POLITICS

Car inspections are about to be eliminated in New Hampshire. What to know

Portrait of Margie Cullen Margie Cullen
USA TODAY NETWORK - New England
  • After weeks of negotiations, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Republican State House leaders reached a deal on the budget on June 26, the final day of the legislative session.
  • It includes a provision repealing NH law requiring yearly vehicle inspections.
  • Supporters of the repeal say that car inspections are a "scam;" opponents say they help keep the roads safe.

Auto inspections will no longer be required in New Hampshire starting next year under the new state budget.

After weeks of negotiations, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Republican State House leaders reached a deal on the budget on June 26, the final day of the legislative session. In addition to spending policies, a few other items also made the cut – including a complete elimination of state auto inspections.

While not final yet, Ayotte said she would pass the budget into law when it reaches her desk.

Will I need to get my car inspected?

Current New Hampshire law requires yearly safety inspections for registered passenger vehicles. They are one of 14 states in the country to have this requirement, according to CBS News.

The law required all registered vehicles to receive a safety inspection during the owner’s birth month every year.

The New Hampshire House meets to take up the two budget bills on June 26, 2025.

A bill to repeal these auto inspections hit a roadblock in the Senate as Republicans disagreed over whether to end inspections entirely or to change the requirement to every other year.

But the idea was added to the budget during negotiations to get some of the holdout Republicans on board.

The budget passed Thursday repeals the law, meaning New Hampshire residents will no longer have to get their car inspected starting in 2026.

Why repeal car inspections?

Rep. Michael Granger, who sponsored the initial legislation, said that he thinks vehicle safety inspections are a “scam.”

Supporters of repealing the inspections say that inspections are expensive and that drivers can safely maintain their own cars without inspections. They argued that the law benefits car dealerships and mechanic shops, some of which may take advantage of car owners. They also cited studies suggesting that there is no correlation between inspection laws and lower traffic accidents.

According to a 2018 U.S. Department of Transportation study, 2% of vehicle crashes resulted from vehicle problems such as faulty brakes, flat tires or a locked steering wheel.

Opponents of the change, who include the New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association (NHADA), say that vehicle inspections make the roads safer and that car owners do not have the knowledge to spot safety issues in their vehicles.

“NHADA and its over 500 members believe the elimination of annual inspections is both reckless and shortsighted,” said the NHADA in a statement after the budget passed. “The vehicle safety inspection program repeal, which eliminates them entirely for cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and weakens the frequency of school bus inspections will result in a measured increase in accidents on New Hampshire roadways.”

They added that both Florida and Utah saw an increase in traffic accidents after repealing safety inspections.

But supporters lauded the repeal of inspections. 

“Relief is coming for the people of NH as soon as Kelly Ayotte signs the budget,” said Rep. James Spillane in a post on social media, and the NH Committee to Elect House Republicans included the legislation in a post celebrating “Promises made. Promises kept.”