Inspection stickers will no longer be required in New Hampshire beginning Jan. 31.
New Hampshire is moving forward with a major change to a long‑standing driving requirement — and the debate is spilling across the state line into Massachusetts, where annual inspections are still mandatory.
Although the Granite State plans to eliminate most safety and emissions inspections, drivers shouldn’t skip their appointments just yet. Inspections will remain required through January 31, and anyone due for a 2025 sticker must still get one.
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
For some, the change raises serious safety and environmental concerns.
“There should be some kind of regulation because there are some cars that shouldn’t be on the road,” said Christine Leone of Methuen. “That really concerns me from an environmental standpoint.”
Tom Foster of Salem, New Hampshire, worries about what may soon be driving beside him.
“I just think there will be a bunch of junks on the road,” Foster said.
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston and New England area.
Only 12 states across the country require regular safety inspections every year or two, including Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont. Once the change is in effect, New Hampshire will be the only New England state without mandatory inspections.
Bruce Wilson, owner of Wilson Tire & Auto in Windham, New Hampshire, says most drivers don’t realize how often inspections uncover serious problems.
“Some of the stuff that we see is crazy,” Wilson said. 
He described rusted frames, failing brake lines and other potentially dangerous issues that customers often never notice.
One example sits right inside his auto bay: a heavily rusted car frame, eaten away by New England winters and road salt. Mechanics say it’s the kind of hidden damage inspections were designed to catch.
Windham resident Angela Economou learned the hard way what failing an inspection could mean. After her rocker panel rusted out, she was told her SUV wouldn’t pass again.
“I had to go look for a new car really quick in order to get an inspection sticker,” she said. “Had I known this time last year, I wasn’t going to get an inspection sticker in January, I probably would have kept my suburban for another 2 maybe three years.”
Some residents south of the border think the Bay State should get rid of inspections too.
“It’s a great idea. It’s a great idea,” said Methuen resident Alex Klimchenko.
But others say they rely on inspections to keep them safe.
“I don’t really look at my car, don’t know what’s going on with it half the time,” said Izabela Waniek. “If someone else knows what to do, then that’s perfect for me — I’ll let them handle it.”
New Hampshire will stop issuing inspection stickers on February 1. Until then, drivers should expect business as usual — one more appointment, one more sticker.

source