Judge rules NH can’t end car inspections, at least for now

Just a few days before car inspections were set to end in New Hampshire, a judge has hit the brakes.

U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty granted a preliminary injunction on Jan. 27 prohibiting the state from ending its motor vehicle inspection program as mandated under the 2026 state budget. The law was set to take effect Jan. 31.

Gordon-Darby Inc., the company that administers inspections, sued the NH Department of Safety under the Clean Air Act on Dec. 8, 2025.

In her ruling, McCafferty said both parties in the case agreed the state would be in violation of the federal Clean Air Act if it were to abolish vehicle inspections without approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has not yet acted on New Hampshire’s Dec. 24 request for approval.

Therefore, the ruling said that the Department of Safety cannot take any action to suspend or cease the vehicle inspection program “unless and until” the EPA grants approval of New Hampshire‘s plan.

In the meantime, the ruling ordered the state “to take all steps necessary to resume and ensure the continued implementation and enforcement of the State of New Hampshire’s vehicle inspection and maintenance program.”

Do I have to get my car inspected?

Current New Hampshire law requires yearly safety inspections for registered passenger vehicles during the vehicle owner’s birth month.

The passed budget would’ve done away with this requirement on Jan. 31. However, the Jan. 27 ruling means that New Hampshire residents will still need to get their car inspected until the preliminary injunction is lifted.

Some Democrats are also attempting to reinstate vehicle inspections through the legislature with House Bill 1560.

Why repeal car inspections?

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

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

Opponents of the change, who include the New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association (NHADA), say vehicle inspections make the roads safer and car owners do not have the knowledge to spot safety issues in their vehicles. Other opponents, like Gordon-Darby, say that it is in violation of the Clean Air Act, which aims to limit air pollution.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Margie Cullen