Submitted by lip420 t3_z5mksx in newhampshire

Running out of time to do some things and mechanics are all backed up where I am so if I register it and it doesn't pass inspection then it's going to mess with my plans since there will be a delay between when I can find a mechanic to fix problems and get it inspected again.

Pretty much all places I called were backed up 2 weeks to a month or more for just an inspection.

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jkjeeper06 t1_ixwvc0q wrote

Your registration can't be refunded if you fail inspection. You'll have to repair and reinspect later

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TechnicsSL t1_ixwxscj wrote

You can transfer registration to a different car.

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trippinferris t1_ixwxzzd wrote

Where are you? I was able to call my mechanic shop yesterday and get an appointment for Monday…

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knottedoaks t1_ixwz18h wrote

Yep. Also some places may be first come first serve. Wilson Tire in Plymouth was like that was when I needed a quick inspection in 2020. Haven’t been there since, so no idea what they are now.

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GreatGrandaddyPurp t1_ixx0091 wrote

When police run your plates they can see if your registration is valid on their laptop, but they can't see inspection status. Register and wait to inspect. You're not gonna get caught if you do it that way.

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NotARobotDefACyborg t1_ixx0t58 wrote

Depends where you are. I've gotten same-day inspections with no appointment at the Valvoline in Concord.

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lvlisslvlelissa t1_ixx1421 wrote

It can't be refunded... Usually if it doesn't pass inspection, they give you a temp sticker, I think it's 3 months if I recall correctly, to get it fixed. I know when mine didn't pass the emissions part, I got a temp sticker, got it fixed and then they only charged me like $3 to run the emissions part again to get that to pass.

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lvlisslvlelissa t1_ixx2750 wrote

If you have the registration paper, you can transfer to another vehicle and it will put credit towards the vehicle but how much will depend on the value differences between the two cars... I think you have to use the same plates if I recall correctly.

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UglyDogg25 t1_ixx28nx wrote

No. If you pass safety but fail emission you will receive a 60 day temporary pass. Source : licensed NH state inspector

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GreatGrandaddyPurp t1_ixx322f wrote

My buddy refuses to inspect on a moral basis lol. Say what you will but he did the math and over a period of 3 years he only got one citation and paid less than the cost of 3 inspections. He also told me a story of a cop letting him off free for it because the cop thought the law was unjust.

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Anxious_Aide_2091 t1_ixx6370 wrote

All these comments are stupid and marginally wrong. Register your car. Inspect it. Fail inspection for emission? Clear sticker til you can pay to get it fixed. Fail for mechanical? Don’t fucking drive it if it’s unsafe.

An expired inspection sticker is a hundred something bucks ticket. No registration is a tow and a court summons for a misdemeanor.

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Bill2k t1_ixx7x6b wrote

You have 10 days to inspect your car after registering it. A lot of places that inspect cars will inspect your car without an appointment if you are there when they open. Chain stores and dealerships will have you make appointments. Which I never understood, because when you tell them they didn't fix what they were supposed to during the appointment, they tell you to bring the car back right away so they can make it right. So they obviously have extra time throughout the day. But anyways, a lot of places that aren't chain stores will inspect your car if you are there when they open in the morning.

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Alternative-Cry-4667 t1_ixx953a wrote

You can get your registration money back by taking your car to Northwoods auto salvage 600 bucks for a complete car😂

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-Codfish_Joe t1_ixxd7hj wrote

>So they obviously have extra time throughout the day.

That "extra time" is for doing work that they find on inspections in the first place, or fixing problems like the one you mentioned. Shops that just say "bring it on in" all the time are more concerned with getting you in for anything at all to get some money than they are with taking care of the car properly.

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-Codfish_Joe t1_ixxdkm4 wrote

Is that still the clear sticker, or did they change it? The point is you get a sticker that shows you did have the inspection done, but didn't pass. You're working with the system, not just skipping out on it.

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GreatGrandaddyPurp t1_ixxediu wrote

You absolutely CAN be. However, since the only way for them to tell is by noticing your sticker color from a distance... Odds are you won't be. Usually it's noticed by the officer after he stops you for something else. (assuming your shitbox isn't pouring smoke or something)

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Nismotech_52 t1_ixxgi2n wrote

Safety is 10 days after insp. Emissions is 60 days.

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Able_Cunngham603 t1_ixxit1b wrote

This is like asking “if I get married and then find out my wife is a hussy, can I get a refund for the marriage license?”

In both cases the refund is the least of your problems.

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Consistent-Winter-67 t1_ixxjiap wrote

Depending on the mwchanic you kight be able to get a free inspection within 30 days of your original failed inspection

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Bill2k t1_ixxkzhj wrote

Needing an inspection is a racket and only around for the state to extract more money out of it's citizens without calling it a tax. There are plenty of states that don't require inspections. If the shop you go to always finds something that needs to be repaired in order to pass inspection, you're probably getting screwed.

Why stop at one inspection a year? If your car fails inspection, then you've been driving an unsafe vehicle for possibly 11 months. Why not inspect cars quarterly or monthly so you can't drive an unsafe car for so long?

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jenkemeater619 t1_ixxoitc wrote

Just recently made it 5 months without an inspection sticker. Just make your appointment and try not to stress about it. Maybe print out your appointment confirmation to at least show a cop that you are doing what you can incase you get pulled over

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sgtragequit t1_ixxqptw wrote

its new hampshire. only the worst cops would ding you for that. and even if you do get pulled over, just tell them when your appointment at the mechanic is and that they were pretty booked

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misguided603 t1_ixxwx9v wrote

If your car fails the safety portion of the inspection there is no temp sticker. The car is unsafe for the road. If your car passes the safety portion but fails the emissions test, then you receive a 60 day inspection sticker.

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Beautiful_Repeat_718 t1_ixyd1c7 wrote

You absolutely will, but how long it takes and how smart you are about driving will determine when. I went 10 months without my car being inspected because I only drove at night. A former coworker of mine has been rocking a 2019 inspection sticker on his car as of this past March and had only been pulled over because of it once.

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kamikaziboarder t1_ixyn2of wrote

If you have an appointment with a mechanic, no cop will ding you if you get pulled over. Tell them you have an appointment.

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PolarBlueberry t1_ixyriu7 wrote

I failed because of my horn when I was 21. I got pulled over in Barrington on my way to work, and then profiled and searched until they found an ancient roach clip. I was then arrested and lost my license for a year. Still on my record 20yrs later. I have to go to Canada for work a few times a year and can’t get global entry because of it. It was pretty much the deciding factor of moving out of NH and to western Mass.

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Wide-Surprise-8985 t1_ixywcni wrote

In MA and NH you can’t have a vehicle inspection without a valid registration. You may not have a choice waiting to register. You may want to consider looking for an inspection place outside of your location, maybe less wait time? I am not sure about the comment above regarding not getting a ticket, I know cops that would give their own mother a ticket. Also, in NH you won’t get a Rejection sticker like in MA. Having just been thru this, NH allows 10 days post expiration to have any issues resolved. I went over the 10 days, thankfully didn’t get pulled over. Auto dealerships in my area perform inspections, maybe that’s an option. Good luck!

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Maldonian t1_ixz6h3g wrote

I've never heard of a refund for registration fees, but if you decide to junk/sell the car instead of fixing it, I'm pretty sure you can save some money by transferring the plates to your new car, assuming you buy another car.

You didn't mention what makes you feel the car won't pass inspection, but hopefully you at least have some kind of idea of whether or not it's a car that's worth fixing if it fails inspection.

If you're unsure of your car's roadworthiness, and you're not mechanically inclined, you should probably pay a mechanic to check over the entire car before you invest in registration. You can go to the Registry (not your town hall), and get a 20-day temporary plate for about $10 so you can legally drive to and from the mechanic.

While driving an uninspected car isn't legal, if you do get stopped and cited for it, you're looking at a fine and some points on your driving record. Not ideal, but much better than driving around an unregistered car, which would get it towed away.

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Maldonian t1_ixz7hqr wrote

You're mostly correct. It's a racket for the state in MA, but in NH, the mechanic only pays a few dollars per sticker to the state.

Even at $50, the mechanic isn't making a lot of profit, compared to their normal labor rate. As you said, some dishonest mechanics use the inspection to sell unnecessary repairs. On the other hand, honest mechanics do make money off inspections when they recommend repairs that are truly needed, and only when they are needed.

On the one hand, I'm amazed and saddened at how many people take such poor care of their vehicles, and it's disturbing to see people driving with bald tires, burned-out lights, etc.

On the other hand, the actual data show that most crashes are caused by driver error, and very, very few crashes are caused by vehicle defects. You're definitely correct in your stance that vehicle inspections help very little, and should probably be abolished.

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NH_ATV t1_ixzakny wrote

I spoke to their lead tech named Jimmy. He has been there for years. He said they stopped around that time. Apparently they don’t make enough money from the inspections.

I liked taking my vehicles there as they were not looking to find something wrong just to make a buck or two because they don’t do the repairs there. I’ll still go there for the oil changes but it was definitely convenient to get the inspections done there as well.

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Qbncgr t1_ixzgkx2 wrote

Not that this will help you now, but, you can get your car inspected the month before it expires and register it in the month required. . So a November sticker can be inspected in October and registered in November. This is ideal if you’re not sure it will pass.

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FantasyThrowaway321 t1_ixzom6c wrote

3 months*

My bday is December and I inspected it October 3rd on purpose- it’s done, if anything came up it’s known with time, and now if anything happens I have 15 months to rectify it

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mmirate t1_iy1fmcc wrote

No, the State requiring us to have our own vehicles inspected is also a crock of shit. Driving a shitbox without knowing how to maintain control of it is dangerous to, you guessed it, the driver. School buses, and background-checks of the drivers thereof, are a non sequitur in multiple ways.

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Bathroomdestroyer t1_iy98y7j wrote

I don't think the expired inspection is a moving violation so it shouldn't give you any points. Just the $60-80 ticket. I have gotten 3 inspection tickets in a month and my insurance didn't go up.

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