Sec. 14-12b. Presentation of insurance identification card or policy and statement that minimum security will be continuously maintained required for issuance of registration. Investigation of violati
Sec. 14-12b. Presentation of insurance identification card or policy and statement that minimum security will be continuously maintained required for issuance
of registration. Investigation of violations. (a) No motor vehicle registration shall
be issued by the commissioner for any private passenger motor vehicle, as defined in
subsection (e) of section 38a-363, or a vehicle with a commercial registration, as defined
in section 14-1, unless (1) the application for registration is accompanied by a current
automobile insurance identification card or a copy of a current insurance policy or endorsement issued by a company licensed to issue such insurance in this state or an
approved self-insurer or issued pursuant to the plan established under section 38a-329,
verifying that the applicant has the required security coverage, and (2) the applicant
signs and files with the commissioner, under penalty of false statement as provided for
in section 53a-157b, a statement on a form approved by the commissioner that the owner
of the vehicle has provided and will continuously maintain throughout the registration
period the minimum security required by section 38a-371. In the case of an owner with
a vehicle located outside of the United States or Canada, the commissioner may accept
in lieu of the insurance identification card required to be presented for issuance of the
registration, an affidavit, in such form as the commissioner shall require, executed by
the owner and stating that the vehicle will not be operated in the United States or Canada.
In the case of a special use registration issued pursuant to subsection (j) of section 14-12, the commissioner may, in lieu of proof of insurance as otherwise required by this
section, accept proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, of substantially equivalent or
similar insurance issued by an insurer licensed to transact business in the state in which
the motor vehicle is to be registered. The commissioner may require an applicant for
renewal of a motor vehicle registration for any private passenger motor vehicle or vehicle
with a commercial registration to sign and file with the commissioner, under penalty of
false statement as provided for in section 53a-157b, a statement on a form approved by
the commissioner that the owner of the vehicle will continuously maintain throughout
the registration period the minimum security required by said section 38a-371. Such
form shall call for and contain the name of the applicant's insurance company and policy
number.
(b) For the purposes of this section and sections 14-12c, 14-213b, 14-217 and 38a-364, a false statement includes presentation of a false or fraudulent insurance identification card to the commissioner or to a law enforcement officer. For purposes of this
section, the term "current automobile insurance identification card" includes a permanent card with a future effective date provided the word "renewal" appears in close
proximity to the effective date on the card.
(c) A person presenting an insurance identification card to the commissioner or to
a law enforcement officer is deemed to have full knowledge and understanding that
presentation of the card means the owner of the vehicle so registered has provided and
will continuously maintain throughout the registration period the minimum security
required by section 38a-371.
(d) The commissioner shall, upon receiving prima facie evidence of a violation of
this section, immediately forward the information to an appropriate prosecuting official
of the state of Connecticut.
(P.A. 75-545, S. 1; P.A. 79-577, S. 2, 8; P.A. 80-483, S. 62, 186; P.A. 81-217, S. 2; 81-394, S. 2; P.A. 84-429, S. 4;
P.A. 85-76; P.A. 88-73, S. 1; P.A. 90-143, S. 4; P.A. 93-297, S. 5, 29; P.A. 94-243, S. 1; P.A. 96-167, S. 45, 49; P.A. 00-196, S. 9; P.A. 04-217, S. 23; P.A. 05-218, S. 19.)
History: P.A. 79-577 added provisions re requirement for no-fault automobile insurance identification cards, effective
January 1, 1980, including new Subsecs. (b) and (c); P.A. 80-483 deleted reference to Sec. 38-327 in Subsec. (c); P.A. 81-217 provided that owners of vehicles located outside of United States or Canada may execute an affidavit in lieu of
presenting the insurance identification card and defined "current no-fault automobile insurance identification card"; P.A.
81-394 made no substantive change; P.A. 84-429 deleted obsolete provision, subdivided Subsec. (a) into Subdivs. and
made other technical changes; P.A. 85-76 amended Subsec. (a) to allow copy of current insurance policy or endorsement
verifying coverage as proof of insurance for registration process; P.A. 88-73 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to require that the
card, policy or endorsement be issued by a licensed insurer, self-insurer or pursuant to the plan under Sec. 38-185l; P.A.
90-143 amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit renewal of registration of private passenger motor vehicle unless applicant files
statement that owner will maintain minimum security required by Sec. 38-327 (now 38a-371) and to delete requirement
of presentation of no-fault identification card or policy at time of renewal; P.A. 93-297 deleted term "no-fault" where
appearing in description of insurance identification card, amended Subsec. (a) to make technical change and replace "the
minimum security required by section 38a-371 for payment of basic reparations benefits and the liabilities covered under
residual liability insurance required by sections 38a-19 and 38a-363 to 38a-388, inclusive" with "the minimum security
required by section 38a-371" and amended Subsec. (c) to replace "the minimum security required by sections 38a-19 and
38a-363 to 38a-388, inclusive" with "the minimum security required by section 38a-371", effective January 1, 1994, and
applicable to acts or omissions occurring on or after said date (Revisor's note: A reference in Subsec. (b) to Sec. "14-21d",
was deleted editorially by the Revisors to reflect the repeal of that section by P.A. 93-298, S. 10); P.A. 94-243 amended
Subsec. (a) to apply to vehicles with commercial registrations; P.A. 96-167 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that commissioner may require applicant for renewal of registration of private passenger motor vehicle to file statement that owner
will maintain minimum security required by Sec. 38a-371 and to delete prohibition re renewal of registration unless
applicant files such statement, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 00-196 made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 04-217
amended Subsec. (a) to eliminate reference to Subdiv. (12) of Sec. 14-1, effective January 1, 2005; P.A. 05-218 amended
Subsec. (a) by adding provision re special use registration where the commissioner may, in lieu of proof of insurance
required by section, accept proof of substantially equivalent or similar insurance.
See Sec. 14-12f re exempt vehicles.
Cited. 223 C. 31.
Cited. 45 CA 630.
Cited. 36 CS 561.
Subsec. (a):
Subdiv. (1) cited. 225 C. 257.