HB 153 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

DOT/DEQ to Study Safety and Emissions Inspections.

HB 153 increases vehicle safety and emissions inspection fees in North Carolina, directly affecting vehicle owners who require these inspections. The bill raises the safety inspection fee from $12.75 to $13.75, emissions/safety from $23.75 to $24.75, and authorization fees proportionally, effective October 1, 2025. It specifies these are maximum allowable fees (inspection stations may charge less) and maintains existing rules for re-inspections after failure within 60 days. The bill does not create new requirements or studies but modifies fee structures for vehicle safety and emissions compliance.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 18, 2025 Last action Apr 9, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten from a fee increase measure to a study directive. Instead of raising vehicle inspection fees, the new version directs state agencies to study the inspection program and report findings on potential changes, including whether inspections could be reduced or eliminated. This represents a fundamental shift from implementing immediate fee changes to conducting research before any policy modifications.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from implementing specific fee increases to directing a comprehensive study of the inspection program. The new version applies to the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Quality, requiring them to jointly conduct research and submit recommendations.

FISCAL

Removed all specific fee amounts for vehicle safety and emissions inspections that were set to increase from $12.75 to $29.15 for safety-only inspections and $23.75 to $40.15 for emissions and safety inspections.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for DOT and DEQ to jointly study the inspection program, including analysis of fee structures, program efficiency, motor vehicle modernization impacts, and potential changes to inspection frequency.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from October 1, 2025 to when the act becomes law, and added a March 1, 2026 deadline for submitting the study report to the General Assembly and Fiscal Research Division.

ENFORCEMENT

Added requirement to report findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to inspection fee collection, vehicle reinspection rights, after-factory tinted window inspection fees, and restrictions on fee increases or decreases.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Finance

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Transportation, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors