Connecticut (DMV) - Motor Vehicle Surety Bond (Dealer, Repairer-Limited Repairer, Leasing-Rental Co)
Required for Connecticut motor vehicle dealers, repairers, and leasing companies to obtain DMV licensing. Protects consumers from fraudulent business practices.
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About This Bond
The Connecticut Motor Vehicle Surety Bond is a state-mandated financial guarantee required by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for businesses engaged in motor vehicle sales, repair, or leasing operations. This bond ensures compliance with state regulations and protects consumers from potential financial losses due to fraudulent or unethical business practices.
Motor vehicle dealers, limited repairers, and leasing/rental companies must obtain this bond as part of their licensing requirements with the Connecticut DMV. The bond amount varies based on the business classification: Class 3 operations require bonds of $10,000, $15,000, or $25,000, while Class 4 operations require a $60,000 bond amount.
The bond protects the State of Connecticut and consumers who may suffer financial harm due to the principal's failure to comply with applicable motor vehicle laws and regulations. This includes protection against issues such as failure to transfer titles properly, misrepresentation of vehicle conditions, or other violations of Connecticut motor vehicle statutes.
This bond has a one-year term and is renewable annually. The Connecticut DMV requires specific formatting standards, including typed witness names and a raised seal, making proper bond preparation essential for acceptance by the obligee.
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At a glance
Connecticut Auto Dealer Bond Key Facts
Governed by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-52.
The basics
What Is an Auto Dealer Bond in Connecticut?
A Connecticut auto dealer bond is a surety bond you must file with the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get or renew a motor vehicle dealer license. The amount depends on your license type: $60,000 for a new car dealer or used car dealer, $25,000 for a repairer, and $15,000 for a leasing or rental company. Connecticut requires the bond under Connecticut General Statutes section 14-52.
Good to know - Required for every Connecticut motor vehicle dealer license; the amount is set by license type. A new car dealer or used car dealer posts $60,000, a repairer posts $25,000, and a leasing or rental company posts $15,000.
The bond is a promise that you will follow the state and federal laws that govern your business — for example, handling titles correctly and dealing honestly with your customers. Connecticut executes the bond in the name of the State of Connecticut for the benefit of any aggrieved customer.
If you break those rules and cause a customer a financial loss, that customer can be paid from your bond, up to its full amount. In Connecticut, the bond is paid only on the commissioner’s order after a hearing. The bond protects the public, not you: if the surety company pays a claim, you must pay the surety back.
Connecticut dealer bonds are continuous and must stay on file the whole time you are licensed. The surety can cancel the bond only after giving the commissioner at least 30 days’ written notice, so you keep the bond active to keep your license in good standing.
Qualification
What You Need to Qualify for a Connecticut Auto Dealer Bond
Approval depends on your dealer license type, required coverage amount, and underwriting factors such as credit.
- You are applying for, or renewing, a Connecticut new car dealer or used car dealer license with the DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit.
- You know your license type — new car dealer, used car dealer, or repairer — because it sets your bond amount.
- Your bond is written by a surety company authorized to do business in Connecticut, executed in the name of the State of Connecticut for the benefit of any aggrieved customer.
- You can keep the bond continuous — it stays on file with no lapse, and the surety must give the commissioner at least 30 days’ written notice before any cancellation.
- You have an established place of business in Connecticut that meets local zoning and the DMV’s location rules.
- You have your business details ready (legal name, ownership, and location) and can complete fingerprinting and a background check through the Connecticut Criminal History Request System (CCHRS).
Step by step
How to Get an Auto Dealer Bond in Connecticut: Step by Step
Choose your Connecticut dealer license type
Decide which license you need — new car dealer, used car dealer, or repairer. Your license type sets your bond amount: $60,000 for a new car dealer or used car dealer, $25,000 for a repairer, and $15,000 for a leasing or rental company.
Complete your Dealer and Repairer License Application
Download and fill out the Dealer and Repairer License Application (K-7). Use the official procedure guide (K-36) to gather your supporting documents, such as a site plan of your location and proof you meet local zoning.
Dealer and Repairer License Application (K-7)Complete fingerprinting and your background check
Connecticut requires a criminal background check for dealer applicants. Pre-enroll through the Connecticut Criminal History Request System (CCHRS) and complete fingerprinting before you submit your application. Email DMV.DR@ct.gov to get the CCHRS service code.
Get your Connecticut Motor Vehicle Dealer Surety Bond
Buy your bond for the amount your license type requires and we handle the form. We issue your Connecticut surety bond on the official form (K-158) and, in most cases, file it with the DMV for you. There is no bond form for you to download or sign.
File your application, bond, and fees
Submit your completed Dealer and Repairer License Application, your issued bond, and your supporting documents to the DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit at 60 State Street, Wethersfield, and pay the state fees. The DMV then schedules a location inspection before issuing your license.
Keep your bond active
Connecticut dealer bonds are continuous. Keep your bond on file with no lapse — your dealer license cannot stay in good standing without it. The surety can cancel only after giving the commissioner at least 30 days’ written notice.
Paperwork
Connecticut Dealer Bond Forms & Documents
The official dealer bond form — we issue this for you and, in most cases, file it with the DMV. You do not download or complete it.
View formThe dealer/repairer license application you complete and submit to the DMV.
View formThe DMV’s official step-by-step guide and document checklist for the dealer/repairer license.
View formYou'll also need
Cost
How Connecticut Auto Dealer Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full bond amount. Connecticut sets the bond by license type — $60,000 for a new car dealer or used car dealer, $25,000 for a repairer, and $15,000 for a leasing or rental company. That figure is the coverage, the most a claim can collect.
You pay a premium, which is a small percentage of your bond amount. Underwriting sets your rate, mostly from your personal credit. The premium is separate from the DMV’s license and registration fees.
Worked example
If you open a used car lot, your bond is $60,000. You do not pay $60,000 — you pay a premium on it, often a few hundred dollars a year for well-qualified applicants. A repairer’s bond is $25,000, so the premium is lower.
Filing
Filing Information
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) — Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit
Filing notes
Connecticut executes the bond in the name of the State of Connecticut for the benefit of any aggrieved customer, and requires it on the official Surety Bond form (K-158). We issue your bond on that form.
Connecticut dealer bonds are continuous — they must stay on file without a lapse the whole time you are licensed. The surety can cancel only after giving the commissioner at least 30 days’ written notice, so keep your bond active and renew on time.
File the bond with your Dealer and Repairer License Application (K-7), your supporting documents, and your fees with the DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit. In most cases we file the issued bond with the unit for you.
FAQ
Connecticut Auto Dealer Bond FAQ
Yes. Every Connecticut motor vehicle dealer license requires a surety bond, filed with the DMV under Connecticut General Statutes section 14-52. The amount depends on your license type.
It is $60,000 for a new car dealer or used car dealer, $25,000 for a repairer, and $15,000 for a leasing or rental company.
It depends on your license type. If you sell cars to the public as a new or used car dealer, you need the $60,000 bond. A repairer needs $25,000, and a leasing or rental company needs $15,000.
Connecticut dealer bonds are continuous and must stay on file the whole time you are licensed. The surety can cancel only after giving the commissioner at least 30 days’ written notice, so you keep it active to keep your license in good standing.
The bond is executed in the name of the State of Connecticut for the benefit of any aggrieved customer. If you cause a customer a financial loss, they can be paid from your bond on the commissioner’s order after a hearing — up to the full bond amount.
We issue your bond on the official Surety Bond form (K-158) and, in most cases, file it with the DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit for you. There is no bond form for you to complete.
You pay a premium, not the full bond amount. The premium is a small percentage of your bond amount, based mainly on your credit. Start a quote to see your rate.
The Connecticut DMV Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit. You can reach the unit at 860-263-5056 or DMV.DR@ct.gov.
Sources
Last verified 2026-06-30. Requirements change - confirm current details with Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) — Dealers and Repairers Licensing Unit before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
FAQ
Connecticut Auto Dealer Bond Questions
The cost of a Connecticut auto dealer bond is usually a small percentage of the state-required bond amount. Your exact premium depends on the bond amount, license type, business details, and underwriting factors such as credit.
Many auto dealer bonds can be issued the same day after you complete the application. Larger bond amounts or applications that need underwriting review may take longer.
Requirements vary by license type, but most Connecticut auto dealers need to complete a short application and purchase the bond amount required by the state before their license can be issued or renewed.
Often, yes. Many states have separate bond requirements for wholesale, retail, broker, or other dealer license types. Choose the bond that matches your Connecticut license instructions.
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AutoDealersBond.com is operated by Shield Liability Insurance Agency, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Shield Liability Insurance Agency is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
