CGS 53-202d:
Certificate of Possession for Assault Weapons

Connecticut General Statutes Section 53-202d establishes the Certificate of Possession system, which allows persons who lawfully possessed assault weapons before the applicable prohibition dates to retain those weapons by registering them with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP).^[1]

Registration Windows

Connecticut has opened three separate registration windows corresponding to each expansion of the assault weapon definition:

• First window (1993-1994): Persons who lawfully possessed an assault weapon as defined in CGS 53-202a(1)(A), which covers selective-fire firearms, the specified semiautomatic firearms of the original named model list and parts designed to convert a firearm into one of them, prior to October 1, 1993, were required to apply for a Certificate of Possession by October 1, 1994.^[1]
• Second window (2013-2014): Following the 2013 reforms, persons who lawfully possessed newly defined assault weapons on April 4, 2013, were required to apply by January 1, 2014.^[1]
• Third window (2023-2024): HB 6667 (Public Act 23-53) opened a third registration window for weapons newly classified as "2023 assault weapons" (subparagraphs G through I). Owners were required to apply by May 1, 2024.^[2]

Application Requirements

The application is made to DESPP. The certificate of possession contains these items.^[1]

• A description of the firearm that identifies it uniquely, including all identification marks
• The full name, address, date of birth and thumbprint of the owner
• Any other information the department may deem appropriate

A member of the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States who is unable to apply by the deadline because the member is or was on official duty outside of this state must apply within ninety days of returning to the state.

Confidentiality

The name and address of a person issued a Certificate of Possession is confidential and may not be disclosed to the public. Records may be disclosed only to law enforcement agencies, employees of the United States Probation Office and parole officers within the Department of Correction acting in the performance of their duties, and the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out CGS 17a-500(c).^[1]

Permitted Possession and Use

A person who has been issued a Certificate of Possession may possess the assault weapon only under these conditions.^[1]

• At the person's residence, place of business or other property owned by the person, or on property owned by another person with the owner's express permission
• On the premises of a target range of a public or private club or organization organized for the purpose of practicing shooting at targets
• On a target range which holds a regulatory or business license for the purpose of practicing shooting at that target range
• On the premises of a licensed shooting club
• While attending any exhibition, display or educational project which is about firearms and which is sponsored by, conducted under the auspices of, or approved by a law enforcement agency or a nationally or state recognized entity that fosters proficiency in, or promotes education about, firearms
• While transporting the assault weapon between any of these places, or to a licensed gun dealer for servicing or repair, as CGS 53-202f requires

During transport between permitted locations, a registered assault weapon may not be carried loaded and concealed from public view. In a vehicle, it must be unloaded and kept in the trunk or in a case or other container inaccessible to the operator and passengers.

Transfer Restrictions

No assault weapon possessed under a Certificate of Possession may be sold or transferred to any person within Connecticut other than to a licensed gun dealer, a police department, or DESPP, except by bequest or intestate succession or, upon the death of a testator or settlor, to a trust or from a trust to a beneficiary eligible to possess the weapon. Transfer by bequest or intestate succession (inheritance) is permitted under CGS 53-202d. A person who obtains title this way must, within ninety days of obtaining title, apply to DESPP for a certificate of possession, render the assault weapon permanently inoperable, sell it to a licensed gun dealer or remove it from the state.^[1]

When an owner sells or transfers an assault weapon to a licensed gun dealer, the dealer must, at the time of delivery, execute a certificate of transfer and mail or deliver it to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The certificate of transfer contains the date of sale or transfer, the names and addresses of the seller or transferor and the licensed gun dealer, their Social Security numbers or motor vehicle operator license numbers, if applicable, the dealer's federal firearms license number and seller's permit number, a description of the weapon including caliber, make, model, and serial number, and any other information the commissioner prescribes.

Loss or Theft Reporting

Under CGS 53-202g, any person who lawfully possesses an assault weapon that is lost or stolen from that person must report the loss or theft to the organized local police department for the town in which the loss or theft occurred or, if the town has no organized local police department, to the state police troop having jurisdiction for the town, within 72 hours of when the person discovered or should have discovered the loss or theft.^[3]

See also: Connecticut Assault Weapon Registration Guide