How Bridgeport Handles Hotels & Lodging: A Practical Guide

Bridgeport maintains 186 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with hotels & lodging. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Bridgeport falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Transient Occupancy Tax

Connecticut imposes a flat 15% lodging tax on all hotel and short-term rental stays under thirty days. Bridgeport hotels collect this state tax; no separate municipal occupancy tax applies on top.

Key details: State rate: 15% lodging tax. Local add-on: None in Bridgeport. Statute: CGS §12-407, §12-408. Threshold: Stays under 30 days. Collector: CT DRS.

Failure to collect or remit lodging tax triggers DRS audits, 10% penalty plus 1% monthly interest, and personal liability for responsible officers under CGS §12-414a.

Hotel Worker Retention

Bridgeport has no hotel worker retention ordinance requiring new owners to keep existing staff. Connecticut state law does not impose displacement protections, and the city has not adopted a local rule despite labor advocacy.

Key details: Local retention law: None. State retention law: None. Federal coverage: WARN Act 100+ workers. Employment basis: At-will, CGS §31-51.

Because no retention ordinance exists, terminations during ownership transitions are not violations unless they breach a collective bargaining agreement or federal WARN Act notice rules.

Bridgeport is more permissive than most cities when it comes to hotel worker retention. That said, there are still limits.

Hotel Living Wage

Bridgeport has no hotel-specific living wage ordinance. Hotel workers earn at least Connecticut's general minimum wage of $16.35 per hour, with no industry premium for the lodging sector.

Key details: CT minimum wage 2026: $16.35/hour. Hotel premium: None. Statute: CGS §31-58. Local preemption: Yes, CGS §31-69b. Enforcer: CT Department of Labor.

Paying below $16.35/hr violates CGS §31-68; CT DOL may order back wages, double damages, and civil penalties up to $1,000 per pay period.

Bridgeport is more permissive than most cities when it comes to hotel living wage. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Bridgeport gives residents more room on hotels & lodging. 2 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Bridgeport's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.