Connecticut Used Car Warranties, Safety Inspections and Dealer Fees
CGS §42-221 warranties, the pre-sale safety inspection, conveyance fee disclosure and dealer licensing.
Connecticut's protections for used car buyers are in two places: the motor vehicle statutes, which license dealers and set their paperwork, and a separate chapter on used car warranties. Together they require a safety inspection before sale, a written warranty on most cars costing $3,000 or more, and clear disclosure of dealer fees. This guide sets out what the statutes say. It is general information, not legal advice.
Dealers must be licensed
Under CGS §14-52, no one may buy, sell, offer for sale or broker motor vehicles as a business without a new car dealer's or used car dealer's licence from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Licences are renewed every two years (CGS Chapter 246). The Connecticut DMV publishes the list of licensed dealers weekly, and every Connecticut listing on this site comes from it (data.ct.gov).
The required warranty
CGS §42-221 sets minimum warranties on used cars sold by dealers (CGS Chapter 743f):
- A dealer selling a used car with a cash purchase price of $3,000 or more may not exclude, modify, disclaim or limit implied warranties.
- For a cash price of $3,000 or more but less than $5,000, the contract must include an express warranty, covering the full cost of parts and labor, that the car "is mechanically operational and sound and will remain so for at least thirty days or one thousand five hundred miles," whichever ends first.
- For a cash price of $5,000 or more, the warranty is at least 60 days or 3,000 miles.
The statute bars dealers from limiting the warranty with phrases such as "fifty-fifty," "labor only" or "drive train only." Damage from an accident or misuse is not covered.
Which sales are exempt
The warranty rules do not apply to a used car with a cash price under $3,000, to sales between dealers, or to a car that is seven years of age or older, counted from January 1 of its model year. A buyer may waive the warranty only for a particular defect the dealer has disclosed, and only in a conspicuous, plain-language written waiver that identifies the defect and is signed by both parties.
Waiving the warranty for a disclosed defect
A dealer may ask you to accept a car with a known problem. Connecticut allows that only in a narrow way. The waiver must be in writing, conspicuous and in plain language; it must identify the particular defect the dealer has disclosed; it must say what warranty, if any, applies to that defect; and both you and the dealer must sign it (CGS §42-221(d)). A general "as is" clause or a waiver of the whole warranty does not meet those terms. Read any waiver slowly, and make sure the defect it names is the only one you are accepting.
The safety inspection
CGS §14-62 requires that, before offering any used vehicle for retail sale, the selling dealer "complete a comprehensive safety inspection" covering the equipment required by the state's motor vehicle equipment laws, on a form approved by the commissioner. The dealer attests on the form, under penalty of false statement, that the vehicle has undergone any necessary repairs and is in condition for legal operation on the highway (CGS §14-62). Ask to see the completed inspection form before you buy.
Dealer conveyance and processing fees
Connecticut dealers may charge a "dealer conveyance fee" or "processing fee" to cover the cost of paperwork and closing the sale. The statute requires the fee and a statement that it "is not payable to the state of Connecticut" to be printed in at least ten-point bold type on the face of both the order and the invoice, and the paperwork must show the dealer's legal name, address and licence number (CGS §14-62). Ask for the fee in advance, compare it between dealers, and remember it is the dealer's charge, not a state fee.
The federal Buyers Guide still applies
Connecticut dealers must also display the FTC's Buyers Guide on every used car offered for sale. If the Guide says "As Is" but the car is covered by the state warranty, the state law still gives you the warranty. Our guide to the Buyers Guide explains how to read it.
New cars
New car buyers are covered by the manufacturer's warranty and by Connecticut's separate new car lemon law. The statutes also require new car dealers to give buyers a written statement about the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (CGS §14-53a).
Questions to ask a Connecticut dealer
- What is the cash price, and which warranty applies at that price?
- May I see the completed safety inspection form for this car?
- What is your conveyance or processing fee?
- Is your licence number on the order and invoice?
- Are there open recalls, and have they been repaired?
If something goes wrong
- Tell the dealer in writing within the warranty period, and keep copies.
- Keep every repair order with the date and mileage.
- If the dealer won't honor the warranty, contact the Connecticut DMV, which licenses dealers, or the Department of Consumer Protection.
Using this directory
Each Connecticut listing shows the dealer's licence number, type and expiry date, the licensed name and any "doing business as" names on the DMV list, and any repairer or leasing licence held at the same address. A licence is not a rating, and the DMV list includes no complaint history.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Car Dealer Check is not a safety rating or recommendation. Federal registration shows a company's authority and filings, not the quality of its service. Check the carrier's current status on the official FMCSA site and read your contract before you book. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.