Changes to Used Car Warranty Requirements Under Public Act 26-100  

Connecticut's used car warranty framework, codified at Section 42-221 of the Connecticut General Statutes, has been updated through provisions originally introduced as SB 119 and ultimately enacted as part of Public Act No. 26-100, An Act Concerning Consumer Protection, Cannabis, Data Privacy, Fire Inspections, Criminal Mischief and Artificial Intelligence ("PA 26-100"). Governor Lamont signed PA 26-100 into law on June 2, 2026.

Under the prior law, dealers selling used vehicles priced between $3,000 and $5,000 that were less than seven years old were required to provide an express warranty guaranteeing the vehicle was mechanically operational and sound for at least 30 days or 1,500 miles, whichever came first. A longer warranty of 60 days or 3,000 miles applied to vehicles priced above $5,000.

PA 26-100 simplifies this two-tier structure into a single, uniform standard. Dealers should be aware of the following key changes:

• Elimination of the minimum price threshold. The previous $3,000 floor no longer applies. All qualifying used vehicles are now subject to the warranty requirement regardless of sale price.

• Extended vehicle age eligibility. Warranty coverage now applies to used vehicles less than ten years old, expanded from the prior seven-year threshold. This means dealers carrying inventory of vehicles between seven and ten years old will need to ensure those vehicles meet warranty standards before sale.

• Uniform warranty period. Rather than navigating two separate warranty tiers based on price, dealers now apply a single standard: 60 days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first, across all covered vehicles.

• Expanded implied warranty protections. The ability to exclude, modify, or disclaim implied warranties for used vehicles has been narrowed. The prior dollar threshold has been eliminated, and these protections now extend to all vehicles less than ten years of age.

• "As is" sales. Dealers may still sell vehicles on an "as is" basis, but only for vehicles that are ten years of age or older. Inventory under that threshold must be sold with the applicable warranty coverage.

Dealers should review their current inventory management, pricing, and disclosure practices to ensure compliance ahead of the October 1, 2026 effective date. In particular, dealers with significant inventory in the seven-to-ten-year-old range (previously exempt from warranty obligations) will want to assess reconditioning and inspection processes to account for the expanded coverage requirements.