Connecticut General Statutes/Title 21a/Chapter 416/Section 21a-4

CGS § 21a-4. (Formerly Sec. 19-171b). Refund of fees for unused permits. Fine for payment by check or electronic funds transfer returned as uncollectible. Late fee for late renewal of license, permit, certificate or registration. Reinstatement of lapsed license, permit, certificate or registration. When incomplete application deemed expired and withdrawn.

(a) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may refund to any permittee the fee paid by him for any permit issued by said commissioner and returned to him prior to its use, provided application for such refund shall be made not later than sixty days after the effective date of such permit.

(b) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may impose a fine of twenty dollars on any applicant for a permit or license issued by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection who issues to the commissioner a check or electronic funds transfer drawn on the account of such applicant in payment of a permit or license fee and whose check or electronic funds transfer is returned to the Department of Consumer Protection as uncollectible. In addition, the commissioner may require the applicant to pay to the department any fees charged by a financial institution to the department as a result of such returned check or electronic funds transfer.

(c) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may impose a late fee on any applicant who fails to renew a license, permit, certificate or registration on or before the expiration date of such license, permit, certificate or registration. The amount of the late fee shall be equal to ten per cent of the renewal fee but shall not be less than ten dollars or more than one hundred dollars. Prior to renewing a license, permit, certificate or registration, an applicant shall pay all outstanding fees, including, but not limited to, late fees, owed to the department.

(d) If the Department of Consumer Protection does not receive a completed license, permit, certificate or registration renewal application from an applicant on or before the expiration date of such license, permit, certificate or registration, the department may accept a renewal application for a period of up to ninety days after such expiration date. If the department elects to accept a renewal application during such period, the applicant shall pay any late fee imposed by the commissioner under subsection (c) of this section but shall not be required to apply for reinstatement under subsection (e) of this section. No holder of any lapsed license, permit, certificate or registration shall engage in any activity for which an active license, permit, certificate or registration is required unless the department has approved a renewal application for such license, permit, certificate or registration.

(e) When a license, permit, certificate or registration has lapsed for a period longer than ninety days after its expiration date or the length of time specified in any other provision of the general statutes allowing for its reinstatement, an applicant may apply to the Department of Consumer Protection to reinstate such lapsed license, permit, certificate or registration. Upon receipt of such completed reinstatement application and payment of the corresponding application fee, the department may, in the department's discretion and if such application is made not later than three years after such expiration date or specified time, reinstate such lapsed license, permit, certificate or registration without examination. The applicant, prior to reinstatement by the department, shall attest that the applicant has not worked in the applicable occupation or profession in this state while such license, permit, certificate or registration was lapsed, pay the current year's renewal fee for reinstatement and take any continuing education required for the year preceding such reinstatement and the year of such reinstatement. If the applicant worked in the applicable occupation or profession in this state while such license, permit, certificate or registration was lapsed, the applicant shall pay all license and late fees due and owing for the period in which such license, permit, certificate or registration was lapsed and demonstrate to the department that the applicant has completed all continuing education required for the year preceding reinstatement. If a license, permit, certificate or registration has lapsed for longer than three years after the license, permit, certificate or registration expiration date or the length of time specified in any other provision of the general statutes allowing for reinstatement, whichever is longer, the applicant shall apply for a new license, permit, certificate or registration under this subsection. No person who had a license, permit, certificate or registration that lapsed during the three years immediately preceding the date of an application made pursuant to this subsection may seek a new license, permit, certificate or registration of the same type under the same name.

(f) Unless expressly provided otherwise by law, application fees for a license, permit, certificate or registration within the purview of the Department of Consumer Protection shall be nonrefundable. Unless waived by the department, in writing, the department may deem any incomplete application that has been submitted to the department to have expired and been withdrawn six months after the date of such incomplete application.

Short History

(1959, P.A. 206; P.A. 84-340, S. 1; P.A. 94-36, S. 39, 42; P.A. 99-194, S. 4; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c), (d); P.A. 04-169, S. 17; 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 10-9, S. 7; P.A. 13-196, S. 20, 22; P.A. 17-77, S. 12; P.A. 18-40, S. 5; P.A. 19-177, S. 37; P.A. 23-99, S. 20; P.A. 24-142, S. 14.)

Long History

History: Sec. 19-171b transferred to Sec. 21a-4 in 1983; P.A. 84-340 added Subsec. (b), allowing the commissioner to fine applicants who pay permit or license fees with a check which is returned as uncollectible; P.A. 94-36 added Subsec. (c) re fine for late renewal, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-194 amended Subsec. (c) to make technical changes and adjust parameters of fine from the greater of 10% of renewal fee or $10, to an amount equal to 10% of renewal fee but no less than $10 and no greater than $100; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 and P.A. 04-169 replaced Commissioner and Department of Consumer Protection with Commissioner and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 10-9 changed “within thirty days of” to “not later than” re expiration date in Subsec. (c), effective May 5, 2010; P.A. 13-196 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision allowing commissioner to require applicant to pay fees charged by financial institution to department as a result of returned check and added Subsec. (d) re board reinstatement of lapsed license without examination, effective June 21, 2013; P.A. 17-77 amended Subsec. (d) to replace “board” with “department” and added Subsec. (e) re application for reinstatement of lapsed license, permit, certificate and registration, effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 18-40 added Subsec. (f) re nonrefundable application fees, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 19-177 amended Subsec. (b) by adding references to electronic funds transfer, effective July 9, 2019; P.A. 23-99 amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “late fee” for “fine”, substantially amended Subsec. (d) including by establishing 90-day period for untimely submission of license, permit, certificate or registration renewal application, substantially amended Subsec. (e) including by substantially modifying requirements to reinstate lapsed license, permit, certificate or registration, and made technical and conforming changes in Subsecs. (c) to (f), effective June 29, 2023; P.A. 24-142 amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision re payment of outstanding fees, substantially amended Subsec. (d) including by adding provisions re discretion to accept late renewal application and prohibition against engaging in previously licensed, permitted, certified or registered activity following lapse, and amended Subsec. (f) by adding provision re when incomplete application may be deemed expired and withdrawn, effective June 6, 2024.

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