Revision: Feb. 18, 2026, 4:17 p.m.
HB 1421-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
12Feb2026... 0445h
2026 SESSION
26-2339
06/08
HOUSE BILL 1421-FN
AN ACT modifying title exemptions for motor vehicles manufactured before the year 2000.
SPONSORS: Rep. Granger, Straf. 2; Rep. Giasson, Hills. 29
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill exempts any motor vehicle that is at least 20 years old from the requirement to obtain a certificate of title, except for heavy trucks and truck-tractors with a gross vehicle weight over 18,000 pounds. This exemption applies on a rolling basis as vehicles reach 20 years of age. This bill also allows a person who owns a title-exempt vehicle the ability to voluntarily request a title.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
12Feb2026... 0445h 26-2339
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT modifying title exemptions for motor vehicles manufactured before the year 2000.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Certificates of Title and Registration of Vehicles; Exempted Vehicles. Amend RSA 261:3, I(k) to read as follows:
(k) Any motor vehicle whose manufacturer's model year is older than 20 years [before the year 2000], except heavy trucks and truck-tractors whose gross vehicle weight exceeds 18,000 pounds.
2 New Paragraph; Certificate of Title; Exempted Vehicle; Voluntary Certificate of Title. Amend RSA 261:3 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. For any vehicle where a certificate of title need not be obtained pursuant to this section, a person may obtain a voluntary title for such vehicle by submitting to the department a previously issued, current or expired New Hampshire certificate of registration, a valid out-of-state certificate of title, an application for a certificate of title, or a current New Hampshire vehicle identification number verification form as prescribed by the director. For the purposes of this section, a temporary registration issued pursuant to RSA 261:57 shall not meet the requirement of a previously issued New Hampshire certificate of registration.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2339
02/18/2026
HB 1421-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0445h)
AN ACT modifying title exemptions for motor vehicles manufactured before the year 2000.
FISCAL IMPACT:
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Estimated State Impact | |||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | |
Revenue | $0 | Up to $525,000 Decrease | $525,000 Per Year Decrease | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | Highway Fund | ||||
Expenditures* | $0 | Up to $11,550 Decrease | Up to $74,550 Decrease | $74,550 Decrease | |
Funding Source(s) | Restricted - Highway Fund Cost of Collections - Per the state constitution, costs associated with the collection/administration of highway fund revenue by the Department of Safety is deducted prior to funds being credited as unrestricted highway fund revenue | ||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Funding Source(s) | None | ||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | |||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | |||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | |
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
Local Expenditures | $0 | $0 | Up to $63,000 Decrease | $63,000 Decrease | |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill makes the following changes relative to motor vehicle titles:
The Department of Safety has identified 15,212 titles issued for vehicles (excluding heavy trucks and trick tractors over 18,000 pounds) that reached the 20-year threshold in 2025. Therefore, this bill will reduce state title fee revenue by approximately $525,000 per year ($35 x 15,000 titles issued). Also, pursuant to RSA 235:23 (“Apportionment A”), 12 percent of highway fund road toll and motor vehicle fee revenue collected is distributed to municipalities in the year following collection. Therefore, this bill would also reduce state expenditures and local revenue, beginning in FY 2028, by approximately $63,000. In addition, the Department states that state expenditures for direct mailing titles would also decrease by approximately $11,550 per year ($0.77 per title).
All amounts in the first year of implementation (FY 2027) will be reduced as this bill is effective 60 days after passage. Typically, legislation impacting motor vehicle licensing, registration, and titling are effective January 1.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety