NCT Test

The National Car Test is a compulsory vehicle inspection programme in Ireland. The primary aim of the NCT is to improve road safety and enhance environmental protection by reducing harmful vehicles emissions in Ireland.

The NCT is a check of the basic requirement at the time of the test. It evaluates the parts of the vehicle which are visible and accessible. Passing the NCT test does not mean that you don’t need to keep your car regularly maintained. Even if you pass the NCT, you still need to carry out regular servicing and safety checks.

This results in better fuel economy and will also help to reduce overall repair costs while lowering the risk of breakdowns.

It is mandatory

To comply with the current Road Traffic Act your car must be roadworthy display a valid NCT certificate.

The regulations have been updated and include the following:

• A fixed penalty charge for driving without an NCT cert.
• Five points for driving without a certificate of road worthiness.
• Five penalty points for driving a dangerously defective vehicle.
• Three penalty points for driving a vehicle without fixing a fault uncovered at the NCT.

The Garda Siochana enforce the Road Traffic Act and have immediate access to NCT records.
It is advisable to be in compliance especially if your job depends on it.

When you get your car serviced at Clondalkin we include a Free NCT pre-check.

What you can do to help your car pass the test.

You must book the test yourself, NCT do not send notifications . You have up to 90 days before your current cert is due to expire. It’s important to note this in your calendar. Booking times vary, especially at the moment so it’s worth making a phone call or visit the link below to check how busy they are.

If a booking cannot be provided within a four-week period your car will be tested free of charge. (Subject to certain terms and conditions) and if NCT cancels a prearranged booking without providing five days’ notice a new booking will be provided free of charge.

Ensure that the items to be tested are clean. Remove any belongings inside the car and the boot, you don’t want to annoy the tester before he’s even started the test.

• Make sure the lights, windows, mirrors and registration plates in particular are clear and undamaged.
• If possible, clean the underside of the car too – most brush washes offer this option.
• Remove child seats. If you have a child seat in your car the tester is obliged to check it is fitted properly.
• Check the condition of your wipers and replace the blades if necessary.

Check your lights

Checking your lights is easy before the NCT. Switch them on, if there is no light, the bulb is blown. A blown bulb is an instant failure. With the engine running, check all indicator bulbs, dipped and high beam headlights, parking lights front and rear, lighting of the rear number plate, fog lights and even brake lights. You will need help with your brake lights or check them in the reflection of a window. If you don’t know how to change a bulb we can do it for you.

Adjust headlight alignment, you need is a level surface and a flat wall with some sort of horizontal lines that you can use as a guide. If you are not confident enough to do the work yourself we are always here to help, you can phone us or book vis our contact page (link here)

Top up all fluids

Check that all the fluids are topped up properly. That includes oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid and windscreen wash. Most of these are clearly labelled but be careful, the wrong fluid in the wrong reservoir can be costly.

Ignore warning lights at your peril.

If there are any warning lights coming on you’d be better giving us a call. Warning lights can be an instant failure, they may not even conduct the test if the engine management light is showing.

Inspect your tyres

Since April 2010 all cars presenting for NCT must have ‘E’ stamped tyres. These have been certified to comply with EU and other international tyre safety certification standards. Due to this rule finding non ‘E’ stamped tyres in Ireland is difficult. But if you have purchased part worn tyres they may have come from outside of the EU and therefore not be stamped.

Inspect your tyres for damage or bulging and replace if necessary. When replacing remember that you must be the same size across the front and back. Check the tread depth on your tyres. The legal limit is 1.6mm depth across the middle of the tyre, but really, if they are that low, it is time to change them anyway. The tread depth should only be measured when the tyres have been properly inflated. Find out the pressure the manufacturer recommends (usually there’s a plaque showing that on the inside of the driver’s door frame) and pump.

When going for you NCT the wheel nuts must be visible, so remove hubcaps or alloy wheel centre caps before bringing your car for test.

Final car checks

Give the car a good run beforehand as well so the engine is up to operating temperature. Arrive in plenty of time for your test.

The paperwork

Make sure you have all of your car’s documentation with you. NCTS won’t even look at your car unless you have the vehicle registration book, registration certificate or licensing certificate with you. You will also need documentation for yourself. It does not matter if you are the car’s registered owner or not but you must have identification. Since May 2012 the rules state that an NCT certificate will not be issued unless the person presenting the car for test has identification.

The Cost

Yes you have to pay for the NCT. The current fee is €55 for a full test and €28 for a retest. NCTS centres accept cash, debit cards and most credit cards, but not cheques.
If you cancel your confirmed appointment with less than five working days’ notice (Mon. – Fri., not including the day of the test) or fail to show up for the test, a €22.00 surcharge will be applied when you next bring your car for testing. A similar surcharge of €11.50 will apply in the case of a re-test.