§ 14-12h — Maintenance and compilation of record of all suspended registrations. Availability. Stop and detain procedures. Removal of plates. Seizure, impoundment and forfeiture of vehicle.

Connecticut § 14-12h

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 14: Motor Vehicles. Use of the Highway By Vehicles. Gasoline
• Ch. 246: Motor Vehicles

Text

(a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall compile and maintain a record of all registrations suspended in accordance with the provisions of sections 14-12c and 14-12g. The commissioner shall update the information contained in such record not less than once per week and shall make available to all law enforcement agencies in this state a list of all registration number plates for vehicles whose registration has been suspended. Such list shall contain the number plate numbers, letters or number and letter combinations and the address at which the vehicle was registered. The commissioner may make available the entire list or a portion thereof and may utilize one or more formats for presenting the information contained therein to facilitate its use. (b) (1) If any police officer observes a motor vehicle being operated upon the public highway, and such motor vehicle is displaying registration number plates identified as suspended on the list made available by the commissioner, such police officer may (A) stop or detain such vehicle and its occupants, (B) issue to the operator a complaint for operating an unregistered motor vehicle, or expired registration if the vehicle is not being operated, in violation of section 14-12 , and (C) remove the registration number plates from the vehicle and return them to any branch office of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If any police officer, motor vehicle inspector or constable observes a motor vehicle parked in any parking area, as defined in section 14-212 , and such motor vehicle is displaying registration number plates identified as suspended on the list made available by the commissioner, such police officer, motor vehicle inspector or constable is authorized to remove the registration number plates from the vehicle and to return them to any branch office of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If a number plate is identified as suspended on the list provided by the commissioner and such identification is in error, the state shall indemnify any police officer, motor vehicle inspector or constable for any claim for damages made against that individual as a result of such individual's good faith reliance on the accuracy of the list provided by the commissioner regarding the confiscation of number plates. (2) If any police officer observes a motor vehicle being operated upon the public highway or parked in any parking area, as defined in section 14-212 , displaying registration number plates identified on the list made available by the commissioner as being suspended, such police officer may seize and impound the vehicle. If a police officer seizes and impounds a vehicle pursuant to this subdivision, such officer shall give notice to the commissioner in such form as the commissioner may require. The police officer shall give such notice not later than three days after seizing and impounding the vehicle. (c) Any motor vehicle that has been impounded in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section shall not be released to the owner or person otherwise entitled to possession of the vehicle unless such owner or person presents a valid registration and a current automobile insurance identification card. Any such impounded motor vehicle that is not reclaimed by the owner of such motor vehicle within forty-five days after impounding shall be subject to forfeiture to the state. See Sec. 38a-343a re requirement that insurance companies notify the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of the cancellation of private passenger motor vehicle liability insurance policies.

Legislative History

(P.A. 93-298, S. 4, 11; P.A. 97-226, S. 1; P.A. 98-215, S. 2; P.A. 99-232, S. 2; P.A. 00-99, S. 45, 154; P.A. 01-195, S. 18, 181; P.A. 05-282, S. 3; P.A. 06-196, S. 280; P.A. 07-167, S. 15; P.A. 10-7, S. 6.) History: P.A. 93-298 effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 97-226 amended Subsec. (c) to require confiscation fee remitted to governmental entity to be deposited in Asset Forfeiture Fund and if there is no such fund, in the general fund of such entity; P.A. 98-215 amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes, insert Subdiv. and Subpara. designators and add new language as Subdiv. (b)(2) re seizure, impoundment and notice to commissioner, amended Subdiv. (c)(4) to increase restoration fee from $100 to $250 for first 31 days of cancellation, and $5 per additional day up to 90 days or $545, and to allow commissioner to reduce fee to $100 if he finds that vehicle was not operated, and added new Subsec. (d) re owner's ability to regain possession and re forfeiture for vehicle impounded more than 45 days (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (c) the phrase “... if the number plates of the vehicle whose registration was cancelled has been confiscated, ...” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “... if the number plates of the vehicle whose registration was cancelled have been confiscated, ...”); P.A. 99-232 deleted Subsec. (c)(3) re requirement that owner furnish proof of financial responsibility for not less than one year, in accordance with Sec. 14-112, redesignating former Subdiv. (4) as (3), and substituted “the owner's name” for “his name” and “the owner” for “such owner”; P.A. 00-99 deleted references to sheriff and deputy sheriff in Subsecs. (b) and (c), effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsec. (b) for the purposes of gender neutrality, effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 05-282 changed “cancelled” to “suspended” throughout, amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to Secs. 14-12f to 14-12k, 38a-343 and 38a-343a with reference to Sec. 14-12g, amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) by deleting “an infractions” and amended Subsec. (c) by deleting provisions re procedure for acquiring new or renewal registration after cancellation; P.A. 06-196 made technical changes in Subsec. (c), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 07-167 deleted former Subsec. (c) re confiscation fee, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as new Subsec. (c) and amended same by replacing provisions re compliance with former Subsec. (c) with provision re reclamation of vehicle within 45 days after impounding and making conforming changes; P.A. 10-7 amended Subsec. (c) to require owner or person entitled to possession of impounded motor vehicle to present valid registration and current automobile insurance identification card before such vehicle can be released and to make technical changes.