(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 containing the information required in section 38a-364 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 title, the requirement that a person present an automobile insurance identification card to the commissioner or a law enforcement officer may be satisfied by electronic means, including by an in-person display of an electronic image on a cellular mobile telephone or other electronic device. If a person presents such insurance identification card by display of an electronic image on a cellular mobile telephone or other electronic device, the commissioner or law enforcement officer may not view, and offering such display shall not be construed to be consent for the commissioner or law enforcement officer to view, any content on such telephone or electronic device other than the insurance identification card. Neither the state nor a municipality, nor any agency or employee of the state or a municipality, shall be liable for any damage to or destruction of a cellular mobile telephone or other electronic device provided to the commissioner or a law enforcement officer for the purpose of displaying an electronic image of an automobile insurance identification card.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

(e) 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; P.A. 13-271, S. 7; P.A. 18-108, S. 1.)

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; P.A. 13-271 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re insurance identification card containing information required in Sec. 38a-364; P.A. 18-108 added new Subsec. (b) re electronic presentation of automobile insurance identification card and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) to (d) as Subsecs. (c) to (e).

See Sec. 14-12f re exempt vehicles.

Cited. 223 C. 31; 225 C. 257.

Cited. 45 CA 630.

Cited. 36 CS 561.