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HB 1682-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-3112
06/09
HOUSE BILL
1682-FN
AN ACT
relative to registration and road access for low-capacity and low-weight battery-operated vehicles.
SPONSORS: Rep. Almy, Graf. 17; Rep. Janigian, Rock. 25; Rep. Cloutier, Sull. 6; Rep. Milz, Rock. 13
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes registration surcharges for small battery-operated vehicles and exempts motorized electric-powered vehicles used exclusively off-road from registration requirements.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-3112
06/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
relative to registration and road access for low-capacity and low-weight battery-operated vehicles.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Electric Vehicle Registration Fee. Amend RSA 261:141-c to read as follows:
261:141-c Electric Vehicle Registration Fee to be Collected
; Exemptions
.
I. Battery electric vehicles, as defined in RSA 236:132, I, shall be assessed a surcharge of $100 on annual registration, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, as defined in RSA 236:132, V shall be assessed a surcharged of $50, to be deposited in the highway fund.
I-a. Small battery-operated vehicles shall be assessed a surcharge of $20 on annual registration for municipal on-road use if their dry weight is under 400 pounds, and $30 for public road use other than highways if dry weight is between 401 and 1,000 pounds. The fee for municipal on-road use shall be paid to the resident’s municipality.
I-b.
The department of safety, division of motor vehicles shall determine necessary procedures for determining vehicles subject to this surcharge.
II. The division of motor vehicles and the department of transportation shall report annually on or before January 1 of each year to the New Hampshire transportation council, speaker, president, and chairs of house and senate transportation committees on the
state
surcharge revenue.
III. Motorized electric-powered vehicles, including motor bicycles, mopeds, and similar devices, that are capable of speeds greater than 15 miles per hour and weigh less than 400 pounds shall be registered to operate on municipal roads, upon payment of the fee established in this section. Notwithstanding RSA 261:40 or any other provision of law to the contrary, motorized electric-powered vehicles used exclusively off-road shall not be required to be registered under this chapter.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
LBA
26-3112
12/2/25
HB 1682-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT
relative to registration and road access for low-capacity and low-weight battery-operated vehicles.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This bill does not provide funding.
Estimated State Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Revenue Fund(s)
Highway Fund
Expenditures*
$0
$45,000 to $100,000
Department of Safety Costs
$10,000 to $100,000 Per Year
Apportionment A Payments
Indeterminable Increase
Funding Source(s)
Highway Fund and 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
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Local Revenue
$0
Indeterminable Increase
Local Expenditures
$0
$0
$0
$0
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes registration surcharges for small battery-operated vehicles of $20 and $30 depending on vehicle weight, with proceeds paid to the resident’s municipality. The Department has identified the following potential cost impacts of this bill:
Modify its systems to include new vehicle categories defined as small battery-operated vehicles and motorized electric-powered vehicles and associated surcharge amounts.
Estimated programming, testing, and deployment costs are projected at $45,000 based on current vendor rates and system development timelines.
Develop internal guidance and administrative procedures to determine eligibility for the surcharges, including identifying affected vehicle types, verifying vehicle weight classifications, and ensuring proper fee distribution for municipally collected fees. Minor staff training and public communication updates would be required.
These can be completed within existing resources and would not result in additional cost.
The Department, and its municipal agents, would process new additional registrations because of the newly added vehicle classifications. The cost associated with producing and issuing each registration certificate and decal sticker is approximately $0.45 per transaction.
The Department has not provided an estimate of how many vehicles may register under this bill, therefore, this impact is indeterminable.
Ultimately, the Department states that the impact on state expenditures as a result of this bill is indeterminable, however it would range from $45,000 to $100,000 in FY 2027 and $10,000 to $100,000 in FY 2028 and beyond.
This bill directs revenue from the $20 annual registration for municipal on-road (<400 lbs) to municipalities and is silent on revenue from the $30 annual registration for public road use other than highways (401-1,000 lbs), which is assumed would be credited to the state highway fund. The Department has provided no estimates as to how many vehicles may be registered as a result of this bill, therefore, this bill’s impact on state and local revenue is indeterminable. 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 increase state expenditures and local revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2028 and beyond.
The Department notes that this bill’s effective date of July 1, 2026, would not provide adequate time for it to make the necessary changes to implement this bill. Typically, bills impacting vehicle registrations would be effective January 1.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety