Summary of Connecticut (CT) DMV Driver's Manual 2026

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) regulates driver licensing and vehicle registration under state statutory authority. Any resident operating a motor vehicle must hold a valid driver license, and new residents moving to Connecticut must transfer their out-of-state license within 60 days of establishing residency. Motorists are legally required to report any change of residential address or legal name to the DMV within 48 hours.

Under Connecticut's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws, teens age 16 and older can apply for a Learner's Permit after passing vision screening and a 25-question knowledge exam (80 percent / 20 correct pass mark). Permit holders must complete 40 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, and a parent or legal guardian must attend a mandatory two-hour parent training class regarding teen driving laws and hazards. Teens training with a commercial driving school must hold their permit for at least 120 days (or 180 days if home-trained) before taking the road test. Minor drivers (ages 16–17) face strict GDL restrictions: a driving curfew between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., a total cell phone ban (including hands-free devices), zero passengers under age 20 for the first six months (excluding a licensed parent or 20+ instructor), and immediate family members only for the next six months.

Prior to driving, motorists must perform essential pre-trip inspections to ensure vehicle readiness and occupant safety. Drivers should verify that headlights are visible from at least 500 feet, turn signals are functioning, the horn is audible from 200 feet, windshield wipers are clear, and tires have at least 2/32-inch tread depth.

Proper posture and occupant restraints prevent severe crash injuries. Drivers should maintain hand placement at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock or 8 o'clock and 4 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. Mandatory seat belt laws require all vehicle occupants in all seating positions to wear safety belts at all times. Under Connecticut's Child Passenger Safety Law, children under two years of age or weighing under 30 pounds must ride in a rear-facing child restraint, and children under eight years of age or under 60 pounds must be secured in an approved car seat or booster seat.

Safe vehicle operation relies on speed management, spatial awareness, and proper turn signals. Connecticut statutory speed limits establish maximum legal speeds under normal conditions: 20 mph in active school zones, 25 to 30 mph in municipal business or residential districts, 45 to 55 mph on state highways, and 65 mph on rural interstate highways. Connecticut's basic speed law requires driving at a safe, reasonable speed for current weather and traffic conditions.

Motorists must maintain a minimum three-second following distance behind the vehicle ahead under ideal conditions, expanding to four or more seconds in rain, ice, fog, or when following motorcycles or heavy trucks. In city traffic, drivers should scan at least 12 seconds ahead to identify hazards early. Turn signals must be activated continuously for at least 100 feet before turning or changing lanes.

Protecting vulnerable road users and responding to highway hazards require defensive driving vigilance. Motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within marked or unmarked crosswalks. When passing a bicyclist, Connecticut law mandates providing at least three feet of clearance between the vehicle and the bicycle until safely clear.

Under Connecticut's Move Over Law, motorists approaching stationary emergency vehicles, law enforcement cars, tow trucks, or highway maintenance trucks displaying flashing lights must safely reduce speed and change to an available lane away from the vehicle (slowing to a reasonable speed if a lane change is impossible). Drivers must come to a complete stop at least 10 feet away from a school bus displaying flashing red lights. If your vehicle hydroplanes on standing water (which can occur at speeds as low as 35 mph), ease off the gas pedal gradually without slamming on the brakes.

Operating a motor vehicle under the influence (OUI) of alcohol, marijuana, illegal drugs, or impairing medication carries severe criminal and administrative penalties in Connecticut. The per-se blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is 0.08 percent or higher for drivers age 21 and older, 0.02 percent (zero tolerance) for drivers under 21, and 0.04 percent for commercial vehicle operators. Under Connecticut's Implied Consent Law, refusing a chemical breath, blood, or urine test results in an immediate 45-day license suspension followed by mandatory installation of an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) for at least one year.

Connecticut strictly enforces a primary handheld electronic device ban: using a handheld cell phone or texting while driving carries fines ranging from $150 for a first offense to $500 for repeat offenses (and automatic license suspensions for 16- and 17-year-old drivers). Vehicle owners must maintain continuous liability insurance with minimum limits of $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for total bodily injury per crash, and $25,000 for property damage (25/50/25).