HB 1549 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2795
06/08
HOUSE BILL 1549
SPONSORS: Rep. McFarlane, Graf. 18; Rep. Giasson, Hills. 29; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill limits the requirement to present ownership and identification documents to the initial registration or transfer of a vehicle, allows personal recognizance by the town or city clerk as a form of identification, and affirms that prior registration is sufficient for renewal.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2795
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Purpose. The general court finds that:
I. The current text of RSA 261:148 has resulted in uncertainty as to whether proof of ownership and identification documents must be presented at each annual vehicle registration, rather than only at initial registration or transfer of ownership.
II. Related provisions of RSA 261, including RSA 261:10 through RSA 261:14, require proof of title only at initial registration or ownership transfer.
III. Paragraphs II and III of RSA 261:148 (regarding bills of sale) do not explicitly limit these requirements to initial registration or transfer, causing potential ambiguity inconsistent with the chapter’s structure and purpose.
IV. The purpose of RSA 261:148 is to establish ownership upon first registration and to prevent fraud, not to require repeated documentation at each renewal.
V. It is in the public interest to align statutory language with established practice and clarify requirements for clerks, residents, and law enforcement.
2 Permit Required. Amend RSA 261:148 to read as follows:
261:148 Permit Required. No vehicle, except an OHRV, snowmobile or moped, owned or controlled by a resident of this state shall be registered under the provisions of this chapter until the owner or person controlling the same has obtained a permit for registration from the city or town wherein he resides. Except as provided in paragraph V, the documentation requirements of paragraphs I through III shall apply only at the time of initial registration of a vehicle in this state or upon transfer of ownership. This section shall not apply to vehicles which constitute stock in trade of a manufacturer or of a bona fide dealer. The town or city clerk shall issue such permits to vehicles exempted from registration fees under RSA 261:92 at no charge. If the town or city has adopted the provisions of RSA 231:130-a, no such permit shall be issued unless the town or city clerk's records reveal no outstanding parking violations in this state. No such permit shall be issued unless the owner or person controlling the vehicle presents to the town or city clerk:
I. At the time of initial registration or transfer of ownership, the owner or person controlling the vehicle shall present either:
(a) A current, government-issued photo identification card; or
(b) Personal recognizance by the town or city clerk; and
(c) [and a certificate of title, if] If required by the provisions of this chapter, a certificate of title or application for such certificate [of title; or] shall be presented.
II. [In the case of a vehicle exempted from the title requirements of this chapter, a current, government-issued photo identification card and] For vehicles exempt from the title requirements of this chapter, the documentation in paragraph I shall be presented only at initial registration or transfer of ownership, along with one of the following:
(a) A bill of sale from such previous owner; or
(b) If the previous owner was a dealer in vehicles, a temporary registration certificate or an application for a certificate of title.
III. The bill of sale required by the provisions of paragraph II shall contain the following information:
(a) The date of the sale;
(b) A description of the vehicle including:
(1) Make;
(2) Model;
(3) Vehicle identification number;
(4) Model year;
(5) Year of manufacture;
(6) Type of body; and
(7) Number of cylinders.
(c) Name and address of purchaser; and
(d) Signature and address of seller.
IV. [In the case of any vehicle] For annual registration renewals, a certificate of registration to the same owner for a current or previous registration period shall be sufficient to establish ownership. The clerk may waive the requirement for a physical copy of the certificate of registration if the clerk has access to the electronic system of record and can verify the information [for the current or previous registration period].
V. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require presentation of a certificate of title, bill of sale, or identification documents at annual registration renewal, except where ownership has changed or the vehicle is being registered in the state for the first time.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 3, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 28, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/03/2026 10:00 am GP 234
Dec. 10, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Transportation