Assault Weapons Registration

In Connecticut, a person who lawfully possessed an assault weapon before it was prohibited was able to apply for a certificate of possession for the assault weapon by October 1, 1994.¹

Certificates must contain a unique, detailed description of the firearm, including all identification marks, the name, address, date of birth and thumbprint of the owner, and any other information DESPP may deem appropriate.² Such weapons may only be transferred to licensed firearms dealers or pass by bequest or intestate succession.³ In the latter case, the person obtaining title to the weapon must, within 90 days: 1) apply to DESPP for a certificate of possession; 2) render the weapon permanently inoperable; 3) sell the weapon to a licensed gun dealer; or 4) remove the weapon from the state.⁴

Deadly Weapon Offender Registry

The Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Commissioner) must establish and maintain a registry of all persons required to register under Connecticut law as offenders convicted of an offense committed with a deadly weapon.⁵ Upon receipt of registration information, DESPP must enter the information into the registry and notify the local law enforcement. The Commissioner must ensure that the name and residence address of each registrant is available through the Connecticut on-line law enforcement communication teleprocessing system maintained by DESPP.⁶ The registry must include the most recent photographic image of each registrant taken by a relevant law enforcement agency.⁷

The information in the registry is not considered a public record or file.⁸

Any person convicted of an offense committed with a deadly weapon who is released into the community on or after January 1, 2014, must, within 14 days following such release, register his or her name, identifying factors, criminal history record, residence address and electronic mail address with the Commissioner, on forms prescribed by the Commissioner, and must maintain this registration for five years.⁹

Before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere from a person with respect to an offense committed with a deadly weapon, the court must:

• Inform the person that the entry of a finding of guilty after acceptance of the plea will subject the person to the registration requirements; and
• Determine that the person fully understands the consequences of the plea.¹⁰

If any person subject to these registration requirements changes his or her name, that person must notify the Commissioner in writing of the new name. The same requirement holds if the person changes his or her address.¹¹

Any offender convicted of committing a crime with a deadly weapon who is required to register must, not later than 20 days after each anniversary date of his or her initial registration, appear personally at the local police department or state police troop to verify and update the contents of the registration. Not later than 30 days prior to the registration anniversary date, DESPP must mail written notice of the personal appearance requirement to the registrant and the local police department or state police troop having jurisdiction where the registrant resides. Not later than 30 days after the registration anniversary date of each registrant, the local police department or state police troop where the registrant resides must notify the Commissioner of the following:

• Whether the registrant complied with the personal appearance requirement or whether such personal appearance requirement was deferred to a later date for good cause shown; and
• If the personal appearance requirement was deferred, the local police department or state police troop must indicate the later date established for such personal appearance and describe the good cause shown.¹²

Deadly Weapon Offender Registration Information Requirements

Effective January 1, 2014, the registration information for each registrant must include:

• The offender’s name, including any other name by which the offender has been legally known, and any aliases used by the offender;
• Identifying information, including a physical description of the offender;
• The current residence address of the offender;
• The date of conviction of the offense;
• A description of the offense; and
• If the offender was sentenced to a term of incarceration for such offense, a portion of which was not suspended, the date the offender was released from such incarceration.¹³

The offender must sign and date the registration.¹⁴ At the time the offender appears for the purpose of registering, DESPP must photograph the offender and arrange for the fingerprinting of the offender, and must include the photograph and complete set of fingerprints in the registry.¹⁵ DESPP may require the offender to provide documentation to verify the contents of his or her registration.¹⁶

Whenever a superior court or probate court in Connecticut orders a name change of a person, that court must notify the Commissioner of the issuance of such order if the court finds that such person is listed in the above registry.¹⁷

Connecticut has no other laws requiring the registration of firearms. See the section entitled Retention of Sales / Background Check Records in Connecticut for information about the reporting of firearm sales.

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1. Conn. Gen. Stat.§ 53-202d(a). Any person who possesses a “2023 assault weapon” has until May 1, 2024 to apply for a certificate of possession. See “Assault Weapons in Connecticut” for more information.[↩]
2. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202d(a)(4).[↩]
3. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202d(b).[↩]
4. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202d(c).[↩]
5. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280(b).[↩]
6. Id.[↩]
7. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280(d).[↩]
8. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280(g).[↩]
9. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280a(a)(1).[↩]
10. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280a(a)(2).[↩]
11. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280a(a)(3).[↩]
12. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280a(b).[↩]
13. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280b(a).[↩]
14. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280b(b).[↩]
15. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280b(c).[↩]
16. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-280b(d).[↩]
17. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-99(c), 52-11(c).[↩]