Are New Hampshire Vehicle Inspections Still Required?

New Hampshire vehicle inspections are not currently required. The state’s Division of Motor Vehicles has told drivers that inspection stations are no longer authorized to issue stickers, and enforcement of the inspection requirement has been suspended through at least April 10, 2026.¹ The program is in legal limbo, though, and could be reinstated depending on how a federal court case plays out.

Why Inspections Are on Hold

In June 2025, Governor Kelly Ayotte signed House Bill 2, which repealed the statutes authorizing the state’s vehicle inspection program. The safety inspection provisions were set to expire on January 31, 2026, and the emissions provisions on September 30, 2026 (or earlier if the EPA approved changes to the state’s Clean Air Act implementation plan).²

Then the lawsuit hit. Gordon-Darby, the company contracted to run the state’s inspection system, sued and argued that ending emissions testing without an EPA waiver violated the Clean Air Act. A federal judge agreed and issued a preliminary injunction ordering New Hampshire to keep the program running. The state is appealing. In the meantime, officials say they have no authorized vendor to actually perform inspections.³

So the situation is a standoff. A court says the program must continue. The legislature repealed the laws behind it. No one is currently operating it. For drivers, the practical result is that you don’t need a sticker right now.

What You Still Have to Do

Not needing an inspection is not the same as being off the hook for vehicle condition. The DMV has been explicit: you are still legally required to keep your vehicle in safe operating condition.⁴ Bald tires, broken lights, and failing brakes remain traffic violations regardless of what’s happening with the inspection program.

The fine that used to apply for driving with an expired or missing sticker was $74.40 under the state’s uniform fine schedule.⁵ It is not being enforced during the suspension, but it remains on the books.¹

Could the Requirement Come Back

Yes. Two things could bring inspections back with little warning: the federal court’s injunction being upheld on appeal, or the state signing a new vendor contract to run the program. Either would put the requirement back in force. The DMV website is the place to watch for updates.⁴

What the Rules Were Before the Suspension

If the program is reinstated, the rules that governed it before the suspension are what would return. A quick refresher is useful for planning.

When Inspections Were Due

Every registered vehicle had to be inspected once a year. For individually owned vehicles, the deadline was the last day of the owner’s birth month. Vehicles owned by companies or other non-individual entities were inspected during a registration month assigned by the DMV. Motorcycles, autocycles, and recreational vehicles ran on a different calendar entirely: they had to be inspected by July 1 each year, regardless of the owner’s birth month.⁶

New registrations and transfers had tighter windows. A used vehicle from a private seller, or any first-time registration, had to be inspected within 10 days. A new vehicle bought from a licensed dealer had 20 days. A used vehicle sold with a dealer-issued 20-day plate had to be inspected by the dealer at the time the plate was attached, unless the vehicle already carried a valid sticker.⁶

Which Vehicles Were Exempt

Off-highway recreational vehicles, snowmobiles, mopeds, and roadable aircraft were not part of the program. New vehicles still carrying a manufacturer’s certificate of origin were exempt until sold at retail.⁶ Vehicles 20 or more model years old, and vehicles the director classified as rare or historically significant, were exempt from the emissions test but still had to pass the safety inspection.⁷

What Was Checked

The safety portion covered steering and suspension, brakes, tires (with a 2/32-inch minimum tread), exterior lights, windshield and glass condition, and the exhaust system, among other items laid out in the Saf-C 3200 rules.⁸

Window tint was a frequent failure point. Aftermarket tint was prohibited on the windshield entirely. Front side windows had to allow at least 70 percent of light through, and rear windows at least 35 percent. Drivers with a documented medical need could apply for a waiver allowing tint as dark as 35 percent on the windshield and front side windows.⁹

Emissions testing applied to gasoline and alternative-fuel vehicles from model year 1996 and newer, and diesel vehicles from model year 1997 and newer. The test read the onboard diagnostic system, and an illuminated check engine light meant an automatic failure.⁷

Cost

New Hampshire never set a fixed price. Stations charged their own rates, generally between $20 and $50.¹⁰

1
New Hampshire Attorney General. Updated Public Guidance on Vehicle Inspection Program Status
2
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Repeal of Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program
3
New Hampshire Attorney General. Public Guidance on Vehicle Inspection Program Status
4
New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. Inspections and Emissions
5
New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. Uniform Fine Schedule of Motor Vehicle Violations
6
New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 266:1 – Inspection Authorized
7
New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 266:59-b – Emission Control Equipment
8
Environmental Protection Agency. New Hampshire Administrative Rules Saf-C 3200 – Official Motor Vehicle Inspection Requirements
9
New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. Tinted Windows
10
Town of Newton, New Hampshire. Vehicle Inspections