(a) Each sale shall be evidenced by an order properly signed by both the buyer and seller, a copy of which shall be furnished to the buyer when executed, and an invoice upon delivery of the motor vehicle, both of which shall contain the following information: (1) Make of vehicle; (2) year of model, whether sold as new or used, and on invoice the identification number; (3) deposit, and (A) if the deposit is not refundable, the words “No Refund of Deposit” shall appear at this point, and (B) if the deposit is conditionally refundable, the words “Conditional Refund of Deposit” shall appear at this point, followed by a statement giving the conditions for refund, and (C) if the deposit is unconditionally refundable, the words “Unconditional Refund” shall appear at this point; (4) cash selling price; (5) finance charges, and (A) if these charges do not include insurance, the words “No Insurance” shall appear at this point, and (B) if these charges include insurance, a statement shall appear at this point giving the exact type of coverage; (6) allowance on motor vehicle traded in, if any, and description of the same; (7) stamped or printed in a size equal to at least ten-point bold type on the face of both order and invoice one of the following forms: (A) “This motor vehicle not guaranteed”, or (B) “This motor vehicle is guaranteed”, followed by a statement as to the terms of such guarantee, which terms shall include the duration of the guarantee or the number of miles the guarantee shall remain in effect. Such statement shall not apply to household furnishings of any trailer; (8) if the motor vehicle is new but has been subject to use by the seller or use in connection with his business as a dealer, the word “demonstrator” shall be clearly displayed on the face of both order and invoice; (9) any dealer conveyance fee or processing fee and a statement that such fee is not payable to the state of Connecticut printed in at least ten-point bold type on the face of both order and invoice; and (10) the dealer's legal name, address and license number. For the purposes of this subdivision, “dealer conveyance fee” or “processing fee” means a fee charged by a dealer to recover reasonable costs for processing all documentation and performing services related to the closing of a sale, including, but not limited to, the registration and transfer of ownership of the motor vehicle which is the subject of the sale.

(b) (1) The selling price quoted by any dealer to a prospective buyer shall include, separately stated, the amount of the dealer conveyance fee and that such fee is negotiable. No dealer conveyance fee shall be added to the selling price at the time the order is signed by the buyer.

(2) No dealer shall include in the selling price a dealer preparation charge for any item or service for which the dealer is reimbursed by the manufacturer or any item or service not specifically ordered by the buyer and itemized on the invoice.

(c) Each dealer shall provide a written statement to the buyer and prominently display a sign in the area of such dealer's place of business in which sales are negotiated which shall specify the amount of any conveyance or processing fee charged by such dealer, the services performed by the dealer for such fee, that such fee is negotiable, that such fee is not payable to the state of Connecticut and that the buyer may elect, where appropriate, to submit the documentation required for the registration and transfer of ownership of the motor vehicle which is the subject of the sale to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in which case the dealer shall reduce such fee by a proportional amount. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall determine the size, typeface and arrangement of such information.

(d) No dealer licensed under the provisions of section 14-52 shall sell any used motor vehicle without furnishing to the buyer, at the time of sale, a valid certificate of title, the assignment and warranty of title by such dealer or other evidence of title issued by another state or country, where applicable, disclosing the existence of any lien, security interest in or other encumbrance on the vehicle. Any dealer that violates this subsection shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

(e) No person, firm or corporation shall sell a motor vehicle at a public or private auction without furnishing to the buyer, at the time of sale, a valid certificate of title, the assignment and warranty of title by such person, firm or corporation, or other evidence of title issued by another state or country, where applicable, disclosing the existence of any lien, security interest in or other encumbrance on the vehicle.

(f) The provisions of subsection (d) of this section shall not apply to the sale of any used motor vehicle by a new car dealer to a person, firm or corporation which, pursuant to a lease contract option, purchases such vehicle at the end of the lease term provided (1) such vehicle is registered in this state in accordance with the provisions of section 14-12, (2) the certificate of title for such vehicle is in the possession of a lessor licensed under the provisions of section 14-15, (3) subsequent to such sale, such vehicle is registered in the name of the prior lessee, and (4) such dealer obtains the certificate of title from such lessor and transmits all necessary documents and fees to the commissioner not later than ten days following the issuance of a motor vehicle registration for such vehicle.

(g) Before offering any used motor vehicle for retail sale, the selling dealer shall complete a comprehensive safety inspection of such vehicle. Such safety inspection shall cover all applicable equipment and components contained in sections 14-80 to 14-106d, inclusive, and such inspection shall be evidenced on a form approved by the commissioner. The selling dealer shall attest to such form under the penalty of false statement, as prescribed in section 53a-157b, and shall state that the vehicle has undergone any necessary repairs and has been deemed to be in condition for legal operation on any highway of this state. In the event defects are found but not repaired, and the vehicle is not subject to any warranty under section 42-221, the selling dealer shall note all such defects on the form and may sell such vehicle in “as is” condition. Any vehicle sold in “as is” condition with one or more defects in the equipment or components shall have the retail purchase order, invoice, title and assignment documents prominently marked as “not in condition for legal operation on the highways” with an explanation of defects noted on such retail purchase order, invoice and safety inspection form. A dealer selling any vehicle pursuant to this subsection shall require a purchaser to acknowledge the vehicle condition by obtaining such purchaser's signature on the retail purchase order, invoice and safety inspection forms, copies of which shall be furnished to the buyer upon execution. No dealer shall charge any fee to a customer for the completion of such safety inspection or for any repairs required to remedy defects discovered during such safety inspection pursuant to this subsection, except that nothing herein shall (1) limit or otherwise regulate the retail sales price charged by a dealer for a vehicle that has been inspected or repaired prior to sale; or (2) negate or preempt any provisions of chapter 743f. This subsection shall not apply to fees for any inspection or any work performed under the terms of a lease buy back. Any dealer that fails to conduct the safety inspection required in this subsection shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

(h) No dealer licensed under section 14-52 shall deliver or permit a retail purchaser to take possession or delivery of any used motor vehicle until such purchaser has paid in full for the vehicle or until financing offered by the dealer for such vehicle has been approved by the lending institution or other entity through which any financing agreement has been made. Any dealer that violates this subsection shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

(1949 Rev., S. 2402; 1961, P.A. 587; 1963, P.A. 456; 1967, P.A. 271; P.A. 79-307; 79-631, S. 88, 111; P.A. 80-118; P.A. 89-244, S. 1; P.A. 97-51, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-182, S. 18, 22; P.A. 07-172, S. 1; P.A. 12-81, S. 35; P.A. 13-271, S. 23; P.A. 14-130, S. 17; 14-187, S. 38; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 426; P.A. 18-164, S. 8.)

History: 1961 act added Subdiv. (8); 1963 act added requirement copy of order be furnished to buyer; 1967 act changed required information on order and invoice by substituting “make of vehicle” for “name” and “identification number” for “motor number”, by requiring statement whether vehicle sold as new or used, by requiring guarantee statement to be in at least ten-point bold type rather than in “large letters” and by specifically excluding household furnishings from guarantee; P.A. 79-307 added Subsec. (b) re preparation charges; P.A. 79-631 made technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 80-118 clarified required deposit information re refunds; P.A. 89-244 added Subsec. (c), requiring used car dealers to furnish certificate of title or other evidence of title to buyer at time of sale of any used motor vehicle; P.A. 97-51 amended Subsec. (c) to make prohibition applicable to all dealers licensed under Sec. 14-52 in lieu of used car dealers and added Subsec. (d) re exemption from provisions of Subsec. (c) for sales of used motor vehicles at end of lease term, effective May 14, 1997; P.A. 98-182 added Subsec. (a)(9) requiring an order and invoice to contain information on any dealer conveyance fee or processing fee and a statement that such fee is not payable to the state, printed in at least ten-point bold type and defining “dealer conveyance fee” and “processing fee” and added a new Subsec. (c) requiring dealer to provide a written statement to the buyer or prominently display a sign, in a size specified by the commissioner, specifying the amount of any conveyance or processing fee, the services performed for such fee, that such fee is not payable to the state and that the buyer may submit registration and transfer of ownership documentation to the commissioner and the dealer shall reduce the fee by a proportional amount, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 07-172 added new Subsec. (e) re furnishing of certificate of title, assignment and warranty of title or other evidence of title to buyer on sale of motor vehicle at public or private auction, redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f) and made a technical change therein, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 12-81 added Subsec. (g) re safety inspection of used motor vehicle, attestation by dealer, repair or notice and explanation of defects, sale in “as is” condition, acknowledgment of vehicle condition by purchaser and prohibition on charging of fees for such inspection and repairs to remedy defects; P.A. 13-271 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re violation to be a class B misdemeanor, amended Subsec. (g) to replace reference to Sec. 42-224(a) with reference to Sec. 42-221, to add provision re copies of purchase order, invoice and safety inspection forms to be furnished to buyer upon execution and to add provision re failure to conduct safety inspection to be a class B misdemeanor, and added Subsec. (h) re prohibition of delivery of used motor vehicle until purchaser has paid in full or financing has been approved; P.A. 14-130 amended Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. (10) requiring orders and invoices to contain dealer's legal name, address and license number, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 14-187 amended Subsec. (a)(7)(B) to add requirement that terms include duration of guarantee or number of miles guarantee to remain in effect, effective July 1, 2014; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (2) and adding Subdiv. (1) re separate statement of dealer conveyance fee and that fee is negotiable, amended Subsec. (c) by requiring both a written statement and a sign that includes statement that fee is negotiable, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 18-164 amended Subsec. (f) to increase period of time for dealer to submit documents and fees re registration to commissioner from 5 days to 10 days, effective July 1, 2018.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 151 C. 678; 165 C. 416. Imposes a disclosure obligation only, and is not a substantive limitation on the amount a car dealer may charge as a “conveyance fee”. 281 C. 417.

Cited. 35 CS 625.