State guide
Connecticut
Connecticut treats a vehicle as abandoned after more than 24 hours on a highway or on property other than the person’s own without consent. Municipalities handle many abandoned-vehicle removals under CGS §14-150, while CT DMV publishes the towing, notice, sale, and transfer procedures towers use after removal.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- When a vehicle counts as abandoned
- Under CGS §14-150(a), a motor vehicle is abandoned if left within highway limits or on property other than the person’s own without the owner’s consent for longer than 24 hours.
- Removing one from private property
- An owner or lessee may order a nonconsensual tow from private property under CT DMV’s towing rules; the tower must notify local police within 2 hours, and if unclaimed after 48 hours must send certified-mail notice using Form H-114.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- For municipal low-value unusable vehicles meeting CGS §14-150(d), title vests immediately in the municipality and H-109 is sent to DMV within 48 hours; for other unclaimed towed vehicles, the tower follows DMV lien/sale procedures and transfers with the DMV Affidavit of Compliance plus H-110.
- State agency
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles; municipalities and local police also handle abandoned-vehicle tagging and removal under CGS §14-150.
- Official forms or instructions
- Official page →
Official resources in Connecticut
CT DMV towing procedures and rates
Official CT DMV instructions covering private-property tows, notice to police and owners, hearings, liens, and sale/disposal steps for unclaimed vehicles.
CT DMV forms page
Official CT DMV forms index listing abandoned-motor-vehicle forms including H-110.
Municipality Report of Abandoned Motor Vehicle (H-109)
Official DMV form municipalities use when title vests under CGS §14-150(d).
Abandoned Motor Vehicle Sale Notification (H-110)
Official DMV sale-notification form given to the purchaser and reported to DMV after an abandoned-vehicle sale.
Key facts for Connecticut
- A person who leaves a motor vehicle on a highway or on property other than their own without consent for longer than 24 hours commits an infraction.
- For a private-property tow ordered by an owner or lessee, the tower must notify the local police department within 2 hours.
- If that privately towed vehicle is still unclaimed after 48 hours, the tower must mail Form H-114 by certified mail to the owner and lienholders.
- If a no-plate or invalid-plate vehicle is apparently abandoned, worth $500 or less, and unusable, title immediately vests in the municipality on custody.
- For vehicles valued at $1,500 or less, the tower may start disposal after at least 15 days by filing Form H-100 or H-100A with DMV.
- CT DMV’s main page links a Towing Portal to find owner and lien information for abandoned or towed vehicles.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in Connecticut
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford 311 - Report an Abandoned Car in Roadway Hartford | Hartford | Not published* | Official Hartford 311 page for reporting cars abandoned in roadways; page also lists alternate phone and Public Works location. |
| Bridgeport 311 Fairfield | Bridgeport | Not published* | Official city reporting portal powered by SeeClickFix for reporting concerns and questions, including city service issues. |
| Bridgeport Police Department - Towing Operations Fairfield | Bridgeport | Not published* | Official towing-operations page linking municipal codes, tower applications, DMV requirements, and current tower contacts. |
| Stamford Police Department - How Do I / Parking Enforcement Fairfield | Stamford | Not published* | Official Stamford guidance says Parking Enforcement handles reports of abandoned vehicles and vehicles not moved in 5 days; police non-emergency number appears on related city FAQ pages. |
| Waterbury Request for Service / 311 New Haven | Waterbury | (203) 597-3444 | Official Waterbury non-emergency service-request portal for residents to submit requests online, by app, or by calling 311. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If the vehicle is on your private property without authorization, use a licensed tower and make sure the tower gives the required police notice within 2 hours.
- If the vehicle may qualify for municipal vesting under CGS §14-150(d), ask the town or police whether they will process H-109 rather than treating it as a private-property tow.
- Before buying an abandoned vehicle from a tower, confirm you receive the DMV Affidavit of Compliance and Form H-110 at transfer.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Connecticut's population center, for comparison only):
- Abandoned Autos, New York · about 65 miles
- Problem Solver, New York · about 65 miles
- Worcester 311 Requests, Massachusetts · about 75 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.CT DMV towing procedures and rates
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Connecticut page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.