Connecticut
From the 50 State Visitor Guide :
Conn. Gen. Stat. 2019 §§54-250 through 54-261
Registration Triggers and Deadlines:
Registration for all is required “without undue delay,” but probably 3 days.
Visitors who “travel in this state on a recurring basis for less than five days” shall “notify” law enforcement of “temporary residence.” §54-253(d).
Per Conn. SOR Unit, FAX to “SOR” – 860-685-8349 – name, DOB, conviction info, state, cell #, dates in state, location of stay in Connecticut. Some municipalities in CT have presence restrictions for schools, public parks, libraries and even town halls(!). Several of these ordinances have been challenged and withdrawn. More challenges are underway. Updated Aug. 2024
Connecticut’s “travel in this state on a recurring basis” language is unique. CT SOR Unit says it means visitors staying less than 5 days should “notify” but need not register, even if such short term “traveling” occurs multiple occasions per month or year.
Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:
No state restrictions but watch out for local regulations.
Duration & updates:
10 years - life. §§54-251, 54-252. Confirm address quarterly by return of mailing from state. §54-257.
Most recent visit: May 2025
Connecticut’s SOR law states that visitors who “travel in this state on a recurring basis for less than five days” shall “notify” law enforcement of “temporary residence.” §54-253(d). This statutory language is unique among the 50 states. Connecticut’s SOR Unit staff says it means visitors staying less than 5 days “should notify” but need not register, even if such short term “traveling” occurs on multiple occasions per month or year.
In May 2025 I was coming and going from my visit with my brother and sister-in-law in Rhode Island. Coming from New Jersey it was “just passing through” with no destinations and I don’t think even Connecticut cares about that. Going from Rhode Island I wanted to stop for lunch with my able travel blog assistant Brian who lives in CT before heading for the Adirondacks. So that’s a destination, right? But it can’t possibly be “travel[ing] in this state on a recurring basis for less than five days” because, well, there’s no recurrence.
I had all morning coming from Rhode Island and anyway my gps said the fastest route took me down I-95 all the way past New London before heading north to my lunch date, so I stopped to see Mystic.
Connecticut law has no residency, presence or loitering restrictions for registrants, so I was able to go wherever I wanted with the only restriction being time. The harbor and downtown are very quaint. Yes there is a place called Mystic Pizza – at least now there is. Mystic Seaport is a historic village with costumed staff. There’s an aquarium but I didn’t have time to go there. Non-pizza food is also plentiful but I couldn’t indulge because I had to head off for my lunch date.
Previous visit: December 2023
In December 2023 I traveled from Florida with my now ex-wife
but still Best Friend Forever to visit relatives and participate in a Wreaths
Across America event on Long Island.
Because my siblings live in New Jersey and Rhode Island, while her
cousins live on Long Island, we decided to visit my siblings first, then take
an early morning Long Island Ferry from New London, CT.
This meant we’d be “travel[ing] in this state on a recurring basis for less than five days” (three partial days) but in my estimation never established a “temporary residence” (an undefined term in CT statutes) because we stayed at two different hotels in two different parts of the state (Hartford and New London) and spent most of Partial Day 2 in Rhode Island with my brother. Therefore I decided no notification was necessary on this trip.
Connecticut law has no
residency, presence or loitering restrictions for registrants, so we could have
visited any of its cities, historic sites or attractions. Maybe we will on our next visit. First
thing in the morning of Day 3 my BFF and I boarded the Long Island Ferry and
were off to Long Island.
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