The CT licensing action explained
After a DUI arrest in Connecticut, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (portal.ct.gov) opens its own case against your driving privilege. It is administrative, it moves faster than the criminal case, and it is decided regardless of what the court later does with the charge.
Hearing requests, suspension notices, reinstatement fees and interlock paperwork.
Deadlines, forms and how the hearing is conducted.
How the CT agency runs the licence case
- An OUI arrest triggers a per se licence suspension administered by the Connecticut DMV.
- Eligible drivers use the DMV's online service to pay the licence reinstatement fee.
- The Ignition Interlock Device programme allows restricted driving during part of the suspension.
- First offenders apply to the Superior Court for the Impaired Driving Intervention Program using form JD-CR-191.
Connecticut licence facts
Connecticut DUI law at a glance
Sourced from the Connecticut code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DUI (Connecticut)
- Controlling statute
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-227a
- Implied consent
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-227b
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Prior-offense lookback
- 10 years
- First-offense fine
- $500–$1,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 6 months
- Licence suspension
- 45 days
- Ignition interlock
- Required on a first offense in most cases
- Trial court
- the Superior Court
- High-risk filing
- SR-22 for 3 years
A first offense brings a 45-day suspension followed by an interlock period.
Getting the licence back
- Serve the full suspension or hard-suspension period the agency sets.
- Complete any ordered assessment, education or treatment programme.
- Install an approved ignition interlock device — Connecticut requires one in most first-offense cases.
- Connecticut requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before a licence is reinstated after a DUI conviction.
- Pay the reinstatement fee and any licence-issuance fee in full.
Fees and processing times change; confirm the current amounts on portal.ct.gov before you travel to an office.
Connecticut ZIP codes covered
These Connecticut ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.
Counties and cities using these Connecticut resources
Counties
Other Connecticut official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Connecticut?
- A first DUI offense generally carries a 45 days suspension in Connecticut. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.