An Act To Reduce Motor Vehicle Inspection Costs
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0437
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: THOMAS, WILLETTE, COLLINS, KATZ, MASON, PATRICK, SHERMAN, WOODBURY
Amends: 29-A MRSA §1751, 29-A MRSA §1752

Legislative Document 
No. 437 
S.P. 141 
In Senate, February 10, 2011 
An Act To Reduce Motor Vehicle Inspection Costs 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator THOMAS of Somerset. 
Cosponsored by Representative WILLETTE of Mapleton and 
Senators: COLLINS of York, KATZ of Kennebec, MASON of Androscoggin, PATRICK of 
Oxford, SHERMAN of Aroostook, WOODBURY of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §1751, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
1.  Inspection required.  Except as provided in this chapter or section 2307, 
subsection 1, a motor vehicle required to be registered in this State must have an annual 
inspection every 2 years for all vehicles under 6 year old.  Vehicles over 6 years old must 
be inspected annually.  A person may have a motor vehicle inspected more frequently. 
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §1751, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 786, §1, is 
amended to read: 
2-A.  Enhanced inspection.  Beginning January 1, 1999, a A motor vehicle that is 
required to be registered in Cumberland County and that is subject to inspection pursuant 
to subsection 1 must have an annual enhanced inspection every 2 years for all vehicles 
under 6 year old.  Vehicles over 6 years old must be inspected annually.  The following 
equipment is subject to inspection: 
A.    Equipment subject to inspection pursuant to subsection 2; 
B.    The fuel tank cap on 1974 and subsequent models of gasoline-powered vehicles; 
and 
C.    The on-board diagnostic system on 1996 and subsequent models. 
A motor vehicle that is not required to be registered in Cumberland County may have an 
enhanced inspection under this subsection. 
Sec. 3.  29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2003, c. 397, §7, is 
further amended to read: 
10.  Experimental motor vehicle.  A vehicle registered as an experimental motor 
vehicle pursuant to section 470.  An experimental motor vehicle must meet minimum 
equipment standards pursuant to section 470, subsection 2; and 
Sec. 4.  29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§11, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 397, §8, is 
amended to read: 
11.  Low-speed vehicle.  A low-speed vehicle registered pursuant to section 501, 
subsection 11.  A low-speed vehicle must be equipped in accordance with section 1925.; 
and 
Sec. 5.  29-A MRSA §1752, sub-§12 is enacted to read: 
12.  Vehicles with dealer plates.  A motor vehicle with an attached dealer plate 
pursuant to section 1002. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the annual inspection requirement for motor vehicles, except for 
commercial vehicles, trailers and semitrailers, to a biennial inspection requirement unless 
the motor vehicle is over 6 years old.  This bill also changes the annual enhanced 
inspection requirement for vehicles registered in Cumberland County in a similar manner.  
It exempts motor vehicles with an attached dealer plate from inspection.