H 684

 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.684
 2026  Page 1 of 3
1H.684
2 Introduced by Representative Satcowitz of Randolph
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Motor vehicles; operation of vehicles; equipment; inspections
6 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to provide
7 owners of cars, motorcycles, and light trucks with the right to determine
8 whether to repair safety issues identified during an annual inspection.
9    An act relating to motor vehicle inspections
10 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
11 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 1222 is amended to read:
12 § 1222. INSPECTION OF REGISTERED VEHICLES
13***
14    (b)(1) The inspections shall be made at garages or qualified service
15 stations, designated by the Commissioner as inspection stations, for the
16 purpose of determining whether those motor vehicles are properly equipped
17 and maintained in good mechanical condition; provided, however, the scope of
18 the safety inspection of a motor vehicle other than a school bus or a
19 commercial motor vehicle shall be limited to parts or systems that are relevant
20 to the vehicle’s safe operation, and such vehicles.
                                                                   VT LEG #386109 v.2
 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.684
 2026  Page 2 of 3
1(2)(A) For commercial motor vehicles and all motor vehicles with a
2 gross vehicle weight rating of at least 10,001 pounds, a vehicle shall not fail
3 the safety portion of the inspection unless the condition of the part or system
4 poses or may pose a danger to the operator or to other highway users.
5(B) For noncommercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight
6 rating of 10,000 pounds or less, a vehicle shall not fail the safety portion of the
7 inspection on account of the condition of a part or system. An inspection
8 station shall:
9(i) provide a vehicle owner with notice of any part or system
10 whose condition poses or may pose a danger to the operator or to other
11 highway users;
12(ii) identify any repairs or other work necessary to repair or
13 otherwise address the condition of the part or system; and
14(iii) provide an estimate of the cost of any identified repairs and
15 work.
16(C) Notwithstanding subdivisions (A) and (B) of this subdivision (2),
17 a motor vehicle that fails the emissions or on board diagnostic (OBD) systems
18 portion of the inspection shall be required to have any necessary repairs to the
19 vehicle’s emissions control components performed and the vehicle retested to
20 ensure that it passes the emissions and OBD systems portion of the inspection
21 prior to receiving a valid certificate of inspection.
                                                                     VT LEG #386109 v.2
 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.684
 2026  Page 3 of 3
1(2)(3) The charges for such inspections made by garages or qualified
2 service stations designated to conduct periodic inspections shall be subject to
3 the approval of the Commissioner. If a fee is charged for inspection, it shall be
4 based upon the hourly rate charged by each official inspection station or it may
5 be a flat rate fee, and, in either instance, the fee shall be prominently posted
6 and displayed beside the official inspection station certificate. In addition, the
7 official inspection station may disclose the State inspection certificate charge
8 on the repair order as a separate item and collect the charge from the consumer.
9***
10 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
11    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
                                                                     VT LEG #386109 v.2