State announces car inspections are not needed in New Hampshire

In case you are confused about getting your car inspected, which is understandable, the state of New Hampshire wants to let you know that you definitely do not need to get a new sticker.

For the moment, at least.

The Department of Justice and the Department of Safety issued a statement that the vehicle inspection program “is suspended until further notice,” and nobody is authorized to issue state inspection stickers.

The confusion came about because the state legislature voted to end the inspection program as of Jan. 31, but didn’t get permission from the Environmental Protection Agency to end pollution testing that is required under the Clean Air Act. That led Gordon-Darby, the company that makes the equipment used to test auto air pollution, to file suit and a U.S. District Court judge ordered the inspection program to continue.

But then the state Executive Council declined to review the contract with Gordon-Darby, leaving no authorized vendor to test your tailpipe emissions. That effectively ended the inspection, although it leaves open the possibility that the state will face large fines under the Clean Air Act.

New Hampshire is appealing the judge’s ruling and it seems likely that the EPA, which under President Trump has become more open to allowing pollution, will grant the exemption at some point.

It’s unlikely that New Hampshire’s car inspection program will be reinstated. But the state noted in its guidance that “the status of the program remains subject to change as the legal landscape continues to evolve. “

The statement also notes that the end of the inspection program isn’t a free-for-all to bring clunkers onto the road.

“Drivers are still responsible under current law to ensure that any vehicle driven in New Hampshire is safe to operate, regardless of the status of the inspection program,” state officials said.

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