Connecticut car tax
Connecticut towns tax cars as personal property every year. The town assessor values the car at 70% of its clean retail value as of October 1 and applies the town's motor vehicle mill rate, which state law caps at 32.46 mills. Bills go out in late June and are due July 1.
Value = 70% of clean retail value (state-mandated assessment ratio). The motor vehicle mill rate is capped at 32.46 mills under CGS §12-71e (assessment year Oct 1, 2021 and every year after). Towns may set a lower rate, including zero.
Highest yearly car tax on a $25,000 car
Find your town or city
| Place | Rate | On a $25,000 car |
|---|---|---|
| Andover | 31.58 mills | $553 |
| Ansonia | 29.46 mills | $516 |
| Ashford | 27.8 mills | $487 |
| Avon | 31.8 mills | $557 |
| Barkhamsted | 24.27 mills | $425 |
| Beacon Falls | 23.67 mills | $414 |
| Berlin | 31.15 mills | $545 |
| Bethany | 29.99 mills | $525 |
| Bethel | 31.71 mills | $555 |
| Bethlehem | 23.57 mills | $412 |
| Bloomfield | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Bolton | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Bozrah | 24 mills | $420 |
| Branford | 22.16 mills | $388 |
| Bridgeport | 31.75 mills | $556 |
| Bridgewater | 19.75 mills | $346 |
| Bristol | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Brookfield | 29.97 mills | $524 |
| Brooklyn | 23.31 mills | $408 |
| Burlington | 27.3 mills | $478 |
| Canaan | 23.81 mills | $417 |
| Canterbury | 0 mills | $0 |
| Canton | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Chaplin | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Cheshire | 31.36 mills | $549 |
| Chester | 27.78 mills | $486 |
| Clinton | 22.24 mills | $389 |
| Colchester | 29.92 mills | $524 |
| Colebrook | 25 mills | $438 |
| Columbia | 30.75 mills | $538 |
| Cornwall | 16.62 mills | $291 |
| Coventry | 24.21 mills | $424 |
| Cromwell | 29.28 mills | $512 |
| Danbury | 25.23 mills | $442 |
| Darien | 16.05 mills | $281 |
| Deep River | 22.59 mills | $395 |
| Derby | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Durham | 28 mills | $490 |
| East Granby | 31.1 mills | $544 |
| East Haddam | 28.67 mills | $502 |
| East Hampton | 27.79 mills | $486 |
| East Hartford | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| East Haven | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| East Lyme | 28.95 mills | $507 |
| East Windsor | 26.64 mills | $466 |
| Eastford | 22.2 mills | $389 |
| Easton | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Ellington | 25.42 mills | $445 |
| Enfield | 29.21 mills | $511 |
| Essex | 19.26 mills | $337 |
| Fairfield | 19.19 mills | $336 |
| Farmington | 27.36 mills | $479 |
| Franklin | 21.25 mills | $372 |
| Glastonbury | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Goshen | 16.7 mills | $292 |
| Granby | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Greenwich | 10.125 mills | $177 |
| Griswold | 27.87 mills | $488 |
| Groton | 25.29 mills | $443 |
| Guilford | 28.4 mills | $497 |
| Haddam | 24.98 mills | $437 |
| Hamden | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Hampton | 21.48 mills | $376 |
| Hartford | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Hartland | 23.75 mills | $416 |
| Harwinton | 23.1 mills | $404 |
| Hebron | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Kent | 17.34 mills | $303 |
| Killingly | 21.86 mills | $383 |
| Killingworth | 28.47 mills | $498 |
| Lebanon | 22.5 mills | $394 |
| Ledyard | 25.87 mills | $453 |
| Lisbon | 27.7 mills | $485 |
| Litchfield | 20.5 mills | $359 |
| Lyme | 14.5 mills | $254 |
| Madison | 23.06 mills | $404 |
| Manchester | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Mansfield | 20 mills | $350 |
| Marlborough | 27.1 mills | $474 |
| Meriden | 29.99 mills | $525 |
| Middlebury | 26.46 mills | $463 |
| Middlefield | 31.96 mills | $559 |
| Middletown | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Milford | 28.67 mills | $502 |
| Monroe | 29.88 mills | $523 |
| Montville | 31.43 mills | $550 |
| Morris | 19.41 mills | $340 |
| Naugatuck | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| New Britain | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| New Canaan | 16.967 mills | $297 |
| New Fairfield | 27.54 mills | $482 |
| New Hartford | 27.57 mills | $482 |
| New Haven | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| New London | 27.1 mills | $474 |
| New Milford | 23.5 mills | $411 |
| Newington | 29.41 mills | $515 |
| Newtown | 29.26 mills | $512 |
| Norfolk | 22.49 mills | $394 |
| North Branford | 28.81 mills | $504 |
| North Canaan | 24.75 mills | $433 |
| North Haven | 30.56 mills | $535 |
| North Stonington | 17.5 mills | $306 |
| Norwalk | 22.95 mills | $402 |
| Norwich | 32.17 mills | $563 |
| Old Lyme | 16.86 mills | $295 |
| Old Saybrook | 15.77 mills | $276 |
| Orange | 27.4 mills | $480 |
| Oxford | 20.55 mills | $360 |
| Plainfield | 20.56 mills | $360 |
| Plainville | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Plymouth | 28.73 mills | $503 |
| Pomfret | 21.03 mills | $368 |
| Portland | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Preston | 25.52 mills | $447 |
| Prospect | 28.47 mills | $498 |
| Putnam | 18.5 mills | $324 |
| Redding | 30.47 mills | $533 |
| Ridgefield | 28.36 mills | $496 |
| Rocky Hill | 31.7 mills | $555 |
| Roxbury | 13 mills | $228 |
| Salem | 30.2 mills | $529 |
| Salisbury | 9.8 mills | $172 |
| Scotland | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Seymour | 28.64 mills | $501 |
| Sharon | 11.15 mills | $195 |
| Shelton | 15.51 mills | $271 |
| Sherman | 17.41 mills | $305 |
| Simsbury | 32.36 mills | $566 |
| Somers | 23.46 mills | $411 |
| South Windsor | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Southbury | 25.4 mills | $445 |
| Southington | 23.29 mills | $408 |
| Sprague | 30.7 mills | $537 |
| Stafford | 25.59 mills | $448 |
| Stamford | 24.31 mills | $425 |
| Sterling | 21.94 mills | $384 |
| Stonington | 19.2 mills | $336 |
| Stratford | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Suffield | 24.1 mills | $422 |
| Thomaston | 27.21 mills | $476 |
| Thompson | 19.68 mills | $344 |
| Tolland | 27.78 mills | $486 |
| Torrington | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Trumbull | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Union | 22.76 mills | $398 |
| Vernon | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Voluntown | 20.78 mills | $364 |
| Wallingford | 24.57 mills | $430 |
| Warren | 12.75 mills | $223 |
| Washington | 10.85 mills | $190 |
| Waterbury | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Waterford | 24.54 mills | $429 |
| Watertown | 30.04 mills | $526 |
| West Hartford | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| West Haven | 25.58 mills | $448 |
| Westbrook | 23.25 mills | $407 |
| Weston | 24.57 mills | $430 |
| Westport | 13.2 mills | $231 |
| Wethersfield | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Willington | 26.3 mills | $460 |
| Wilton | 25.0623 mills | $439 |
| Winchester | 30 mills | $525 |
| Windham | 27.85 mills | $487 |
| Windsor | 28.88 mills | $505 |
| Windsor Locks | 22.25 mills | $389 |
| Wolcott | 28.9 mills | $506 |
| Woodbridge | 32.46 mills | $568 |
| Woodbury | 25.04 mills | $438 |
| Woodstock | 20.21 mills | $354 |
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Buying a car in Connecticut: one-time tax
Connecticut sales and use tax on motor vehicles — 6.35% (7.75% at $50,000+). Your trade-in is subtracted before tax.
Cars over $50,000 pay 7.75% on the full price, not just the part above $50,000.
Registration and due dates
Two-year registration for a passenger car is about $120. Title costs $25, and there are separate emissions and plate fees.
The Grand List date is October 1. The regular bill is due July 1 and payable without interest through August 1. Cars registered after October 1 get a supplemental bill due January 1, payable by February 1. Late payments accrue 1.5% interest a month.
Cut what your car costs in Connecticut
Car tax is set by your town, but your loan and insurance aren't. Refinancing a car loan at a lower rate often saves more each year than the tax itself.
Questions
How is the Connecticut car tax calculated?
Assessment = 70% of the car's clean retail value on October 1. Tax = assessment × your town's motor vehicle mill rate ÷ 1,000. The rate cannot exceed 32.46 mills.
What is the motor vehicle mill rate cap?
32.46 mills under CGS §12-71e, which has applied since the 2021 Grand List (bills paid in FY2022-23). It still applies in FY2026-27. A town may set a lower rate, including zero.
I sold my car or moved out of state. Do I still owe?
You can claim a prorated credit. Give the assessor proof such as the DMV plate-cancellation receipt and a bill of sale or new-state registration.
Is there extra sales tax on luxury cars?
Yes. A car priced above $50,000 is taxed at 7.75% on the whole price, instead of the regular 6.35%.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Rates are for passenger cars owned by individuals; leased, business and specialty vehicles can differ. Confirm with your tax collector or commissioner of the revenue.