This bill amends RSA 262:7 to create an exception to the prohibition on removing vehicle identification numbers (VIN) from motor vehicles manufactured prior to 1981. The new legal language allows for the removal and reinstallation of a manufacturer's serial number or VIN if it is reasonably necessary for repair or restoration of the vehicle. Specifically, the bill inserts provisions stating that individuals who remove and reinstall these numbers for such purposes will not be charged with a misdemeanor, provided they do not know or have reason to believe that the vehicle is stolen.

Additionally, the bill maintains the existing penalties for individuals who knowingly buy, receive, possess, sell, or dispose of a vehicle with a removed or altered VIN, unless they report the discovery to the police. The effective date of the act is set for 60 days after its passage. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, as it may affect judicial and correctional systems due to changes in criminal penalties, but it is expected to have no direct revenue impact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 262:7