NCT due for car declared off road

SomeDude

Hi All,

Looking for some advice please. I have a car declared off the road that has its NCT due next month (the month when its off the road declaration expires). I intend declaring it off the road again before month end. Can I cancel the NCT in September and then apply for an NCT whenever I intend putting the car back on the road?

Thanks in advance.

Effects

yes

punisher5112

Bring it before it expires.

One can drive an untaxed vehicle to and from a booked NCT.

If you let it lapse there is no concession even if booked one is driving without test and can get a big fine and quite a few points if stopped.

Isambard

punisher5112 wrote: »

Bring it before it expires.

One can drive an untaxed vehicle to and from a booked NCT.

If you let it lapse there is no concession even if booked one is driving without test and can get a big fine and quite a few points if stopped.

This is quite correct, you cannot legally drive a car on the road with no NCT, so should really get it done even if on a SORD before the current NCT expires.

To make it clear, you can drive an untaxed car on a SORD to and from the NCT. It's the only exception, has to be on a SORD to do it legally. You're right that you cannot legally drive on the road with no NCT

Ubbquittious

I have never heard of this no NCT = Can't drive to the NCT chicken-and-egg situation before. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense and renders the whole off-road declaration thing a bit worthless.

Would be interesting to know if anyone ever got persecuted for driving to the NCT with no NCT

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I have never heard of this no NCT = Can't drive to the NCT chicken-and-egg situation before. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense and renders the whole off-road declaration thing a bit worthless.

Would be interesting to know if anyone ever got persecuted for driving to the NCT with no NCT

Just so you are aware if it has no test then it should not be on a road....

It's that simple I'm afraid.

Only people are allowed are the likes of garages with trade plates as they may be testing the car etc.

The tax doesn't need to be up to date and if signed of the road it is exempt once test is booked so there is no excuse to not test it.


Obviously it's a guards discretion so they may well see you are getting it tested and let you on.

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

Just so you are aware if it has no test then it should not be on a road....

It's that simple I'm afraid.

Only people are allowed are the likes of garages with trade plates as they may be testing the car etc.

The tax doesn't need to be up to date and if signed of the road it is exempt once test is booked so there is no excuse to not test it.


Obviously it's a guards discretion so they may well see you are getting it tested and let you on.

The fearmongering is strong in this one. It wouldn't make sense that cars declared off the road for a few years would be permanently locked into the place they are now or that people who buy a car with no NCT wouldn't be allowed to bring it to the test centre. Nor have I ever heard of an exception for garages

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

The fearmongering is strong in this one. It wouldn't make sense that cars declared off the road for a few years would be permanently locked into the place they are now or that people who buy a car with no NCT wouldn't be allowed to bring it to the test centre. Nor have I ever heard of an exception for garages

If they have garage plates then they are insured also obviously once policy in place.

You can't drive on a public road without a test why is this so difficult for you to understand.


The law is there.

I am in no way scaremongering.
Of course I believe one once car is maintained and in good order should be able to drive to a booked test but I didn't make the rules.

Points and a fine is what is there I'm afraid.

punisher5112

Oh and insurance would be a major issue also as many if not all now require a car to be tested if on a public road.

wotzgoingon

Yep most people would have to pay someone with a flatbed etc.. to bring the car to the test centre for them.

wotzgoingon

punisher5112 wrote: »

One can drive an untaxed vehicle to and from a booked NCT.

Isambard wrote: »

This is quite correct, you cannot legally drive a car on the road with no NCT, so should really get it done even if on a SORD before the current NCT expires.

To make it clear, you can drive an untaxed car on a SORD to and from the NCT. It's the only exception, has to be on a SORD to do it legally. You're right that you cannot legally drive on the road with no NCT

Has anyone a link to this information or is this just talk like a lot on here used to say that you can drive a car to the NCT test centre even if you have no NCT. I never believed that but it was thrown around here quite a bit.

jmreire

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Has anyone a link to this information or is this just talk like a lot on here used to say that you can drive a car to the NCT test centre even if you have no NCT. I never believed that but it was thrown around here quite a bit.

I have a car that failed it's last NCT back in January. ( was not much wrong with it TBH) But I had it declared off the road, as I had bought another car, and to this day, It's parked up at the house. As I don't plan on driving it again in the near future , so for 2019, I will again declare it off the road, and not bother with the NCT either. Am I breaking any law by doing this? If I decide to put it back on the road again, I will fix the fail faults noted in the NCT an then flat bed it to the centre, as it's neither taxed or insured at the moment.

punisher5112

jmreire wrote: »

I have a car that failed it's last NCT back in January. ( was not much wrong with it TBH) But I had it declared off the road, as I had bought another car, and to this day, It's parked up at the house. As I don't plan on driving it again in the near future , so for 2019, I will again declare it off the road, and not bother with the NCT either. Am I breaking any law by doing this? If I decide to put it back on the road again, I will fix the fail faults noted in the NCT an then flat bed it to the centre, as it's neither taxed or insured at the moment.

No issue at all as not on a public road.

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they have garage plates then they are insured also obviously once policy in place.

You can't drive on a public road without a test why is this so difficult for you to understand.


The law is there.

I am in no way scaremongering.
Of course I believe one once car is maintained and in good order should be able to drive to a booked test but I didn't make the rules.

Points and a fine is what is there I'm afraid.

Because I have never heard of it happening. Nor can I find any mention of anyone ever being done for it in court. I don't think I ever remember seeing a flatbed at an NCT centre either and I used to work beside one.

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Because I have never heard of it happening. Nor can I find any mention of anyone ever being done for it in court. I don't think I ever remember seeing a flatbed at an NCT centre either and I used to work beside one.

And how does any of that what you say mean it isn't true.

Typical attitude to road safety.....


I'm just telling you the law relax there a little....

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

And how does any of that what you say mean it isn't true.

Typical attitude to road safety.....


I'm just telling you the law relax there a little....

I would hate to put someone through the trouble of renting a trailer when there is no need. If people were being convicted for going to the NCT with no NCT then we would have heard about them by now

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I would hate to put someone through the trouble of renting a trailer when there is no need. If people were being convicted for going to the NCT with no NCT then we would have heard about them by now

Here ya go...

https://www-irishtimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/drivers-told-to-phone-nct-for-appointment-after-points-rise-1.2030390?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&mode=amp&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fconsumer%2Fdrivers-told-to-phone-nct-for-appointment-after-points-rise-1.2030390

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

Here ya go...

https://www-irishtimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/drivers-told-to-phone-nct-for-appointment-after-points-rise-1.2030390?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&mode=amp&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fconsumer%2Fdrivers-told-to-phone-nct-for-appointment-after-points-rise-1.2030390

Doesn't mention anyone being done on the way to the NCT centre.

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Doesn't mention anyone being done on the way to the NCT centre.

Go ahead and do it so....


It is breaking the law.

I already mentioned it's Garda discretion so many may well let one do so.


Go and search or do a freedom of information search on it and get back to us.

You really don't like to admit you are the wrong one.

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

Go ahead and do it so....


It is breaking the law.

I already mentioned it's Garda discretion so many may well let one do so.


Go and search or do a freedom of information search on it and get back to us.

You really don't like to admit you are the wrong one.

I am not worried. No need for me to admit anything. There is nobody even claiming they heard of someone being convicted for this. No shortage of fellas like you on here fearmongering. There is a bit more than Garda discretion preventing the chicken and egg situation from occuring


Hope your flatbed trailer business is going well for you

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I am not worried. No need for me to admit anything. There is nobody even claiming they heard of someone being convicted for this. No shortage of fellas like you on here fearmongering. There is a bit more than Garda discretion preventing the chicken and egg situation from occuring


Hope your flatbed trailer business is going well for you

What the actual fook

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

There is a bit more than Garda discretion preventing the chicken and egg situation from occuring

Care to enlighten us?

Just because no one here has said they have seen such or because you never seen a flatbed at an NCT or because you never read about is NOT proof that something is legal.

There are many illegal things that people are not aware of simply because they don't read of or hear about them, for example it's illegal to leave your car bonnet open or your doors unlocked or not to apply your handbrake when your car is unattended, but hey nobody has heard of or seen someone prosecuted for it so it's actually legal and that's that.

What others have said is correct, it IS illegal to drive to an NCT without a valid NCT, it was one of the reasons why the 90 day early test was put in place to combat the issue.

We have discussed this a few times, there was a specific exemption in law which allowed you to drive to the NCT without a valid NCT, but that was specifically repealed years ago.

The reality is that you very rarely see such because Gardaí apply their discretion, but it has happened on rare occasions and there was a Tweet last year about it where the Gardaí confirmed you can't legally drive to the NCT without a valid NCT (bar one or two other exemptions).

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

Care to enlighten us?

Just because no one here has said they have seen such or because you never seen a flatbed at an NCT or because you never read about is NOT proof that something is legal.

There are many illegal things that people are not aware of simply because they don't read of or hear about them, for example it's illegal to leave your car bonnet open or your doors unlocked or not to apply your handbrake when your car is unattended, but hey nobody has heard of or seen someone prosecuted for it so it's actually legal and that's that.

What others have said is correct, it IS illegal to drive to an NCT without a valid NCT, it was one of the reasons why the 90 day early test was put in place to combat the issue.

We have discussed this a few times, there was a specific exemption in law which allowed you to drive to the NCT without a valid NCT, but that was specifically repealed years ago.

The reality is that you very rarely see such because Gardaí apply their discretion, but it has happened on rare occasions and there was a Tweet last year about it where the Gardaí confirmed you can't legally drive to the NCT without a valid NCT (bar one or two other exemptions).

There is still an exemption for the day you fail your test. The whole day you fail not just the part of the day after the test is completed.

If you pass you'll be given a valid NCT cert that's valid on the day that you pass the NCT - again the whole day not part of. If you're stopped I believe there is still a provision in the law that gives you 10 days to produce the valid cert.

The guard could very well issue a fine and points but you should be able to shake these off using your new NCT cert or failure report

grogi

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I have never heard of this no NCT = Can't drive to the NCT chicken-and-egg situation before.

Have you ever heart about tow trucks?

Ubbquittious

The offshore island exception is an interesting one. Probably because most of the islands don't have a regular car ferry service it can be a bit of a nuisance to remove a car from the island and NCT it the same day. If you have the 24h before the test you can remove the car from the island and go to the NCT the following day

standardg60

I'm lost.
The info on the motor tax website specifically states that an off-road declared car may be 'used' to bring a car to/from an nct and to/from repairs to a car in preparation for a re-test. Nowhere does it state that it has to have a current nct at that time.
Also it was never a requirement that the 30 day timeframe for returning a car for re-test had to be done within the expiry date of the previous nct.
To suggest that anyone is going to be done on the way to/from an nct or to/from repairs for a retest is just ridiculous.

The website simply suggests that you should bring evidence of the booked test or booked re-test with you.

V8 Interceptor

jmreire wrote: »

I will fix the fail faults noted in the NCT an then flat bed it to the centre.

How much would that set you back?

jmreire

V8 Interceptor wrote: »

How much would that set you back?

As I am presently driving another car, not really in a hurry to get it NCT'd just yet. First I will rectify the defects listed on the NCT sheet ( 2 track control arms on the front suspension, replace 1 flexible brake pipe and one rear tyre, which is an advisory, but I will replace it in any case ) Everything else passed, Engine Emissions, Brakes Lights etc. No problem. It has been off the road since last Jan, and now tax has expired, and I have transferred the insurance to the present car I'm driving. So definitely a candidate for a flat bed. ( I could of course, re-insure and tax it, and according to the posts on here, then drive it to the NCT centre. But then again, maybe the insurance will look for an valid NCT before they will re-insure it.....so its a bit like a dog chasing it's tail... :mad: so maybe the flatbed is the best idea. as to the cost..I don't know as I have not done this before, but I do know a lot of people in the motor trade and transport business, so I think that when the time comes, it won't cost mega bucks.:cool:

grogi

standardg60 wrote: »

I'm lost.
The info on the motor tax website specifically states that an off-road declared car may be 'used' to bring a car to/from an nct and to/from repairs to a car in preparation for a re-test. Nowhere does it state that it has to have a current nct at that time.

And how about S.I. No. 322/2014 - Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2014? It says you need NCT...

Also it was never a requirement that the 30 day timeframe for returning a car for re-test had to be done within the expiry date of the previous nct.

Again, that is incorrect. There is plenty time to do the test before expiration of the certificate. Why bllody wait - book the car 12 weeks before expiration, that leaves plenty of time fix it up.

V8 Interceptor

I dunno Jmreire. It sounds like a lot of energy to get a motor to the NCT centre when it seems like nobody's ever been in trouble for driving a car there under its own power.

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

There is still an exemption for the day you fail your test. The whole day you fail not just the part of the day after the test is completed.

Indeed, the copy and paste regulation as I call it, it went hand in hand with the exemption for going to the NCT but mysteriously was never removed aswell, Gardaí look at this as a loophole or technicality which can get you off the hook in certain circumstances.

Ubbquittious wrote: »

If you pass you'll be given a valid NCT cert that's valid on the day that you pass the NCT - again the whole day not part of. If you're stopped I believe there is still a provision in the law that gives you 10 days to produce the valid cert.

Yes there is a provision for 10 days, but it is a Garda discretion to offer you the 10 days, not mandatory. Also the offence is for not having a valid NCT at the time you were stopped which is the case until you actually pass, my brother made a good point to me before about a car with no NCT which was actually on the way to the NCT when it crashed, the driver was done for having no NCT amongst other things despite showings proof of appointment etc.

Ubbquittious wrote: »

The guard could very well issue a fine and points but you should be able to shake these off using your new NCT cert or failure report

And there is no guarantee of successfully shaking it off.

GM228

standardg60 wrote: »

I'm lost.
The info on the motor tax website specifically states that an off-road declared car may be 'used' to bring a car to/from an nct and to/from repairs to a car in preparation for a re-test. Nowhere does it state that it has to have a current nct at that time.
Also it was never a requirement that the 30 day timeframe for returning a car for re-test had to be done within the expiry date of the previous nct.
To suggest that anyone is going to be done on the way to/from an nct or to/from repairs for a retest is just ridiculous.

The website simply suggests that you should bring evidence of the booked test or booked re-test with you.

Because it is in relation to motor tax and in that sense is correct, NCT is not a matter for Revenue, motor tax is and they correctly say you can drive to the NCT whilst declared off the road, the declaration relates to motor tax only and has no bearing on the legal requirements to have a NCT.

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

Indeed, the copy and paste regulation as I call it, it went hand in hand with the exemption for going to the NCT but mysteriously was never removed aswell, Gardaí look at this as a loophole or technicality which can get you off the hook in certain circumstances.





Yes there is a provision for 10 days, but it is a Garda discretion to offer you the 10 days, not mandatory. Also the offence is for not having a valid NCT at the time you were stopped which is the case until you actually pass, my brother made a good point to me before about a car with no NCT which was actually on the way to the NCT when it crashed, the driver was done for having no NCT amongst other things despite showings proof of appointment etc.





And there is no guarantee of successfully shaking it off.

If they really wanted to create the chicken and egg situation they would have removed it. No extra hassle for them to do so. All this changes is that you actually have to attend the test. If you crash then you better not do too much damage so you can still get to the test.


If the law says you have 10 days, then you have them. The guard can't randomly decide to deny you your right that's given to you in some law. If he does than your chances of getting off in court only improve

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

If they really wanted to create the chicken and egg situation they would have removed it. No extra hassle for them to do so. All this changes is that you actually have to attend the test. If you crash then you better not do too much damage so you can still get to the test.

And they did specifically remove the exemption for going to the NCT in 2003.

Ubbquittious wrote: »

IIf the law says you have 10 days, then you have them. The guard can't randomly decide to deny you your right that's given to you in some law. If he does than your chances of getting off in court only improve

You have a lot to learn about the law (by the way, the law (especially motoring related offences) is my specialty which regulars here are well aware of).

To clarify, the law does not say you have a right to 10 days, its says the Guard has a choice to offer you 10 days, there is a huge difference - he/she "may" afford you 10 days as opposed to "shall", it is not absolute and the legal debate between may and shall is well settled in case law right the way up to the Supreme Court, may imposes now obligation and affords no rights.

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

And they did specifically remove the exemption for going to the NCT in 2003.





You have a lot to learn about the law (by the way, the law (especially motoring related offences) is my specialty which regulars here are well aware of).

To clarify, the law does not say you have a right to 10 days, its says the Guard has a choice to offer you 10 days, there is a huge difference - he/she "may" afford you 10 days as opposed to "shall", it is not absolute and the legal debate between may and shall is well settled in case law right the way up to the Supreme Court, may imposes now obligation and affords no rights.

Probably because it was redundant. Any statement to go along with it stating why they removed it?



You must be getting your info about the 10 days from some place different to what I am because it seems fairly clear to me that you have 10 days to produce the cert. Hard to imagine you'd be done in court with a valid cert in your hand for the day you were caught. Unless someone knows of a case where it actually happened

punisher5112

Oh my.....


That's like saying sure I wasn't insured at all up to the day I was stopped but judge I am insured now....

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

Oh my.....


That's like saying sure I wasn't insured at all up to the day I was stopped but judge I am insured now....

Insurance is different, it has a specified time on the cert

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Insurance is different, it has a specified time on the cert

So ?? As does nct

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Probably because it was redundant. Any statement to go along with it stating why they removed it?

Statements are rarely made with regards Regulations unlike Acts. Does it matter why, the fact is it was removed and no longer applies, why is irrelevant.

Ubbquittious wrote: »

You must be getting your info about the 10 days from some place different to what I am because it seems fairly clear to me that you have 10 days to produce the cert. Hard to imagine you'd be done in court with a valid cert in your hand for the day you were caught. Unless someone knows of a case where it actually happened

There is only one place to get any information on the matter and that is S18 and S19 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

S18 creates the offence of driving without a valid NCT at the time you are stopped, the NCT regulations (current version is the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017) exempts you from S18 on the day of the test, but that is qualified in only applying if you fail the test.

S19 affords Gardaí the choice to demand a NCT certificate, they don't have to do so, if they did have to afford you 10 days they would not be seizing cars on the roadside there and then for contravention of S18.

The 10 days are not mandatory and you don't have a right to demand them, same applies with the 10 days options to produce a driving licence or insurance certificate.

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Insurance is different, it has a specified time on the cert

Indeed, but the offence of driving without an NCT is specific that you had no valid NCT at the time you were stopped, getting an NCT certificate later in the day does not change the fact that you had none when you were stopped.

GM228

punisher5112 wrote: »

So ?? As does nct

NCT does not state a time.

punisher5112

GM228 wrote: »

NCT does not state a time.

It does a date and records would show when car was tested.

I took time to mean date as it's on the front.

It's a silly argument to be honest the other poster is hell bent on saying one can drive without test.

I just stated the facts. Doesn't totally mean I agree with them as for example I have a car all fixed up and drive to booked test...

I believe that should be allowed as similar to even having nct and you drive the vehicle in a dangerous condition it is just as bad as driving without a test.

jmreire

V8 Interceptor wrote: »

I dunno Jmreire. It sounds like a lot of energy to get a motor to the NCT centre when it seems like nobody's ever been in trouble for driving a car there under its own power.

I do know that when I bought it, it was neither taxed, insured or NCT'd but the Garage I bought it from booked it in to the centre, took it there and got it NCT'd.
As far as I know, he used the workshop flatbed to take it. Maybe when I'm ready to put it back on the road again, I will ask him to do it for me. I have bought several cars from him, so am in the good books.....
But as it stands, I would not take a chance on it. Between my house and the NCT centre ( 15 miles) I have never been stopped by a Guard.....but Murphy's Law being what it is.....The day I drive an untaxed, NCT less car on the public road.....That's the day I will meet them !!!

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

Statements are rarely made with regards Regulations unlike Acts. Does it matter why, the fact is it was removed and no longer applies, why is irrelevant.





There is only one place to get any information on the matter and that is S18 and S19 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

S18 creates the offence of driving without a valid NCT at the time you are stopped, the NCT regulations (current version is the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017) exempts you from S18 on the day of the test, but that is qualified in only applying if you fail the test.

S19 affords Gardaí the choice to demand a NCT certificate, they don't have to do so, if they did have to afford you 10 days they would not be seizing cars on the roadside there and then for contravention of S18.

The 10 days are not mandatory and you don't have a right to demand them, same applies with the 10 days options to produce a driving licence or insurance certificate.

The road traffic act contradicts it but never mind.


If you want to be sure you can claim the exception just remove a few brake lights when you arrive at the test so you fail on a visual. Put them back in and come back the same day to get your cert as well so you have a backup.


You'd want to be one unlucky bastard to end up in this situation though. I'd take the chance any day of the week

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

The road traffic act contradicts it but never mind.

The Road Traffic Act contradicts what exactly?

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

Contradicts what?

What you said about the 10 days

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

What you said about the 10 days

Care to back that up or should we "never mind"?

Ubbquittious

GM228 wrote: »

Care to back that up or should we "never mind"?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1961/act/24/section/19/enacted/en/html#sec19


It really doesn't matter that much if you make sure you fail the test though.

GM228

Ubbquittious wrote: »

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1961/act/24/section/19/enacted/en/html#sec19


It really doesn't matter that much if you make sure you fail the test though.

And how does S19 contradict what I stated?

Perhaps you shouod read it more closely, in particular the use of "may" in the section, when your finished reading S19 then read S18, the offence comes under S18 and is not dependent on S19 being applied.

S19 creates an offence in relation to production of NCT certificates, S18 creates the offence of using a vehicle which has no NCT in force at the time you are stopped, they are not the same offence and nothing requires that S19 be applied.

galwaytt

punisher5112 wrote: »

Go ahead and do it so....


It is breaking the law.

I already mentioned it's Garda discretion so many may well let one do so.


Go and search or do a freedom of information search on it and get back to us.

You really don't like to admit you are the wrong one.

You do not need motor tax to bring a car to or from an NCT. You are allowed to drive to & from an NCT centre without tax. I have a printout of it I keep for such uses in case I'm stopped.

You don't need an NCT to tax your car either. Yes the question is on the form: ignore it - and the reason is simple: when the NCT came in, it was regulation that you need an NCT to tax it. The principle was sound enough: everbody had to have everything, tied together. However, they forgot one thing: NCT isn't a State body, it's a private company, and when staff there went on strike for (I forget....for 2 months, in 2001 ?), all of a sudden nobody could tax their cars. They literally had to let people drive around without it. So the Dept did the only thing the could do: they un-did the regulation requiring you to have an NCT to tax it, and so broke the linkage, so they could continue to collect the €€€. And that's the way it'll stay. They just never updated the forms, that's all. Don't take my word for it: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/staff-at-nct-centres-serve-strike-notice-1.372468

punisher5112

galwaytt wrote: »

You do not need motor tax to bring a car to or from an NCT. You are allowed to drive to & from an NCT centre without tax. I have a printout of it I keep for such uses in case I'm stopped.

You don't need an NCT to tax your car either. Yes the question is on the form: ignore it - and the reason is simple: when the NCT came in, it was regulation that you need an NCT to tax it. The principle was sound enough: everbody had to have everything, tied together. However, they forgot one thing: NCT isn't a State body, it's a private company, and when staff there went on strike for (I forget....for 2 months, in 2001 ?), all of a sudden nobody could tax their cars. They literally had to let people drive around without it. So the Dept did the only thing the could do: they un-did the regulation requiring you to have an NCT to tax it, and so broke the linkage, so they could continue to collect the €€€. And that's the way it'll stay. They just never updated the forms, that's all. Don't take my word for it: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/staff-at-nct-centres-serve-strike-notice-1.372468

What are you on about I never said that..... Seriously get your facts right before quoting my post.

Of course you don't need tax but legally to do so without tax the car must be sord(signed off the road)


I give up I really do.

Gm228 has cleared all this up also.

I'm fully aware of the law.