State Aims to Improve Licensing, Certification, and Permitting Processes, Saving Time and Money

Connecticut residents and business owners could soon see faster turnarounds on state licenses, certifications, and permits, and get their money back if they don’t.

Signed by Governor Ned Lamont, Executive Order No. 26-1 aims to improve the processes and response times to complete these transactions.

This initiative is part of the administration’s broader effort to modernize how state government operates and ensure it remains as responsive as possible to the people it serves.

“We’re removing barriers. We’re creating a clear, consistent process for businesses and communities. This saves time and money,” said Department of Economic and Community Development deputy commissioner Matt Pugliese, speaking at a news conference Thursday.

Modeled after a nationally recognized initiative in Pennsylvania, the executive order sets up a process that will ultimately enable residents and businesses to recoup their application fees if processing deadlines are missed.

“We’re putting our money where our mouth is. We’re getting you those licenses, we’re getting you those permits,” said Lamont. “And if we don’t do it on time, you get your money back.”

To achieve these new standards, the order requires agencies to audit their current systems, reporting exactly which licenses they issue and whether applications are still being handled via paper, email, or digital portals.

“For small businesses, they often lack the staff and capacity to navigate and track complicated licensing and permitting systems with their limited resources, and streamlining these processes means less time spent on paperwork and more time focused on growing their business and serving customers,” said Pugliese.

Under the new directive, all state agencies must submit a comprehensive report inventorying every license and permit they issue. These reports will include:

• Details on how applications are currently submitted.
• Current annual application volumes.
• Tracking of average processing times.
• A proposed mandatory maximum number of days for each application type to be completed.

“Connecticut residents deserve a state government that is as responsive as possible,” said Lamont.

The Governor’s Office will publish official deadlines for the approval or denial of every state license and permit once the reports are submitted.

This effort follows several successful initiatives designed to reduce wait times and streamline transactions, including the launch of online portals like business.ct.gov, jobs.ct.gov, and health.ct.gov.

“We’ve made significant progress in bringing more state government transactions online, improving processing times, and eliminating backlogs,” said Lamont, “and I want us to take another step forward in making these services work faster and be even easier to navigate.” 

Read the full press release here.