GUIDE FOR NEW CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS

Myriads of small but vitally important tasks face anyone relocating to a new state. The following is a directory which will inform new residents of Connecticut of the various requirements and institutions of his or her new place of residence.

RESIDENCY

There is no formal procedure for establishing residency in Connecticut. Voter or automobile registration, a driver’s license, the appearance of a person’s name on a city or town street list, and rent, utility, mortgage or telephone bills normally provide tangible proof of residence. However, individual public or private agencies or institutions may have their own requirements for proof of residence.

VOTER REGISTRATION

If you are a United States citizen, a Connecticut resident, and you will be 18 years old on or before Election Day, you may register to vote in Connecticut at your city or town hall as soon as you have established an address in the state. Voter registration in Connecticut is permanent. You must register again only if you change your address or change your name.

TAX STRUCTURE

· Personal Income Tax: 0%-5% of your Federal Adjusted Gross Income.

· Capital Gains Tax: Taxed under General Personal Income Tax.

· Interest and Dividends Tax: Taxed under General Personal Income Tax.

· Sales and Use Tax: 6%

LICENSES/PERMITS

Marriage: The legal age to marry in Connecticut is 18. All people who marry in Connecticut must obtain a marriage license from a city or town clerk.

Fishing/Hunting: Fishing and hunting licenses are required for all persons who plan to fish or hunt in any inland waters. City or town clerks issue licenses. Costs vary depending on the type of license. Further information can be obtained through the Department of Environmental Protection.

Boats/Recreational Vehicles: All boats with engines and all motor vehicles utilized as recreational vehicles must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Drinking Age: The legal drinking age in Connecticut is 21. Proper identification is either a Connecticut driver’s license or a liquor purchase card obtained from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Guns: Pistol permits are issued by local police departments and are valid only within that jurisdiction. Statewide permits may be obtained through the state police. In Connecticut, a mandatory prison sentence and $5,000 fine is imposed on anyone illegally carrying a handgun or other firearm. For further information on permits and regulations, contact your local police department.

AUTOMOBILES

Inspection: Before registering your car in Connecticut, you must have it inspected at one of the inspection stations that has been certified by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Emissions and safety inspections cost $35.

Registration: New residents of Connecticut must register their automobiles within 30 days of establishing residency. You will need to present proof that your vehicle has been inspected in Connecticut. Contact your nearest DMV branch office for specific fees and insurance requirements. Registrations are renewed every two years.

Driver’s License: New residents of Connecticut must apply for a Connecticut driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency. You will need to present your existing photo license plus two other forms of identification (one with your date of birth). Contact your nearest DMV branch office for specific fees for the driver’s license application and the issue of your first photo license (expiration date can range from 3-5 years depending on your date of birth). Payments may be made in cash or by check (two checks will be required).

Sales Tax: If you move to Connecticut within six months of purchasing a car in another state, you must pay either the full sales tax (6%) on the car or the difference between the Connecticut sales tax and the sales tax of the state in which the car was purchased.

TRANSPORTATION

Highways: Connecticut has a network of state highways, which connects all major cities and towns throughout the state. Interstate highways, which serve Connecticut, include Interstates 84, 86 and 91. In addition, the Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) and the Merritt Parkway (15), extend from the southwestern corner of the state along Long Island Sound.

Airports: Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks is the largest passenger terminal in Connecticut. Several smaller local airports are located throughout the state and are administered by the Bureau of Aeronautics. These include the Groton-New London, Hartford-Brainard, Danielson, Waterbury-Oxford, Windham and Willimantic Airports.

Trains: Several Connecticut communities are serviced by the Amtrak rail system, with eastern corridor connections to New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC

Buses: Several national bus companies operate in Connecticut’s large communities in bus terminals. Local companies provide service in small communities.

Public Transportation: Publicly operated rail and bus lines serve several communities in Connecticut. Further information on these systems may be obtained through the Bureau of Public Transportation.

EDUCATION

Public Schools: Primary and secondary schools are under the jurisdiction of the cities or towns, which they serve. Connecticut has eighteen regional school districts that are comprised of two or more towns. According to state regulations, a child must be enrolled in school during the calendar year in which he or she turns seven years old. State law requires those children between the ages of seven and sixteen must attend school regularly.

Private Schools: Several accredited private schools, both primary and secondary, are located in Connecticut. Information on the schools can be obtained from the National Association of Independent Schools, Boston, Massachusetts.

Higher Education: There are 46 institutions of higher learning, public and private, located in Connecticut. Twenty-two of these are state institutions, including the University of Connecticut, four state colleges, five state technical colleges and twelve regional community colleges. The United States Coast Guard Academy is located in New London.

REFERRALS

Doctors: To locate a doctor in your area, contact:

Connecticut Medical Society

160 St. Ronan Street

New Haven, CT 06511

(203) 865-0587

Dentists: To locate a dentist in your area, contact:

Connecticut Dental Association

62 Russ Street

Hartford, CT 06106

(860) 278-5550

For further information on any of these subjects, contact:

Governor’s State Information Bureau

Room G-7

State Office Building

Hartford, CT 06106

(860) 566-2750

GENERAL INFORMATION