Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 1 - Construction of Statutes
Section 1-1j. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Methods of payment for licenses, fees, costs or fines.

(a) Each state agency, as defined in section 4-166, shall accept payment in cash or by check, draft or money order for any license issued by such agency pursuant to the provisions of the general statutes.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by the general statutes, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may authorize any state agency (1) to accept payment of any fee, cost or fine payable to such agency by means of a credit card, charge card or debit card, or an electronic payment service, and (2) to charge a service fee for any such payment made by credit card, charge card or debit card or an electronic payment service. Such service fee shall be (A) related to the cost of service, (B) uniform for all credit cards, charge cards and debit cards accepted, and (C) applied only when allowed by the operating rules and regulations of the credit card, charge card or debit card issuer or processor involved or when authorized in writing by such issuer or processor. Payments by credit card, charge card, debit card or an electronic payment service shall be made at such times and under such conditions as the secretary may prescribe in regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. Payment of a fee, cost or fine by credit card, charge card, debit card or an electronic payment service shall constitute full payment of such fee, regardless of any discount applied by a credit card company.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 86, 117; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1, S. 2, 51; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 55.)
*Note: On and after July 1, 2022, this section, as amended by section 438 of public act 21-2 of the June special session, is to read as follows:
“Sec. 1-1j. Methods of payment for licenses, fees, costs or fines. (a) Each state agency, as defined in section 4 166, shall accept payment in cash or by check, draft or money order for any license issued by such agency pursuant to the provisions of the general statutes.
(b) Except as provided by any other provision of the general statutes, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may authorize any state agency to accept payment of any fee, cost or fine payable to such agency by means of a credit card, charge card or debit card or an electronic payment service, provided each state agency that accepts payment by means of a credit card, charge card or debit card shall charge the payor using such card a service fee, except that such service fee may be waived by such state agency for a category of fee, cost or fine, if such waiver has been approved by said secretary.
(c) (1) Any service fee imposed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall (A) be for the purpose of defraying the cost of service, (B) not exceed any charge by the credit card, charge card or debit card issuer or processor, including any discount rate, and (C) be applied only when allowed by the operating rules and regulations of the credit card, charge card or debit card issuer or processor involved or when authorized in writing by such issuer or processor.
(2) Each state agency that charges a service fee pursuant to this section or any other provision of the general statutes shall disclose such service fee to a payor prior to the imposition of such service fee. Such disclosure shall be made in accordance with any requirements for disclosure set forth by the card issuer or processor.
(d) Payments by credit card, charge card, debit card or an electronic payment service shall be made at such times and under such conditions as the secretary may prescribe in regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.
(e) Payment of a fee, cost or fine, and any applicable service fee, by credit card, charge card, debit card or an electronic payment service shall constitute full payment of such fee, cost, fine or service fee, regardless of any discount applied by a credit card company.”
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 86, 117; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1, S. 2, 51; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 55; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 438.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-1 added provisions concerning payment of license fees with a credit card, charge card or debit card, effective July 1, 1999; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 designated existing provisions as Subsecs. (a) and (b) and amended Subsec. (b) to authorize state agencies to accept payment of any fee, cost or fine by credit card, charge card, debit card or electronic payment service, effective October 5, 2009; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (b) to add provisions re charging a service fee and waiver approval, redesignated existing provision re service fee as Subsec. (c)(1), amending same to add provision re service fee to be for purpose of defraying cost of service and to not exceed certain charges, added Subsec. (c)(2) re disclosure of service fee, redesignated existing provision re regulations as Subsec. (d), redesignated existing provision re full payment as Subsec. (e) and made conforming and technical changes, effective July 1, 2022.

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