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How to get a used car dealer license in Connecticut

You apply by mail to the Connecticut DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit for a two-year used car dealer's license. Connecticut expects a working facility: repair space for two vehicles at once, a qualified mechanic, town zoning, building and fire sign-off, and a $60,000 bond.

  • Sourced to CT DMV
  • Checked October 2026
  • Free
License
Used car dealer's license
Surety bond
$60,000
State fee
$700 ($140 + $560)
Pre-license course
Confirm with the agency
Background check
Fingerprints, each applicant
License term
2 years
What the state asks for

Connecticut dealer license requirements

The figures a first-time used car dealer needs before applying to CT DMV. Each row shows how well it is supported.

Surety bond
$60,000Official source

Set by statute for new and used car dealers. The name and address on the bond must match the K-7 application exactly. DMV may require a larger bond after reviewing your finances.

State license fee
$700 ($140 + $560)Official source

A $140 application fee plus the $560 two-year used car dealer license fee, sent with the application and not refundable. Dealer plates are $140 each plus a $5 safety plate fee, collected after approval.

Pre-license education
Confirm with CT DMVConfirm with the agency

The DMV's K-36 procedure lists no pre-licensing course or exam. It does call for a qualified mechanic and says DMV verifies each applicant's prior experience. Confirm with the licensing unit.

Background check
Fingerprints, each applicantOfficial source

Each applicant is fingerprinted for state and national criminal history checks. You pre-enroll in the state's CCHRS system with a DMV service code, then get printed at DESPP or a local police department.

Insurance
R1325e certificate requiredOfficial source

Your insurer sends DMV a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (R1325e) showing the number of plates insured, even if zero. The statute points to the section 14-112 minimums: $25,000, $50,000 and $25,000.

Business location
Display lot, 2-car repair areaOfficial source

A used car display area, a repair department that can take at least two vehicles at once, a suitable office and at least one qualified mechanic. Town zoning, building and fire officials sign the application.

License term and renewal
2 yearsOfficial source

Licenses renew every two years on a staggered schedule set by DMV. The statutory used dealer license fee is $560. Renewing after expiration adds $100, and a license expired more than 45 days cannot be renewed.

Sales allowed without a license
No number in statuteOfficial source

Connecticut sets no vehicle count. Anyone in the business of buying, selling, offering for sale or brokering motor vehicles needs a license. Ask CT DMV if you are unsure whether your sales count.

Processing time
Not publishedConfirm with the agency

CT DMV does not publish a processing time for a new dealer license. New applications are handled by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“Official source” means the state agency’s own page, form or law. Where the state’s sources did not settle a point, the row says so instead of showing a guess.

Who issues the license

Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit

License you apply for

Used car dealer's license

Official licensing page

Send the $560 license fee with the application

The K-36 procedure (REV 07-2026) says the $140 fee is due on receipt of the application and that plate fees are collected after approval. The DMV web page and section 14-58 of the statutes say the application fee and the license fee both go in with the application and are not refundable. Plan on $700 up front and confirm with the licensing unit before you mail the check.
Step by step

How to get a Connecticut dealer license

The order that works for a first application. Tick each step off as you finish it.

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  1. Get town approval for the location

    Before you commit to a building, take Section 3 of the K-7 to the town. The zoning enforcement official certifies that the location and use conform to zoning, and the building official and fire marshal also sign. DMV needs this certificate before it will license the location.

    K-7 Section 3 · C.G.S. 14-54

  2. Set up the facility and a qualified mechanic

    Build out a display area, an office and a repair department that can take at least two vehicles at once, with the tools for repairs and safety checks. Line up at least one qualified mechanic. Draw the site plan to the K-93 drawing specifications.

    K-93 site drawing

  3. Handle waste oil and floor drains

    Install a waste oil tank of at least 250 gallons and get a certificate letter from a registered waste oil transporter, or ask DMV for an exemption. If the building has open floor drains, complete the DEEP online submission and include the PDF with your application.

    DEEP Compliance Certification

  4. Register the business and get a sales tax permit

    Get a trade name certificate from the town clerk if you use a business name. An LLC or corporation adds a Certificate of Existence from the Secretary of State and the K198 agent form, and an LLC adds its operating agreement and articles. Send a clear copy of your Connecticut sales tax permit showing the same name and address.

    K198 · sales tax permit

  5. Arrange the $60,000 bond and insurance filing

    Buy a $60,000 surety bond with the exact business name and address shown on the K-7. Have your insurer send DMV a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (R1325e) that states the number of plates insured, even if that number is zero.

    $60,000 bond · R1325e

  6. Pre-enroll and get fingerprinted

    Email DMV.DR@ct.gov for a service code, pre-enroll in the Connecticut Criminal History Request System and pay its fee online. Get fingerprinted at DESPP in Middletown or at your local police department, and put the proof of pre-enrollment in your application.

    CCHRS pre-enrollment

  7. File the K-7 and K-8 with $700

    Mail the notarized K-7, the K-8 License Inspection Application, photos of the required signs, bays, tools, office and waste oil tank, and copies of each owner's and one mechanic's driver's license to the Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit. Include a check to DMV for the $140 application fee and the $560 license fee. Neither is refundable.

    K-7, K-8 · $140 + $560

  8. Pay for plates after approval

    A used dealer can ask for up to 3 dealer plates on the first request. DMV collects plate fees once the license is approved: $140 per plate plus a $5 safety plate fee. File the K-200 certificate for your VIN etching price and have the required signs posted.

    K-200 · $140 per plate

Practical advice

Start with the building, not the forms. A Connecticut used car license is tied to a repair-capable site: space for two vehicles, a mechanic and a waste oil setup. Ask the town zoning office and the DMV licensing unit about a specific address before you sign a lease. Photograph the bays, tools, office, tank and signs as you finish them, because the K-8 asks for those pictures.

Before you apply

Seven things to settle before any state application: the business, the owners, the money and the property.

Read the startup playbook
The lot and the office

Connecticut dealer location requirements

What the state checks at the business address.

  • A display area for used cars and a suitable office where business is conducted.
  • A repair department that can hold at least two vehicles at the same time for repair or inspection, with the tools for repairs and safety checks.
  • At least one fully qualified mechanic. A mechanic who is an employee must work at the licensed location.
  • A certificate of approval for the location signed by the town's zoning official, building official and fire marshal.
  • A waste oil tank of at least 250 gallons and a certificate letter from a registered waste oil transporter, unless DMV grants an exemption.
  • Posted signs: customer rights, labor and storage prices, customer chooses repair shop, dealer conveyance fee and VIN etching cost.
  • Business hours posted on the customer entry door, and business records kept at the licensed address for two years.

Zoning comes first

A site that meets the state’s rules can still fail local zoning. Get written approval for vehicle sales from the city or county, and ask the landlord for a lease that depends on the license being issued, before you sign.
Once you are licensed

Keeping a Connecticut dealer license

Renewal and ongoing duties

Renew every two years on the schedule DMV assigns. Renewing late adds $100, and a license expired more than 45 days cannot be renewed. Send proof of bond and insurance renewal before the old ones expire, or DMV adds a $200 administrative fee. Report a change of corporate officers within 15 days, and keep business records at the licensed address for two years.

Federal rules that apply here too

  • The FTC Buyers Guide, posted on every used vehicle you offer for sale.
  • The FTC Safeguards Rule: a written plan for protecting customer financial information.
  • IRS Form 8300 when a customer pays more than $10,000 in cash.
  • A federal odometer disclosure on each transfer.
How each federal rule works
FAQ

Connecticut dealer license FAQ

The questions first-time dealers ask most.

How do I get a used car dealer license in Connecticut?

Get your town's zoning, building and fire officials to approve the location on the K-7. Set up a display area, an office and a repair department for at least two vehicles with a qualified mechanic. Buy a $60,000 bond, have your insurer file form R1325e, get fingerprinted, and mail the K-7 and K-8 with $700 to the DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit.

How much is the dealer bond in Connecticut?

$60,000 for a new or used car dealer, set by section 14-52 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The name and address on the bond must match the K-7 application exactly. DMV can require a larger bond if it is not satisfied with an applicant's finances.

How much does a Connecticut dealer license cost?

$700 to file: a $140 application fee plus the $560 two-year used car dealer license fee. Both are nonrefundable. After approval, dealer plates cost $140 each plus a $5 safety plate fee. The bond premium, insurance and the fingerprint check fee are separate.

Do I need a pre-licensing course in Connecticut?

The DMV's K-36 procedure does not list a pre-licensing course or exam. It does require at least one fully qualified mechanic, and the K-8 asks each owner for a five-year work history that DMV verifies. Confirm with the Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit if you have no dealership experience.

Can I get a Connecticut dealer license without a car lot?

No. A used car dealer needs an area to display used cars, a suitable office and a repair department that can hold at least two vehicles at the same time. The town's zoning official, building official and fire marshal must approve the location before DMV will license it.

How many cars can I sell in Connecticut without a dealer license?

Connecticut law does not set a number. Section 14-52 requires a dealer license for anyone in the business of buying, selling, offering for sale or brokering motor vehicles, and doing that without a license is a class B misdemeanor. If you sell vehicles regularly for profit, ask CT DMV before you continue.

Sources

Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Fees, bond amounts and forms change, and local zoning rules vary. Confirm current requirements with CT DMV or your attorney before you sign a lease or pay a fee.

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