Driving Tests

Connecticut Teen Driver Penalties: 48-Hour License Suspension

informational·how to guide·Published October 11, 2026

What happens if a teen driver breaks the rules in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, police take a 16- or 17-year-old's license for 48 hours after a ticket for breaking the teen license restrictions, or an arrest or summons for speeding 20 mph or more over the limit, reckless driving, racing or drunk driving. A parent or guardian must come to get it back. A conviction adds a DMV suspension of 30 days or more. Under 21, the alcohol limit is 0.02%.

Where these Connecticut penalties come from

The 48-hour seizure is in Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 14-36i. The retraining rules are in Sec. 14-111g, and the Connecticut DMV license suspension page lists the teen suspensions and the restoration steps. The other rules come from Sec. 14-36g, Sec. 14-36k, Sec. 14-111, Sec. 14-227g and Sec. 14-227b, Public Act 26-63 (phone use), the Connecticut Driver's Manual and DMV news of October 2025. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

What happens in the 48-hour seizure, step by step

1
The officer issues the ticket
A police officer gives a 16- or 17-year-old an infractions complaint for breaking the license restrictions.
2
The officer takes the license
The officer takes the license at once. The officer may also have the vehicle removed from the scene.
3
The license stays suspended for 48 hours
You may not drive during this time. The 48 hours start at the date and time of the complaint.
4
The teen and a parent go in person
After the 48 hours, the teen and a parent or legal guardian go to the police department, state police barracks or other place the officer names. A teen who is emancipated goes alone.
5
Take the license back
Sign a written statement that the police returned the license. The DMV charges no restoration fee for this 48-hour seizure, but the officer sends a written report of the violation to the DMV.

Which violations bring the 48-hour seizure?

Breaking the driving restrictions that apply after you get your license, such as the passenger and curfew rules. The Connecticut 16 and 17-year-old curfew and passenger rules explain them.
Speeding 20 mph or more over the posted limit.
Reckless driving and racing.
Drunk driving, and the under-21 alcohol offense.
For the last three groups, the seizure starts when the officer arrests the driver or issues a summons, and the officer has the vehicle removed.

Longer DMV suspensions for drivers under 18

Longer DMV suspensions for drivers under 18
Violation	First	Second	Third or later
Breaking the license restrictions (Sec. 14-36g)	30 days	Six months or until age 18, whichever is longer	Six months or until age 18, whichever is longer
Phone or device use	30 days	90 days	Six months
Speeding, 20 mph or more over the limit	60 days	90 days	Six months
Reckless driving	Six months	One year	One year
Racing	Six months	One year	One year

Who gets these suspensions, and what do they cost?

The restriction suspensions apply to 16- and 17-year-old license holders. The phone, speeding, reckless driving and racing suspensions also apply to a youth permit holder and to a person under 18 with no license: for them, the DMV suspends the right to get a license. Each suspension follows a conviction, a forfeited bond or a suspended judgment. You may not drive during a suspension. To get the license back, complete the steps in your suspension notice and pay a $175 restoration fee to the DMV.

Phone use is a suspension risk for teens

Drivers under 18 may not use a mobile electronic device while they drive, even in hands-free mode. Public Act 26-63 keeps this rule in the new phone law that took effect October 1, 2026. The only exception is contact about an emergency with an emergency operator, the police, a fire department, an ambulance company or a hospital. The practice question on hands-free calls by a teen driver tests this rule, and the Connecticut distracted driving law of October 2026 covers the new rules for all drivers.

Zero tolerance: the alcohol limit for drivers under 21

No person under 21 may drive with a blood alcohol ratio of 0.02% or more. The limit applies on public roads and on private property. If a test result is .02 percent or higher, the license is suspended for at least 45 days. To get the license back, you must install an ignition interlock device (IID) in each vehicle you own or drive. For a driver under 21 at the arrest, that lasts at least one year after a first suspension, two years after a second and three years after a third or later. The question on the under-21 alcohol limit tests the number.

Alcohol without driving can still cost your license

Under 21, a conviction for possessing alcohol on private property or in a public place brings a 30-day license suspension.
A conviction for possessing alcohol on streets or highways brings a 60-day suspension.
If you do not have a license yet, the DMV suspends your right to get one.

What is the operator retraining program?

The DMV can require a driver who is 24 or younger, and who has two or more moving or suspension violations, to attend an operator retraining program. Moving violations in this law include breaking the license restrictions, speeding, reckless driving and the phone law. The DMV must require retraining, at any age, after a conviction for reckless driving or racing, and after a conviction for traveling more than 75 mph. The reckless driving rule took effect on October 1, 2025.

What if you break the rules again after retraining?

You get a first new conviction for a moving or suspension violation

The DMV suspends your license for 30 days.

You get a second new conviction

The suspension is 60 days.

You get a third or later new conviction

The suspension is 90 days. This rule applies until your record shows 36 months in a row with no new moving or suspension violation.

Key takeaways

Police take the license of a 16- or 17-year-old for 48 hours after a restriction ticket, or an arrest or summons for speeding, reckless driving, racing or drunk driving.
The teen and a parent or legal guardian must go in person to get the license back. This seizure has no DMV restoration fee.
After a conviction, the DMV adds longer suspensions: from 30 days for a first restriction or phone violation up to one year for a second reckless driving or racing conviction, plus a $175 restoration fee.
Under 21, the alcohol limit is 0.02%. A test at .02 or higher means at least 45 days of suspension and an ignition interlock device.
Next step: practice the rules on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.

Connecticut teen driver penalties: common questions

Do I pay a fee to get my license back after 48 hours?

No. The 48-hour seizure carries no restoration fee to the DMV. You and a parent or legal guardian still go in person to the police department or the place the officer names, and you sign for the license. The $175 restoration fee applies to the longer DMV suspensions that follow a conviction.

Can police take my car as well as my license?

Yes. After a ticket for breaking the teen license restrictions, the officer may have the vehicle removed from the scene. After an arrest or summons of a 16- or 17-year-old for speeding, reckless driving, racing, drunk driving or the under-21 alcohol offense, the officer has the vehicle removed.

Does the DMV find out about a 48-hour license seizure?

Yes. The officer makes a written report of the violation and the suspension and sends it to the DMV. If you are then convicted of breaking the teen restrictions, the DMV suspends your license for 30 days for a first violation, and for six months or until age 18, whichever is longer, after that.

How long is a teen's license suspended for speeding?

For speeding 20 mph or more over the limit, a driver under 18 who is convicted loses the license for 60 days the first time, 90 days the second time and six months after that, plus a $175 restoration fee. A 16- or 17-year-old also loses the license for 48 hours at the stop.

How much does the Connecticut retraining program cost, and what if I skip it?

The fee is up to $85. If you do not attend or finish it, the DMV can suspend your license, after notice and a chance for a hearing, until you complete the program. DMV news says drivers who do not finish within 60 days face an indefinite suspension and a $175 restoration fee.

What happens if I drive without a license under 18 in Connecticut?

After a conviction, the DMV suspends your driving privilege for one year, and the law lets it refuse to issue a license. You must resolve the suspension before you can get a learner's permit or a license. Before the suspension ends, you pay a $175 restoration fee to the DMV.