The existing law is absurd. In a personal sense that means I cannot take my NH vehicle, that is my transportation while I am in NH, to visit out of state relatives and stay overnight. What is someone supposed to do? Rent a car?
That also became a problem when I purchased a vehicle in Florida to drive to NH and leave in NH. The town clerk (correctly according to current law) refused to register the car because it was out of state. One should not have to pay sales tax and higher insurance costs for NH based vehicles because of this law.
After years of complaining about the non resident registration law I decided to attempt to have changes made. I spoke to the Governor at a fundraiser and got his support. I asked Senator Harold French to submit legislation and he did. In February I flew from Florida to NH to testify before the Senate Transportation Committee in Concord. I also spoke to House Transportation Committee members and attended their meetings.
The result is the following change that will become law on January 1, 2020.
Partial language printed to save space here:
Certificates of Title and Registration of Vehicles; Reciprocity for Nonresidents. Amend RSA 261:46 to read as follows:
261:46 Nonresident Registration. the department shall register motor vehicles owned by individuals who are not residents of New Hampshire upon presentation of an affidavit by the applicant, on a form developed by the department, swearing that the vehicle is principally garaged or is regularly kept overnight in New Hampshire and that the applicant is the owner of at least one other vehicle which is registered and insured in the state of the applicant's residence.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2020.
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