The City of Stamford would like to remind all residents to register their car with the city and the state of Connecticut. Vehicles that are garaged in Stamford (regularly parked overnight) must be registered with the city, otherwise the owner may face a fine.

Residents who have registered their car in Connecticut previously can renew their registration online at the Department of Motor Vehicles website. Residents who recently moved to Connecticut have 60 days to register their car with the DMV.

The City of Stamford recommends residents use the Department of Motor Vehicles office located at 540 Main Street in Norwalk, CT. Stamford's local DMV does not handle car registration.

In an effort to promote fairness and equity, the City of Stamford will be enforcing car registration more heavily and urges residents who have forgotten to renew or obtain car registration to do so immediately.

Frequently asked questions regarding Motor Vehicles can be found here.

Additional information about car registration and how your car is taxed in Stamford can be seen below or on the DMV’s website.

Registration Lists

There are two separate lists for registered motor vehicles, a regular list, which is a record of all motor vehicles in Stamford that are registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles before Oct. 1; and a supplemental list, for vehicles registered after Oct. 1.

Both lists are sent to Stamford's Tax Assessor and billed a car tax. Vehicles from the regular list require tax payment by July 1. Vehicles from the supplemental list require tax payment by Jan. 1 of the following year. For example, an owner of a new vehicle registered with the DMV on Oct. 18 2018, will receive their initial tax bill on Jan. 1 2020.

All vehicles are priced annually using the NADA Price Guide's clean retail value.

If you have disposed of the vehicle prior to September 1, you may be entitled to a credit. If you have disposed of the vehicle but have transferred plates to your new vehicle, no action is necessary. You will receive your credit on the Supplemental Tax Bill.  However, if you have disposed of the vehicle and the plates, you will need to bring the following to the Assessor’s Office in order to receive credit if applicable:

• The cancelled plate receipt from CT Department of Motor Vehicle and one of the following:
• Bill of sale
• Trade-in papers from dealership
• Junk receipt
• Copy of out of state registration
• Letter from insurance company stating date of and reason for the cancellation if vehicle was declared a total loss.  Letter must state the date the vehicle ownership was given to the insurance company.

Resources

• How to Register a Car in Connecticut
• Norwalk DMV Hours of Operation
• Municipal Tax Services