New Cars Would be Exempt from Inspections Under Bill

A bill pending in the New Hampshire Legislature began with a constituent asking a lawmaker why the state requires safety inspections on new cars.

State Representative Matthew Coker, a Democratic from Meredith, couldn’t find a good answer, so he introduced a measure that would allow motorists to skip inspections on their brand-new cars for at least two years after purchase.

Current New Hampshire law requires most cars, new or not, to be inspected by a mechanic every year, including brakes, tires, steering and exhaust.

It costs about $50.

Coker said the bill would save motorists not only the cost of inspections on new cars, but also the time and inconvenience of having someone perform the examination.