NEW INSPECTION LAW EFFECTIVE JAN 1, 2013
Regulatory changes in RSA 266:1, effective January 01, 2013, removed the requirement for trucks over 18,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight to be inspected on a semiannual basis. As a result all vehicles will now fall into the annual inspection requirement, with the exception of school buses over 10,000 gross vehicle weight, which will maintain the semiannual inspection frequency.
With the passage of the new law there will be a short transition period to ensure that all vehicle registration plates and inspection stickers expire in the same month on all vehicles. Moving from a semiannual inspection to an annual inspection will take approximately six months for all vehicles to fall into the proper cycle. Therefore it is expected that some vehicles will be required to obtain one more semiannual inspection before being able to fall into the annual inspection cycle. As mention previously this is necessary to maintain the inspection and registration cycle for that vehicle. For example, if the vehicle registration expires in June then the inspection for that vehicle shall also expire in June.
If your vehicle registration expires in: January, February, March, April, May or June then you are already on the correct inspection cycle and should be issued an annual inspection sticker upon re-inspection in 2013. This is because the semiannual inspection had recently been completed within the past 6 months and the next inspection would be a full 12 month inspection.
If your vehicle registration expires in: July, August, September, October, November or December then you will be required to obtain one more semiannual inspection before falling into the annual cycle. Inspection stations should be issuing you a 6 month inspection sticker for your first inspection in 2013 and then your subsequent inspection during 2013 would be a full 12 month inspection. For example, if your registration expires in July then you would be required to obtain on more semiannual inspection in January of 2013. That inspection should expire in July of 2013 placing you on the annual cycle. Your next inspection in July of 2013 would then be good for 12 months and expire in July 2014.
It is important to remember that the periodic inspection requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require that each vehicle be inspection at least once during each 12 month period. The transition process explained above is in accordance with those requirements.