Driving with an expired NCT certificate while waiting for appointment

abff

We've just realised that my wife's car's NCT certificate expires at the end of this week. We went online to make a reservation and the first appointment that's available in our nearest test centre is on 5th November.

If we apply now and get an appointment, will this allow my wife to continue driving the car until the test can be done or would she potentially be subject to penalty points if stopped. Is this an area where Gardai have discretion if an appointment has been made and, if so, is there a time limit for the exercise of this discretion?

For example, is it OK if you have an appointment and are within a month of the previous certificate's expiry date? Or is the rule that you must have applied for a test before the previous certificate expired? Or are there other criteria and, if so, what are these criteria?

On a related issue, if she was in an accident between the date of expiry of the NCT certificate and the date of the test, could this invalidate her insurance?

JoeySully

Ring them and ask for a test, if they cant give you one within a month your test should be free if you ask for it!!!

http://ncts.ie/customer_charter.html

It is an offense to drive a car without a Valid NCT.

You will have to ask your insurance company, some say the vehicle needs to be in a roadworthy condition which means having a valid NCT. Some dont care about NCT.

quadrifoglio verde

Best to check with the insurance company with regards to scenario 2.

In relation to scenario 1, having the booking won't get you off. It's a legal requirement to have an nct of the car is on the road. While some guards will you off, there is that risk of getting the 1 in 100 guard who's had a bad day and isn't willing to look the other way.

Skatedude

you should be ok for a while, the guards usually give you a warning to get it sorted unless its more then a month out.

Appointments are useless as the waiting times are in months, but if you ring them, they will get you a cancellation, usually within a week or two

biko

1 you're not allowed to drive without nct, even with appointment
2 ask your insurer

That said, it'd be a particularly grumpy guard to act on it, but they can.

Ring them every morning and ask for cancellations. Also ask about test centres in other towns close-ish.