut issues no salesperson license; sales staff are listed as qualified sales personnel on the K-7 application. Anyone who drives on dealer plates carries a supplemental identification card the dealership issues (Reg. §14-63-15) instead of a separate license.
Support
The Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit takes new applications in person by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays only; renewals aren't handled by appointment. The Dealer Processing Unit runs the online dealer registration program, and the Consumer Complaint Center handles complaints against licensees.
| Contact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Department | Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit |
| Phone | 860-263-5056 licensing860-263-5708 Dealer Processing Unit860-263-5405 Consumer Complaint Center |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to FridayAppointments 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| [email protected] | |
| Address | 60 State StreetWethersfield, CT 06161-0001 |
Additional sources (8)
The forms and the portal for each step are linked in the steps. These are the law, the rules, and the agency pages the page was checked against.
- Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 246, §§14-51 to 14-67 — the dealer licensing law. License types and the $60,000 and $25,000 bonds (§14-52); the town's certificate of approval (§14-54); fingerprinting and the grounds for refusal (§14-52a). Why the insurance certificate is required: financial responsibility under §14-58(c). Dealer plate use (§14-60), the 2-year term and 45-day late renewal (§14-52), and the repair-shop signs (§14-65i)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §§46a-80 to 46a-81 — no disqualification solely for a conviction, erased records off limits to the DMV, and the pardon presumption
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §54-142a and §54-142g — Clean Slate erasure after 7 or 10 years, and a no-contest plea as a conviction
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §4-182 and §4-183 — no decision deadline, and the 45-day appeal to the Superior Court
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §4a-79 — why every state license application collects an SSN or EIN
- DMV: Change a repair shop or dealership business license — converting to a corporation or LLC, and adding or removing an officer or member at $20 each
- DMV: Make changes to a business license — licenses are non-transferable; a complete ownership change requires a new license
- Connecticut Clean Slate program — the state's own page on automatic record erasure
