AN ACT to make changes to the laws GOVERNING VEHICLE REGISTRATION and inspection, as recommended by the joint LEGISLATIVE transportation oversight committee.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑66(k) is repealed.
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑183.4(b)(4) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Station Qualifications. – An applicant for a license as a safety inspection station must meet all of the following requirements:
…
(4)	Have equipment and software approved by the Division to transfer information on safety inspections to the Division by electronic means. During the initial implementation of the electronic inspection process, the vendor selected by the Division shall provide the equipment and software at no cost to a station that holds a license on October 1, 2008."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 20‑183.4C reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑183.4C.  When a vehicle must be inspected;  three‑day trip permit.
(a)	Inspection. – A vehicle that is subject to a safety inspection, an emissions inspection, or both must be inspected as follows: 
(1)	A new vehicle must be inspected before it is sold at retail in this State. Upon purchase, a receipt approved by the Division must be provided to the new owner certifying compliance.
(1a)	A new motor vehicle dealer who is also licensed pursuant to this Article may, notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this section, examine the safety and emissions control devices on a new motor vehicle and perform such services necessary to ensure the motor vehicle conforms to the required specifications established by the manufacturer and contained in its predelivery check list. The completion of the predelivery inspection procedure required or recommended by the manufacturer on a new motor vehicle shall constitute the inspection required by subdivision (1) of this section. For the purposes of this subdivision, the date of inspection shall be deemed to be the date of the sale of the motor vehicle to a purchaser.
(2)	A used vehicle must be inspected before it is offered for sale at retail in this State by a dealer. Upon purchase, a receipt approved by the Division must be provided to the new owner certifying compliance.
(3)	Repealed by Session Law 2007‑503, s. 5, effective October 1, 2008.
(4)	A new or used vehicle acquired by a resident of this State from outside the State must be inspected before the vehicle is registered with the Division.
(5)	A vehicle owned by a new resident of this State who transfers the registration of the vehicle from the resident's former home state to this State must be inspected before the vehicle is registered with the Division.
(5a)	Repealed by Session Law 2007‑503, s. 5, effective October 1, 2008.
(6)	A vehicle that has been inspected in accordance with this Part must be inspected by the last day of the month in which the registration on the vehicle expires.
(7)	A vehicle that is required to be inspected in accordance with this Part may be inspected 90 days prior to midnight of the last day of the month as designated by the vehicle registration sticker.
(8)	A new or used vehicle acquired from a retailer in this State and registered with the Division with a new registration or a transferred registration must be inspected in accordance with this Part when the current registration expires.
(9)	A used vehicle acquired from a private sale in this State must be inspected in accordance with this Part before the vehicle is registered with the Division unless it has received a passing inspection within the previous 12 months.
(10)	An unregistered vehicle must be inspected before the vehicle is registered with the Division unless it has received a passing inspection within the previous 12 months.
(11)	A person who owns a vehicle located outside of this State when its emissions inspection becomes due may obtain an emissions inspection in the jurisdiction where the vehicle is located, in lieu of a North Carolina emissions inspection, as long as the inspection meets the requirements of 40 C.F.R. § 51.
(b)	Permit. – The Division may issue a three‑day trip permit to a person that authorizes the person to drive an insured vehicle whose inspection  authorization or registration has expired. The permit must describe the vehicle whose inspection  authorization or registration has expired. The permit authorizing the person to drive the described vehicle only from the place the vehicle is parked to an inspection station, repair shop, or Division or contract agent registration office.The Division may issue a 10‑day temporary permit to a person that authorizes the person to drive a vehicle that failed to pass the emissions inspection. The permit must describe the vehicle that failed to pass inspection and the date that it failed to pass inspection."
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2008.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 15th day of July, 2008.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Joe Hackney
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 8:08 a.m. this 8th day of August, 2008