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Connecticut DRS Billing Notice Explained: How to Pay or Respond
By Andrew Nocera, Tax Preparer & Small-Business Finance Consultant, Enhance Finance LLC (serving all of Connecticut from Shelton). Updated November 2026.
A billing notice from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) says you owe unpaid tax, interest and possibly penalties for a specific tax and period. Here's how to check it, pay it with the Letter ID, or ask for a payment plan if you can't pay all at once.
CT DRSWe can help with this| What it is | A bill from CT DRS for unpaid tax, interest and possibly penalties. |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Pay or respond by the due date on the notice. Income tax interest: 1% per month or fraction of a month. |
| Official page | CT DRS: paying a bill with the Letter ID |
What a CT DRS billing notice is
DRS sends a billing notice when its records show a balance for a tax type and period. DRS doesn't publish a public list of notice numbers the way the IRS does. What identifies your notice is the Letter ID: DRS says it "is located at the top right corner of the billing notice," and you use it to pay in myconneCT.
Why you got it
- You filed but didn't pay the full amount, or paid after the due date.
- A payment went to the wrong period or wasn't received.
- A penalty or interest was added. For individual income tax, DRS says the late payment penalty is "10% of the amount due," and interest is charged "at 1% per month or fraction of a month from the due date until payment is made."
- Your estimated payments were short. That bill is usually interest figured on Form CT-2210 (see the underpayment summary).
Deadline
What to do, step by step
- Check the tax type, period and amount against your return and payment records.
- Find the Letter ID in the top right corner.
- To pay: on the myconneCT homepage, find the Individuals panel, choose Make a Payment or Estimated Payment, then Make a Payment, enter the Letter ID and follow the steps. Keep the confirmation number. (CT DRS: paying a bill with the Letter ID)
- Can't pay in full? DRS offers installment agreements when your account isn't in collection status, isn't under warrant, bankruptcy or criminal investigation, all returns are filed, current liabilities are $50,000 or less, and the plan is twelve months or less. Log in to myconneCT, open the Summary tab and choose Request Payment Plan. If you don't meet the requirements, DRS says to contact a Revenue Agent at 860-297-4936. (CT DRS: installment agreement requirements)
- Penalty with a good reason behind it? You can request a waiver with Form DRS-PW if the late payment was due to reasonable cause. DRS says you must pay all tax and interest first, and "Interest cannot be waived." (CT DRS: penalty waiver, offer of compromise or protest)
- Think the bill is wrong? Contact DRS before the due date with your proof of payment or filing.
Common mistakes
- Paying without the Letter ID, so the payment may not match the bill.
- Requesting a penalty waiver before paying tax and interest. DRS won't consider it until they're paid.
- Counting a refund as a monthly installment. DRS says refunds are applied to your bill and aren't your monthly installment.
- Waiting. Interest is charged for each month or part of a month.
- Trusting a "bill" sent by text or email. Check your balance by logging in to myconneCT yourself.
When to get help
Get help if the bill doesn't match your records, you owe for several periods or more than $50,000, or the balance is a business tax like sales tax or withholding. If your letter is a Notice of Assessment rather than a bill, a 60-day protest window applies; see the Notice of Assessment summary.
General information, not advice for your situation. Not tax, legal, investment, or insurance advice. Agency rules and procedures change; always follow the instructions and dates on your own notice and check the official sources below.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pay a Connecticut DRS bill?
Use the Letter ID from the top right corner of the billing notice. On the myconneCT homepage choose Make a Payment or Estimated Payment, then Make a Payment, enter the Letter ID and follow the steps.
Can I set up a payment plan with CT DRS?
Yes, if you qualify. DRS requires that your account is not in collection status or under warrant, bankruptcy or criminal investigation, all returns are filed, current liabilities are $50,000 or less and the plan is twelve months or less. Request it in myconneCT under the Summary tab.
How much interest does Connecticut charge on unpaid income tax?
DRS says interest is 1% per month or fraction of a month from the due date until payment is made.
Can Connecticut waive the penalty on my bill?
You can request a penalty waiver with Form DRS-PW if the late payment was due to reasonable cause. DRS says you must pay all tax and interest first, and interest cannot be waived.
Sources (checked November 10, 2026)
- CT DRS, Making a Bill Payment (Non-logged In), myconneCT tutorial (Letter ID location, payment steps): portal.ct.gov
- CT DRS, Other helpful information: Installment Agreement Request (requirements, $50,000, twelve months, 860-297-4936; refunds applied to bill): portal.ct.gov
- CT DRS, Penalty Waiver Request, Offer of Compromise or Protest (Form DRS-PW; pay tax and interest first; interest cannot be waived): portal.ct.gov
- CT DRS, 2025 Form CT-1040 instructions (10% late payment penalty; interest 1% per month or fraction of a month): portal.ct.gov
Got a Connecticut tax bill you can't pay in one shot? Get the numbers checked and a payment plan request ready with a Connecticut tax preparer.