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HB05285 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES.

Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Planning and Development Committee
Last action
2026-02-20
Official status
Public Hearing 02/27
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information on what happens if a town fails to notify the state about their decision.

Setting Rules for Assessing Older Cars

This act sets rules on how older cars are taxed based on their price when they were first sold.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a tax rate of 10% of the car's original selling price or $500, whichever is less, for cars that are at least 20 years old.
  • Allows towns to choose a different tax rate if their local government decides to use it. In this case, the rate would be 15% of the car’s original selling price or $500, whichever is less.
  • Requires towns choosing the new tax rule to tell the state about their decision.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of older cars that are at least 20 years old.
  • Local governments in Connecticut who can choose a different tax rate for these cars.

Terms To Know

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
The price suggested by the car maker when it first sells the car to dealerships.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify what happens if a town chooses the new tax rule but doesn't tell the state.
  • This law only applies to assessment years starting from October 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 02/27

  2. 2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Planning and Development

Official Summary Text

To specify that older motor vehicles shall be assessed at a rate of ten per cent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price or five hundred dollars, whichever is less, except that in a municipality that has elected to adopt a modified depreciation schedule, such motor vehicles shall be assessed at a rate of fifteen per cent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price or five hundred dollars, whichever is less.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
LCO No. 1265 1 of 4

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5285
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1265

Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduced by:
(PD)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN MOTOR
VEHICLES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subdivision (7) of subsection (b) of section 12-63 of the 2026 1
supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 2
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026 , and applicable to 3
assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2026): 4
(7) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 5
for assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2024, the 6
following schedule of depreciation shall be applicable with respect to 7
motor vehicles based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price of 8
such motor vehicles, provided no motor vehicle manufactured nineteen 9
or fewer years prior to the assessment year for which it is assessed shall 10
be assessed at an amount less than five hundred dollars: 11
T1 Percentage of
T2 Manufacturer's Suggested
T3 Age of Vehicle Retail Price

Raised Bill No. 5285

LCO No. 1265 2 of 4

T4
T5 Up to year one Eighty-five per cent
T6 Year two Eighty per cent
T7 Year three Seventy-five per cent
T8 Year four Seventy per cent
T9 Year five Sixty-five per cent
T10 Year six Sixty per cent
T11 Year seven Fifty-five per cent
T12 Year eight Fifty per cent
T13 Year nine Forty-five per cent
T14 Year ten Forty per cent
T15 Year eleven Thirty-five per cent
T16 Year twelve Thirty per cent
T17 Year thirteen Twenty-five per cent
T18 Year fourteen Twenty per cent
T19 Years fifteen to nineteen Fifteen per cent
T20 Years twenty and beyond [Not less than
T21 five hundred dollars] Ten per
cent or five hundred dollars,
whichever is less

(B) For assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2024, any 12
municipality may, by vote of its legislative body, or in a municipality 13
where the legislative body is a town meeting, by vote of its board of 14
selectmen, elect to apply the following modified schedule of 15
depreciation with respect to motor vehicles based on the manufacturer's 16
suggested retail price of such motor vehicles, provided no motor vehicle 17
manufactured nineteen or fewer years prior to the assessment year for 18
which it is assessed shall be assessed at an amount less than five 19
hundred dollars: 20
T22 Percentage of
T23 Manufacturer's Suggested

Raised Bill No. 5285

LCO No. 1265 3 of 4

T24 Age of Vehicle Retail Price
T25
T26 Up to year one Ninety per cent
T27 Year two Eighty-five per cent
T28 Year three Eighty per cent
T29 Year four Seventy-five per cent
T30 Year five Seventy per cent
T31 Year six Sixty-five per cent
T32 Year seven Sixty per cent
T33 Year eight Fifty-five per cent
T34 Year nine Fifty per cent
T35 Year ten Forty-five per cent
T36 Year eleven Forty per cent
T37 Year twelve Thirty-five per cent
T38 Year thirteen Thirty per cent
T39 Year fourteen Twenty-five per cent
T40 Years fifteen to nineteen Twenty per cent
T41 Years twenty and beyond [Not less than
T42 five hundred dollars] Fifteen
per cent or five hundred
dollars, whichever is less

Any municipality that elects to apply the modified schedule of 21
depreciation described in this subparagraph shall, not later than 22
fourteen days after such election, notify the Secretary of the Office of 23
Policy and Management, in a form and manner prescribed by the 24
secretary, of such election and the first assessment year for which such 25
schedule shall be effective. 26
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Raised Bill No. 5285

LCO No. 1265 4 of 4

Section 1 October 1, 2026, and
applicable to assessment
years commencing on or
after October 1, 2026
12-63(b)(7)

Statement of Purpose:
To specify that older motor vehicles shall be assessed at a rate of ten per
cent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price or five hundred dollars,
whichever is less, except that in a municipality that has elected to adopt
a modified depreciation schedule, such motor vehicles shall be assessed
at a rate of fifteen per cent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price
or five hundred dollars, whichever is less.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]