Connecticut's Department of Motor Vehicles adopts the federal motor carrier safety regulations, Part 391 included, for carriers in the state. It draws the weight line in a different place for in-state work, and it gives intrastate drivers no medical exemptions. Here is what that means for your driver files.
Source: FMCSA Company Census File, September 2026
State rules
R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-2
Connecticut applies the federal rules to intrastate vehicles rated or weighing 18,001 lbs or more, and to interstate vehicles from 10,001 lbs. Placarded hazmat loads and vehicles built for more than 15 passengers are covered at any weight. Otherwise a 15,000-lb truck on Connecticut-only work falls below the state line, and the same truck on a job in Massachusetts does not.
R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-4
For vehicles used solely in intrastate work, Connecticut sets the minimum driver age at 18 in place of the federal 21. Interstate trips still require a driver who is at least 21.
R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-1(b)
Connecticut adopts the federal physical qualification standards without the exemptions federal law gives drivers who stay in one state. An intrastate driver needs the same medical certification as an interstate one; any variation has to be requested in writing from the DMV Commissioner (§ 14-163c-10).
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-163c(d)-(e)
Police officers and DMV motor vehicle inspectors may enter a carrier's premises to inspect and copy records and run compliance reviews. A second or later intrastate violation can bring a civil penalty of $1,000 to $10,000.
The checklist
| Document | Rule | When | Connecticut note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment application | §391.21 | At hire | Same as the federal rule |
| Driving record from each licensing state | §391.23 | Within 30 days of hire | Connecticut DMV, plus Massachusetts, New York or any other state that licensed the driver in the past three years |
| Previous employers' safety history | §391.23 | Within 30 days of hire | Same as the federal rule |
| Road test certificate, or a CDL in its place | §391.31 · §391.33 | At hire | Same as the federal rule |
| Medical examiner's certificate | §391.43 | Up to every 24 months | Same physical standards for intrastate drivers; Connecticut adopts no intrastate medical exemptions (R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-1(b)) |
| Annual driving record review | §391.25 | Every 12 months | Order a new Connecticut DMV record each year |
Keep each file for as long as the driver works for you, plus three years (§391.51).
Questions
Under R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-2: vehicles in intrastate commerce rated or weighing 18,001 lbs or more, vehicles in interstate commerce from 10,001 lbs, vehicles designed to carry more than 15 passengers including the driver, and vehicles carrying placarded amounts of hazardous materials.
No. When Connecticut adopted the federal physical qualification rules, it left out the exemptions federal law provides for drivers who do not operate in interstate commerce (R.C.S.A. § 14-163c-1(b)). A carrier can ask the DMV Commissioner in writing for a variation under § 14-163c-10.
A first violation is an infraction. For a second or later violation arising from intrastate operation, the DMV Commissioner can impose a civil penalty of $1,000 to $10,000 and, if the order is ignored, suspend the carrier's registrations (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-163c(e)).
From the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles for a Connecticut-licensed driver. The hiring check also needs a record from every other state that licensed the driver in the past three years.
Bring one real driver file to a 20-minute walkthrough. You'll leave with its score and the exact list of what's missing, whether you sign up or not.