NCT Question

yourdeadwright

The missus NCT is up next month and she went to book it in this morning but the next available date isn't till November,

She will obviously continue to drive the car but what is the actually law there & is it ever enforced,

BronsonTB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250304/nct-question

They have a backlog - Ring rather than booking online when it's so close. You need a vaild NCT at all times to be road legal. That is the law but some gaurds do use discreation & don't take further action if they see you have a confirmed date. But you are still taking a chance esp if an accident occors in the meantime. A few threads on this very topic over the last while as people discover the backlog.

Also could try after 12 at night when the slots are refreshed from cancellations etc.

See this thread also - https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244925/driving-without-an-nct-for-5-months#latest

cml387

The times look bad but if you look for a priority booking you will almost certainly get one in time.

delboythedub

As regards insurance with expired NCT I contacted Eamon Ryan TD some months ago and to date I have not received a reply. I'll post his reply up here if I get one as he is busy growing his own lettuces

Buddy97mm

I have found that many appointments over the following days become available from about 10.00pm each night, if you keep an eye on the website. In the past, I have got appointments within a few days of doing this, when the website was generally indicating the next appointment available was many months away.

Kalimah

My car was due in mid May - of course I didn't realise until I got an email on May 9th. I'm getting test availability for late November, I've been on the NCT website early in the morning but no luck at all. I'll try the late at night approach now as a few here recommended.

In the meantime I put myself on the priority list so we'll see what happens.

zg3409

Ring the NCT phone number. The website "priority" list is much slower claiming a date in 2 week's but can take much longer. Ringing the phone line is best way to go. It's up to them to get you a date before NCT expires. Your car insurance may be dependant on a valid NCT or "roadworthy" clause.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119219048#Comment_119219048

Completely false. Its up to the car owner to ensure they have a valid NCT. It even states it on the NCT website.

wonski

Not completely - if they can't offer you an appointment how can you ensure you have valid nct?

Come on, appointments 4 or 6 months away are a bit of a joke.

They should inform the public if that's the case, and by informing I mean public announcements so drivers are not caught by their incompetence.

elperello

This might be of interest -

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/key-trick-you-nct-appointment-26847757

lawred2

It's an absolute joke. I only went on their site now for a check.. our car is not due until September - haven't had a reminder about it. But when I put reg in - I get that the car is not due yet but the earliest appointment I can get in any of the centers near me is the end of November. Travelling up to Louth would actually mean December

A system that can't offer an appointment for 5 months carrying on as if there's no backlog - i.e. won't send out reminders 6 months in advance

Genius

Sesame

Mine's out this month too and earliest is November. Why is everyone getting November as the date, are they shutting up shop until them or something?

I can't see how I'd get penalty points or whatever the fine is by following everything to the letter and that's the date offered. Best endeavours and all that.

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220585#Comment_119220585

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220601#Comment_119220601

Call them!

It literally says it in the post #10. Either that or check their website after around 11pm. This is when they load any cancellations on the system.

The same advice has been given a thousand times on this forum by myself, and multiple other posters (including in post #2 in this very thread). The entire country should know at this stage that there is a huge backlog in testing as it has been well publicised. The NCT disk on your windscreen should be a constant reminder of when your test is due.

lawred2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220634#Comment_119220634

Of course I'll ring them

But with a system that's giving appointments 6 months in to the future so will everyone else

Do you not see the inevitable problems with such a system?

If there is capacity to accommodate people sooner than they can offer online then why isn't it offered online? And even so, if everyone is forced to ring, not everyone can or will be accommodated!

It's quite clearly a dysfunctional system.

They haven't even adjusted their reminders to take into account their backlogs. Which would be trivial. Most people won't be checking the ncts website to gauge the backlog. They'll only get whacked by it when they get their automated reminder and try to book their appointment.

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220697#Comment_119220697

They can accommodate people sooner online, I literally outlined how it is done. Also, there are dozens of test centres around the country that can be chosen. The beauty of having a car is that it can travel long distances to get places, such as an NCT centre. It doesn't always have to be the closest one and the trip could be a little adventure for the day, I know it has been for me in the past when I travelled to Clifden from Dublin for a test. I am aware that not everyone has the time or inclination to do this but it is an option.

The system is overwhelmed for sure, however there are things that can still be done to get service. Knowing that there is a large backlog should make people try to get on the waiting list quicker than they normally would do. My car is not due it's NCT until January, yet I still logged in and got an appointment for November.

The same goes for the current mess with the Passport service. It is well known that there is a backlog yet there are still those who wait until after they have booked a holiday before checking the expiry of their documents.

A disfunctional system will not be fixed by complaining, especially when the people in charge of that system already know it is broken and are trying to do something to sort it out. Working within the current limitations is the only way to get things done, and if that involves being a little more proactive that usual, then so be it.

lawred2

I actually checked a lot of centres.. many were worse that Dublin.

Most people will not be aware of a backlog until it's too late. That's the reality.

The passport problems are a scandal. But again, you seen intent on holding the applicant responsible.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119206144#Comment_119206144

What are you expecting him to say? The car can't legally be driven without an NCT so why would an insurance company cover it? Even with a valid NCT if the car isn't maintained in a road worthy state they can refuse to pay out, if the car can't be used on the road they don't have to pay out.

3rd parties will always be covered, but the insurance company can and does take the 1st party to court to recover the cost of the claim.