As of January 31, drivers in New Hampshire will no longer need annual vehicle inspections, but some safety concerns remain amid the relaxed oversight
With the beginning of a new year, a number of states are ushering in new and updated laws. While these are typically a mixed bag, car owners in New Hampshire are about to get a huge break.
Starting January 31, The Granite State will end its vehicle inspection and emissions testing program for passenger vehicles. This is a welcome change as drivers will now be “personally responsible for making sure their vehicles meet all safety standards.”
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For those unfamiliar with the state’s draconian laws, current regulations mean vehicles are required to have a safety inspection conducted within ten days of registration. Vehicles also have to be inspected annually and every time there is a new owner.
While the state didn’t set pricing for inspections, they would typically cost $20 to $50 per vehicle. As part of the process, a mechanic would examine key components and systems – such as the steering, suspension, exhaust, and electrical system – to ensure they were in proper working order.
Vehicles from 1996 and later also had to pass an on-board diagnostics test. This was designed to “monitor the performance of some of the engine’s major components, including emission control” systems.
Needless to say, these requirements added cost and were a burden to car owners. However, they’re finally going away, although the state warned drivers if their car failed an inspection in late 2025, they can’t just wait out the clock as “it must be repaired and pass a reinspection to be legally driven on the road.” However, it sounds like you can park the vehicle until January 31 and be okay.
According to WGME, this will leave just 13 states that require annual inspections. The station also noted reaction has been mixed as some people praised the move and complained that vehicles could fail inspection for trivial things such as bad windshield wipers. Others worry that drivers will neglect repairs and use unsafe vehicles.
“Some of the stuff that we see is crazy,” Bruce Wilson, who owns Wilson Tire & Auto in Windham, NH, told the news station. He pointed to a rusted car frame in his shop, corroded by salt used to melt snow and ice on the roads, as the kind of hazard routine inspections are meant to catch.
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