Sec. 14-60. Use of dealers' and repairers' plates.
Sec. 14-60. Use of dealers' and repairers' plates. (a) No dealer or repairer may
rent or allow or cause to be rented, or operate or allow or cause to be operated for
hire, or use or allow or cause to be used for the purpose of conveying passengers or
merchandise or freight for hire, any motor vehicle registered under a general distinguishing number and mark. No dealer or repairer may loan a motor vehicle or number plate
or both to any person except for the purpose of demonstration of a motor vehicle, or
when a motor vehicle owned by or lawfully in the custody of such person is undergoing
repairs, or when such person has purchased a motor vehicle, the registration of which
by him is pending, and in any case for not more than thirty days in any year, provided
such person shall furnish proof to the dealer or repairer that he has liability and property
damage insurance which will cover any damage to any person or property caused by
the operation of the loaned motor vehicle, motor vehicle on which the loaned number
plate is displayed or both. Such person's insurance shall be the prime coverage. If the
person to whom the dealer or repairer loaned the motor vehicle or the number plate did
not, at the time of such loan, have in force any such liability and property damage
insurance, such person and such dealer or repairer shall be jointly liable for any damage
to any person or property caused by the operation of the loaned motor vehicle or a motor
vehicle on which the loaned number plate is displayed. Each dealer or repairer shall keep
a record of each loaned number plate showing the date loaned, the vehicle identification
number of the vehicle on which such plate is displayed, the date returned and the name,
address and operator's license number of the person operating any vehicle with such
loaned number plate. Such dealer or repairer shall give a copy of this record to each
person to whom such plate or vehicle and plate are loaned which shall be carried in the
motor vehicle at all times when operated upon a public highway. This record shall be
retained by the dealer or repairer for a period of six months from the date on which the
number plate or motor vehicle or both were loaned and such record shall be available
during business hours for examination by any police officer or inspector designated by
the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
(b) Any licensed dealer or repairer may operate or cause to be operated by a bona
fide full-time employee such motor vehicle for (1) use in connection with his business,
(2) the pickup and delivery of parts, and (3) his personal use, or by a part-time employee
for use only in connection with the business of such dealer or repairer. Each dealer or
repairer shall maintain a record of the following: (A) Each number plate issued by the
commissioner to such dealer or repairer, (B) the name, address and occupation of the
bona fide full-time employee or part-time employee to whom such plate has been assigned, (C) the date of assignment of each such plate, and (D) the exact location of each
unassigned plate. For the purposes of this subsection, "bona fide full-time employee"
means a person who is employed by a licensed dealer or repairer for not less than thirty-five hours per week and appears on the records of such employer as an employee for
whom social security, withholding tax and all deductions required by law have been
made.
(1949 Rev., S. 2400; 1959, P.A. 499; 1961, P.A. 229; 277; 1967, P.A. 860; 1969, P.A. 638; 1971, P.A. 108, S. 2; 649,
S. 4; P.A. 73-233; P.A. 79-2; P.A. 81-172, S. 5; P.A. 84-391, S. 2, 8; P.A. 85-252, S. 2; P.A. 87-43, S. 1.)
History: 1959 act made certain technical changes in loan provisions, required operator to furnish proof of liability and
property damage insurance and established record requirements; 1961 acts added exception for boat dealers, extended loan
period from 5 to 15 days and provided operator's insurance be prime coverage; 1967 act deleted proviso re use of trailer
to transport boats and equipment between demonstration site and place of business; 1969 act added requirement that records
re loaned plates be retained for six months from date of loan; 1971 acts allowed loan of vehicle and/or plates when motor
vehicle "lawfully in the custody" of borrower is being repaired etc., replaced "plates" with "plate" and made technical
corrections; P.A. 73-233 made borrower and loaner of vehicle jointly liable if borrower had no liability and property
damage insurance at time of loan; P.A. 79-2 allowed use of motor vehicle by full-time employee for personal use or use
in connection with business and restricted use by part-time employee to business-connected use only; P.A. 81-172 required
that a copy of the record kept by a dealer or repairer be given to the person who is loaned a number plate or a vehicle and
number plate; P.A. 84-391 added a definition of "bona fide full-time employee"; P.A. 85-252 increased the maximum time
period during which a dealer or repairer may loan a vehicle or number plate to any person from 15 to 30 days and permitted
dealers, repairers or their bona fide full-time employees to operate vehicles for pickup and delivery of parts; P.A. 87-43
divided the section into Subsecs., requiring dealers and repairers to maintain a record of additional information re assigned
and unassigned number plates.
Cited. 86 C. 412. Loaning plates in violation of former statute is not ground of actionable negligence. 114 C. 262. Cited.
137 C. 432. Cited. 146 C. 631. In a civil suit, fact that loan would be violation of this section held not to preclude finding
that such a loan was made. 148 C. 283. Mere violation does not create liability. 161 C. 388. Use of repairer truck to carry
plaintiff's own repossessed property was not improper under section 14-60. 165 C. 10. As to which of two policies affords
the "prime coverage" in case of an accident to a loaned motor vehicle, provisions of this section prevail over provisions
of either or both policies. By doing business and issuing policies in this state, a foreign insurance company must comply
with this statute. 167 C. 499. "Where, as in this case, the dealer bears no responsibility for damages the dealer's insurer
cannot be held liable under the statutes". 199 C. 245.
Excess insurance policy clause, invalid. 30 CS 131.
Court not obliged to believe testimony that registration was pending. 2 Conn. Cir. Ct. 378.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 241 C. 792.