Change is coming to New Hampshire. The northern state is famous for its political history, its beautiful foliage, and its mandated vehicle inspections. The latter will soon be a thing of the past, however, as the state looks to eliminate the safety regime from early next year.
Vehicle inspections are often a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can help ensure a healthier population of registered roadgoing vehicles. This can reduce the chance you’ll buy a trashed lemon or get T-boned by someone’s rustbucket when the brake lines go out. On the other hand, they can make it tougher to keep your car on the road, as you regularly need to invest in maintenance to meet stringent state standards.
While vehicle inspections have long been a part of owning a vehicle in New Hampshire, it will all come to an end on January 31, 2026, as reported by WMUR News 9. It’s all thanks to measures implemented in the new state budget, signed into law by Governor Kelly Ayotte on Friday afternoon.
As things stand, New Hampshire vehicle owners have had to secure safety inspections on an annual basis. Windshield stickers are used as proof of a current valid inspection, with the process typically costing $20 to $50 at state-licensed inspectors or authorized independent workshops, according to the local government. It has also been a long-standing requirement that owners seek a fresh vehicle inspection within 10 days of purchasing a vehicle.
The budget measures will also go further than just ending inspections. The state will also end emissions testing by the close of September 2026, however attempts to gain a special waiver from the EPA could see it end even sooner.
Vehicle inspection repeal has been signed into law! Starting next year, no more sticker scam!
Want to show your appreciation? Take the 40 dollars you DON'T need to give to a sticker station, and send it my way. I promise not to tell you your bearings are shot.… pic.twitter.com/hnmMD99I23
— Rep. Michael Granger (@Granger4NH) June 28, 2025
House Republicans campaigned to end annual vehicle inspections in New Hampshire.
According to sources speaking to News 9, bringing an end to regular vehicle inspections was an “absolute condition” of passing the budget for House Republicans in New Hampshire. Speaking on the matter, Republican Representative Sam Farrington noted the measures were intended to bring an end to frustrating inspections for drivers. “It’s a scam, really, because the data shows that forcing car inspections doesn’t actually lead to safety,” Farrington told News 9. “It can lead to thousand-dollar bills that average people weren’t expecting.”
However, the move is not unanimously popular. As reported by NHPR, dealer groups have raised concerns. “The elimination of annual inspections is both reckless and shortsighted,” stated Dan Bennett, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association. “It’s hard to believe that despite facts and data, the ‘safest’ state in the nation just chose to eliminate vehicle safety inspections.” Meanwhile, local New Hampshire mechanic Brad Fournier told News 9 that every car has issues at one time or another that might need fixing. “At any given time, things can happen – one pothole, you could have a bad ball joint right then and there,” he said. He expects a short-term dip in business with the loss of regular inspections.
The state had previously moved its inspection stickers to a lower windshield location to better suit modern vehicles with advanced vehicle assists. Now, the stickers—and inspections—will soon be a thing of the past.
Across the US, automotive inspection regimes vary. Fourteen states require regular inspections for regular commuter vehicles, though that will drop to thirteen when New Hampshire eliminates its requirements next year. Some additional states require regular inspections for commercial vehicles or require emissions checks only. And eliminating inspections is not unheard of; the District of Columbia stopped requiring inspections for privately owned vehicles in 2009, and New Jersey did the same in 2010.
Ultimately, motoring life will be slightly more convenient for New Hampshire motorists in the short term. They’ll have one less errand to run to keep their cars on the road year after year. Whether this is outweighed by future safety issues or excessive junk cars on the roads will be a matter for future debate. In any case, we can rejoice that now you can drive any old piece on New Hampshire roads as long as it doesn’t obviously look like it’s unroadworthy from ten paces. Have fun out there.
Image credits: State of New Hampshire
“As reported by NHPR, dealer groups have raised concerns. “The elimination of annual inspections is both reckless and shortsighted,” stated Dan Bennett, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association. “It’s hard to believe that despite facts and data, the ‘safest’ state in the nation just chose to eliminate vehicle safety inspections.” Meanwhile, local New Hampshire mechanic Brad Fournier told News 9 that every car has issues at one time or another that might need fixing. “At any given time, things can happen – one pothole, you could have a bad ball joint right then and there,” he said. He expects a short-term dip in business with the loss of regular inspections.”
Nope, no bias there!
As a German and as an engineer I may be done shaking my head in disbelief roughly on Thursday. Next week.
New Hampshire resident here. Thank God I now longer have to worry about inspection and about the safety of my vehicles. My dear wife will take good care of that “What is that noise I know there is a serious problem with this car and you are going to look at it right away” I do love her though.
Hopefully they’re replacing the or in the state motto with a comma.
My kneejerk reaction as someone who lives on the West Coast and sees plenty of vehicles driving around that I’d deem as unsafe in an area that *doesn’t* salt their roads is that this doesn’t seem like a wise move in a location that *does* salt their roads.
But I’m seeing plenty of pushback that the inspections were a scam and that people are happy it’s over, so I’ll have to take their word for it. It grinds my gears when someone living in a flyover state feels entitled to talk about California smog laws, so I’m not about to be a hypocrite.
I don’t live there, so I don’t really know, but from watching too many Just Rolled In videos on YT this seems short sided. I’ve seen too many vehicles from snow states that have their frames held together with hopes and prayers.
Yep, part of my mindset in the comment right above yours is based on watching a lot of those videos and being astounded at what some people thought were safe enough to drive on a public road.
So why require annual safety inspections for elevators and escalators? Surely the risk involved is much less for those vehicles.
Good, as a fellow Northern New Englander. All three of our inspections programs are functional scams. Maine, inspection is 16 bucks max. For an inspection that last half an hour and requires a lift. That’s a massive lose in revenue for garage billing 150 on average in shop-time. So, to make up for it, if you look even remotely like you’re from “away”, or you don’t have direct family linage to the Plymouth Colony. They’re going to be find something “wrong”. For example, I had an inspection say my coilovers were wet and needed replacing. The coilovers were like two months old, I drove there in the rain. Also, completely ignored my obviously catless downpipe.
And, once you establish residency you’ll find a good “Pay’n’Peel”. Mine charges me 30 bucks in cash to give it a good once over from about 50 yards away in the parking lot. Everyone who’s been around a bit has one.
There’s no winning with the inspections unless our very rural states want to dump money into state ran inspection stations. No-one in North New England will drive more than 10 miles without significant complaint. So, you’re going to need stations to service a couple hundred people yearly. If you wanted to make it worth the shops time, it would be around 100 dollars an inspection. Which ain’t going to fly. Considering excise in all three is already high.
Oh good, I was worried that the standard of typical NH rustbucket deathrap shitbox was slipping. I feel better now
I keep regular tags instead of antique tags on my 1968 Olds because the inspection forces me to take it in every year and make sure it’s safe. I have one shop I trust for this.
On the flip side, I have definitely had state inspectors make things up or straight up lie to fail my other cars or sell me something unnecessary. The problem isn’t the inspection itself. The problem is that we trust shops that sell other services to do them.
Given how many people are about to lose their jobs, insurance, and other things, I think dropping these inspections is a minor deal.
I live in NY and annual inspections have always been part of owning a vehicle.
Based on how responibly I see people operate vehicles, I’m not sure I’d trust them to maintain their vehicle at the low safety standard we have.
To be honest, it’s giving anti-vaxxer vibes.
It gives me Michigan vibes. I’ll be fine.
sorry – responsibly
Fellow NY’er here. While there is definitely an incentive to find something wrong, it does help keep the worst of the junk off the roads.
Salt does a number on vehicles. NH’s roads also aren’t the best. Making sure the vehicle is mechanically functional enough to drive should be done.
I just wish they would give exemptions for older vehicles (like 50+ years). It just wastes everyone’s time making me bring in my cars every year. Half the time I have to explain to the younger guys what they are looking at. The rolling 25-year-old emissions exemption is a big deal and one of the few good things they have done in a while.
Welcome to the United States of Oppositional Defiance. (That said, I’m glad we don’t have inspections out west!)
What is the Venn overlap with states still trying to ban JDM and Kei cars for safety reasons?
well for one entry in that diagram, Texas just got rid of inspections (except for emissions in certain counties) and reversed the bans.
I’ve never really experienced an outright scam from the old inspections though, where expensive things were suddenly a problem that had to be fixed.
A month after passing the Virginia safety inspection, a brake line on my Suburban rusted out and failed. It is a scam. Take any car to any inspector and they’ll find $1000 worth of work to do. Then they hammer the lug nuts on with an impact wrench and aim the headlights all the way down.
I had a van for a long time where a previous owner had removed the flapper on the fuel filler, and it would fail inspection once in a while for that. The flapper is there so you can’t fill the tank with leaded gas (larger size nozzle). There hasn’t been leaded gas in 40 years, but that regulation is still in the books.
I’ve seen the terrible vehicles on the streets of Michigan.
Things are not going to be great on the roads of NH.
Great thing with Michigan, when that terrible vehicle stops running “unexpectedly” and is deposited on the side of the road: you can continue to see it day after day after day as it just sits and slowly rots on the side of the interstate.
When you cross the boarder into Ohio, it’s like driving into a completely different country.
Different. Not better.
Less bailer twine, duct tape, and staples holding a car together, that’s for sure.
Heavy springs pushing on the backside of the accelerator pedal too.
Safety inspections don’t bother me – they often catch stuff I’d never, since I don’t often have my cars up/wheels off, etc. But separate emissions inspections seem a little unnecessary from a cost-benefit pov at this point…how many pre-OBD II cars (where a safety inspection wouldn’t necessarily catch a MIL) are being driven on a daily basis anyway?
This. New cars don’t need emissions testing. They test themselves continuously. CEL off = pass.
But do they repair themselves continuously when the CEL comes on?
Another way to save time and money is to skip your annual physical with your doctor.
I personally knew a few people who were like that. All of them suddenly realized something’s up, went to the doctor, and were diagnosed with terminal cancer with weeks to live.
I guess the automotive version of this is finding out the brake line is now pure David Tracy-ium when you need it, and you are now upside-down in a ditch, and on fire.
I’m healthy and haven’t been to the doctor in years. A few years ago I decided it would probably be wise to get a physical check up just to be safe. My doctor basically asked me what the hell I was doing there. Haven’t been back since.
Same here.
Until the routine check diagnosed a serious condition with no symptoms. It’s massively improved my chances of getting to 60.
Go have a check up.
I’ve always been amused by states with inspection requirements. In my state, there is no inspection requirement whatsoever, and there never has been. You can register a car with rusty subframes, rusty brake lines, leaky shocks, broken springs, worn-down-to-the-rivets brake pads, mismatched (and bald) tires, and with every engine-compartment fluid spewing like a splash pad at a water park.
It’s all on the vehicle’s owner to ensure it’s fit for the road. If it’s not, and something happens, the lawyers will handle it.
And then you have states like mine which do have inspections, but they are so simple and basic that any car that can’t pass probably isn’t fit to make it to the end of the driveway, so its almost like why even bother?
The state runs them, there’s only 4 state-run inspection centers in the whole state that are basically open bankers hours only, you have to stay with the vehicle the whole time, drive in one end of the building, drive out the other, waiting in line is the longest portion of it
I like the idea of inspections, but would prefer if it was done by privately owned, licensed shops, so you could find one conveniently close to home and drop the car off the night before without having to duck out of work during the day. Plus, they could take more time and check more things, put it on a lift, look underneath, all stuff that can’t be done with the current system
Those are the same privately owned licensed shops that will fail you until you top off the blinker fluid and replace the left hand smokebender. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
You regulate them, you regulate them. Check their records, send in decoy cars, pull licenses when they fail
The current system checks horn, driver window, lights, wipers, and sort of brakes (not really, the car has to be able to stop itself from 10mph within the building), and that’s it. With only 4 locations, open limited hours, drive in/drive out, they can’t realistically get more involved. Cars get passed needing major suspension work and with severely rusted frames, because the state doesnt check that, because they can’t
You and I wish that governments were competent enough to keep up with that. The Massachusetts inspections were complete jokes. In such a condition, I’d rather just have none at all.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, “more regulation” isn’t particularly popular right now. I’m expecting that soon I will buy USDA-inspected beef and it will be from a rhinoceros.
“I’m expecting that soon I will buy USDA-inspected beef and it will be from a rhinoceros.”
You’re an optimist. It’ll probably be from a VA hospital.
Or an orphanarium.
In my state, it is, we go the complete opposite direction. Just try and get a septic system put in
Too expensive. More likely from the local kill shelter.
If you want named meat, pay extra.
“the lawyers will handle it.”
That’s great for the lawyers, not so great for the dead and maimed.
and not so great for the rest of us, who pay for those lawyers via our insurance premiums
You’re right, but in the case of a serious accident, they’re probably involved anyway. And if there’s a passed state inspection, but the forensics say “the brakes failed”, then the state is on the hook along with the vehicle owner.
“And if there’s a passed state inspection, but the forensics say “the brakes failed”, then the state is on the hook along with the vehicle owner.”
I’m okay with that, as it provides incentive to make sure the inspections are legit. At least in theory – it’s not like states and cities picking up the tab for police misconduct settlements has led to much cracking down on police misconduct.
I remember when I was stationed in Norfolk VA in the late 80s, they had a state inspection (do they still?). It wasn’t just stuff that made sure your car was in decent shape, it was a lot of minor detail crap that costs you $$. I was so happy to get out of there.
Ohio had an emissions check for awhile, but that went away too. I think they had more issues with testers damaging cars than any problems they discovered.
Virginia still does. It’s a pain occasionally but it does keep vehicles sharing the road with you in decent shape. I know when I travel to a state like OH I see a bunch of junk on the road. I wonder if states with annual vehicle inspection have cheaper vehicle insurance?
My insurance was higher in VA than back in OH. At least back then.
Norfolk is part of the largest concentration of military installations in the world with a corresponding density of young, amped-up drivers, so insurance rates would be higher. And at least you were here after the inspection requirements were relaxed from every six months to annually in the early ’80s.
Top Gun came out about the time I got there. I saw so many idiots wrecking crotch rockets it became commonplace.
Ohio’s emission testing was only in the three biggest metropolitan areas, so all the rural counties had nothing to worry about. But those rural counties were also the ones most likely to have the old beaters that couldn’t pass the test because with no jobs there, they couldn’t afford the newer cars. In the end it was a bigger PITA than anything.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time in NH. If there’s a state that needs a rigorous inspection program, it’s NH.
But this is what we expect from the Live Free and Die state.
Based on my experience, there’s a large portion of the population that won’t take their vehicle into a mechanic for any reason other than the powertrain exploding. I personally prefer to know that at least most of the people around me aren’t zipping around on bald tires with completely disintegrated brake pads. In winter.
I would like to see a study of accident rates in states that dropped inspections. Looking at three years before and three after the change, and comparing to states that had no requirements change during those same years.
The weird thing is it doesnt seem to make a difference. I support inspections, but it does seem like the data from states with vs without and states that had them and canceled them doesnt really support the need on its own
But, I do think there should be something that encourages people to do at least some basic safety related maintenance and repair at least once a year or every other year, because otherwise a lot of people just won’t do anything
It probably doesn’t make a difference because driver error causes the vast majority of crashes. The thing about statistics is they apply to the aggregate so it’s easy to dismiss non-statistically significant events. Unless they happen to you.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it, and there simply isnt any way to say “well, this guy on his phone who ran into the back of that lady would have been able to correct and stop in time if his tires weren’t bald”
“There simply isnt any way to say “well, this guy on his phone who ran into the back of that lady would have been able to correct and stop in time if his tires weren’t bald”
There is if the car in question collects and stores data.
Which is why you would want research on law-dropping states v. non-law-dropping states.
Living in PA, inspections (and emissions for me based on my zip code) are a way of life. I can’t speak to the level of inspections that are going away in New Hampshire, but ours are among the strictest in the nation. Both of my adult sons live out of state now (NC and GA) and their inspections are rather tame compared to what they were used to. Interestingly, when I visit both of them, I see quite a few vehicles on the side of the highway with failed ball joints, or front tires pointed in opposite directions from failed tie rod ends. Obviously, you still see broken down cars on the roadside here in PA, but it’s typically something to do with coolant, or a blown tire (probably a pothole, but I digress). Long/short is that I don’t think vehicle safety inspections are a bad thing – frankly, they’re a way to reduce the impact of someone else not taking things seriously.
I’m shocked the New Hampshire dealer association is against this. How else are dealers supposed to bully people into buying unnecessary services without the threat of a failed inspection?
Washington State has never had vehicle inspections, and emission testing went away in 2020.
Texas just did away with safety inspections starting this year as well. Not sure about NH but they were kind of a joke here so I don’t think there will be any statistically significant uptick in vehicular injury/death. They were a joke because of lax enforcement. While I think safety inspections for use on public roads is a good idea, if not enforced well then we’re better off without pretending and inconveniencing the people who will follow the rules and maintain safe vehicles in the first place.
I definitely know an inspection shop here in town that will pass anything. Texas repealed the inspection but still charges an “inspection replacement fee” which is BS.
Texas got rid of inspection, but still makes you pay the fee for inspection? So for your money, you get nothing at all? Not even a guy checking your brake pads? Jesus.
That actually goes to what I think the actual main reason they did it is, which isn’t slashing red tape but actually getting the DPS more money. Tons of people just didn’t get inspections or renew their registrations which means no fees for either being paid. Now by making it easier to renew registration I think they’re hoping to bring the scofflaws back into the fold for their sweet sweet fee money now that it at least isn’t physically inconvenient to get the inspection/renew.
But that being said, and I did this just yesterday at target, you can still see what I’d judge to be about 10% of cars in any given Texas parking lot to be on expired registration. That is not an exaggeration, at my office park it’s closer to 20%. Again, enforcement is a joke.
Lol, makes sense, unfortunately.
I am glad they’re finally doing something about the paper tag abuse though
I’m still waiting to see how that works out. I saw plenty of paper tags on my commute this morning, it’s going to take a while for them all to cycle out.
Definitely will take some time. I’d say 6 months from now it will start having an impact.
Years ago my house got broken into. He had stolen a Porsche 911 earlier in the day that ran out of gas in front of my house, then decided to go in and see if he could get the keys to my WRX. I had taken my 4Runner to work that day and I walked in on the guy and he took off on foot. The paper tag on the 911 was covering up its real license plate and I’ve been against them since. Was glad I was able to help that owner get his car back at least.
Can confirm. My wife’s registration was expired for 4 years when we finally traded in this January.
Your money getting you nothing at all from the state government is kinda how Texas works
How bipartisan
Democrats take your money
Republicans give you nothing for it.