NCT Grace Period?

Andy_F

Is there a grace period beyond the NCT due date? I.e. if you are unable to get your vehicle tested before the due date (e.g. vehicle out of the country) is there a certain amount of days where the vehicle is still legal after the due date.

biko

No

YbFocus

No you are expected to book it within time to allow you to overlap your tests and never be out.
You may meet a guard who will let you away, but you may not either. .

Andy_F

Thanks for the replies, I thought that was the case.

CiniO

Andy_F wrote: »

Is there a grace period beyond the NCT due date? I.e. if you are unable to get your vehicle tested before the due date (e.g. vehicle out of the country) is there a certain amount of days where the vehicle is still legal after the due date.

There isn't.
But few months ago they introduced voluntary early testing, so if you are planning to take vehicle abroad for longer, then you can NCT it just before you leave (even if vehicle is still within valid NCT), and get 1 or 2 years valid test (depending on vehicle age) from date of the test.

So f.e. you are planning to drive abroad for 9 months in October 2014 (till July 2015). Your test is due February 2015. So now you can test it in September before you go, and have it valid until September 2015 (or 2016).
Few months ago this would be impossible.

Andy_F

Hi CiniO,

I received a letter outlining what you say above this morning. Unfortunately it has come too late as I'm leaving for the UK tomorrow and am likely to be away for a period beyond the NCT due date in January.

Thanks for your help.

CiniO

Andy_F wrote: »

Hi CiniO,

I received a letter outlining what you say above this morning. Unfortunately it has come too late as I'm leaving for the UK tomorrow and am likely to be away for a period beyond the NCT due date in January.

Thanks for your help.

You might still try your luck at some NCT centre today. Maybe someone will no show up, and they will be able to test your car on the spot.

Andy_F

I'll give it a try, thanks again

djimi

To be honest, if the car is going to be out of the country, then book the NCT the day you get back and keep a copy of the booking confirmation in the car along with any documentation that shows that the car was out of the country for the period of time leading up to, and following, the NCT expiration date, and I cant imagine you will get too much hassle from any Garda. No guarantees of course, but Id be surprised.

Provided of course the NCT doesnt lapse by a very significant period of time.

CiniO

djimi wrote: »

To be honest, if the car is going to be out of the country, then book the NCT the day you get back and keep a copy of the booking confirmation in the car along with any documentation that shows that the car was out of the country for the period of time leading up to, and following, the NCT expiration date, and I cant imagine you will get too much hassle from any Garda. No guarantees of course, but Id be surprised.

Provided of course the NCT doesnt lapse by a very significant period of time.

Well, that only sorts a problem of driving not-NCTed car in Ireland after returning.
But it doesn't solve much bigger problem of driving un-NCTed car abroad.

djimi

CiniO wrote: »

Well, that only sorts a problem of driving not-NCTed car in Ireland after returning.
But it doesn't solve much bigger problem of driving un-NCTed car abroad.

Im answering the question that was asked in the OP.

CiniO

djimi wrote: »

Im answering the question that was asked in the OP.

OP never specified he only cared about legality of driving unNCTed in Ireland, but in general.

alias no.9

Nice reminder, just booked my NCT for 13 November but not due until the end of January. You used to be locked out of the system outside of the 3 month period (or 6 months for the first test) but more recently you could book up to one month prior to the 3 month window.

It seems now since they brought in the voluntary early testing, you're never locked out, you can book whenever you want so it's much easier to hit a point early in the 3 month period prior to the expiry of the current test and plenty time for retest if needed.

This along with the voluntary early testing makes for a big improvement in the logistics and should leave little in the way of excuses of getting it done on time.