NCT during the 2020/21 Covid19 pandemic

ProudDUB wrote: »

Evening all.

My 2020 NCT appointment was scheduled for March 30th 2020. (The NCT expired in May 2020.)

However, I got the test done just before the centers all closed around Paddy's Day. I never changed my appointment date. I just showed up 2 weeks early & asked nicely if they could fit me in early & they did. Drove away with my pass cert & new disc, which had the expiration date of May 2021, as it should have, if Covid never happened. It's an older car, so has to be tested yearly

So I just went to book it in for a test next month, presuming it expired in May. But it turns out my new expiration date is September. I got the 4 month Covid extension, even though I got the test done & got a new disc, before the test centers closed.

My question is this - how do I get a new disc with the September expiration date?

If I go back to the test center, will they reissue it? I'm reluctant to ring them & ask for one in case they realize their mistake & bring the expiration date back to what it should have been, May.

They won't give you an extended disc.

What I done when I had the extension but the actual disc on my windscreen was out, was I went onto the NCT site brought up my new renewal date, printed it out and left it the glove box of the car. The Guards are well aware of the situation & that is enough to show them if stopped.

Seve OB wrote: »

They haven't made a mistake.
FYI your new date is September but if you get a test at any date between your original date in may and new date in September, you will receive a new cert of 1 year from that date. To take advantage of the 4 month extension, you need to get a date as close to your September date as possible

Not completely accurate. To take advantage of the four-month extension, you need to get a date WITHIN 90 days of your September date.

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

Not completely accurate. To take advantage of the four-month extension, you need to get a date WITHIN 90 days of your September date.

I’m afraid not. My extended date is 12 February. I tried booking in the 90 day window but was getting an error so I rang them and was told that i could book in for December or whenever it was but i would only get a 1 year cert from the testing date as opposed being from 12 February.

I posted details further back in the thread at the time I called them.

This has been confirmed by the guys in my office who have tested numerous cars.

WestWicklow1 wrote: »

My practical experience is at variance with the advice you got….

My wife’s car

---

Pre covid expiry date: 04-10-2020
Covid extension expiry date: 05-02-2021
Date tested: 21/11/2020 which is 76 days before the actual expiry date.
New NCT expiry date: 04-02-2022. That’s a 15 month (ish) NCT on a car over 10 years old.

I waited until today to make sure things hadn’t changed before posting this…

My car

---

Pre covid expiry date: 04/01/2021
Covid extension expiry date: 05/05/2021
Date tested: 06/02/2021 (that’s today) which is 88 days before the actual expiry date.
New NCT expiry date: 04-05-2022. That’s a 15 month NCT on a car over 10 years old.


When you say "I tried booking in the 90 day window but was getting an error", was this just....

WARNING! Your Vehicle is not due yet! If you continue to make a booking, it may fall under the voluntary early testing rules which will bring future test due dates forward.

...if it was go ahead, click the check box, and continue. Be absolutely sure you only accept a date that is WITHIN 90 days of the expiry date.

yes the error was along those lines. and thats why i phoned them to ask for clarification.

i still haven't been tested, am booked in on the 16th

Do I just need to bring my driver’s license with me for the test? I haven’t had to do the nct in years

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

You need the vehicle registration cert too, although they rarely ask for it.

Thank you

Sam Russell wrote: »

I tried to book an NCT today - due 29th April - first NCT.

I was offered today, or May 14th or later. Is this the only way they are working?

I assume I will have to ring them, or should I just turn up?

Try checking after 9.30pm tonight, they release the cancelled tests around then each day.

Sam Russell wrote: »

I tried to book an NCT today - due 29th April - first NCT.

I was offered today, or May 14th or later. Is this the only way they are working?

I assume I will have to ring them, or should I just turn up?

Its an offence to not have a valid nct so I would ring them, however if they put you on the cancellation list they give you a random day and time by text and it might not suit you.

I'll give a month and retry. A cancellation would suit me as long as it is not too far away. It is more than two months away.

Refresh Step 2 of the booking page every couple of hours and new appointments for earlier dates should appear....probably also depends on location of test centre.

tanko wrote: »

Is the NCTS.ie website working properly and taking bookings at the moment?
I put in my reg, click on it ad nothing happens.

Yep worked fine for me just there.

Enter reg to check due date...
https://www.ncts.ie/1104/

The_Kitty wrote: »

My nct was extended until may 4th but have an early one booked for saturday as you can do it 90 days before the test. My tax is out at the end of the month. My question is if it fails the test on saturday can I still tax it next week as it won't be officially without an nct cert til may? I want to see if it fails on anything expensive before taxing it for another year but i'd want to tax it for 3 months as i'll probably be a few weeks sourcing another car if i need to get one.

I think you can tax it.
That just requires insurance

The_Kitty wrote: »

My nct was extended until may 4th but have an early one booked for saturday as you can do it 90 days before the test. My tax is out at the end of the month. My question is if it fails the test on saturday can I still tax it next week as it won't be officially without an nct cert til may? I want to see if it fails on anything expensive before taxing it for another year but i'd want to tax it for 3 months as i'll probably be a few weeks sourcing another car if i need to get one.

You could tax it now if you like. You do not need an NCT to tax a vehicle, all they ask for is an insurance policy number!

witnessmenow wrote: »

Sorry if it's been asked already but I'm a bit confused by the new date thing.
So my NCT was due in January but has been delayed, no problem with that
According to the NCT Website, my new date is 13 May, all good
But I receive a warning when I try to book a date for the test:

I see the same warning, I assume it's just the website alert isn't clever enough to recognise the extended due date versus the 90 day window.

odyssey06 wrote: »

I see the same warning, I assume it's just the website alert isn't clever enough to recognise the extended due date versus the 90 day window.

That's exactly it.

spurious wrote: »

Gik. Got the four month extension in Sept and have been caught out by the no reminder bit.
On the priority list so hoping I get a date soon.

In a vulnerable category - are all centres making people wait outside now?

**edit is it possible to get a relative to take it to the appointment instead?

Yes it was always possible to get a relative or any 3rd party to take it to the appointment instead. Make sure whom ever presents has photo ID and the vehicle registration cert.

Yes most centres are making people wait outside now.

1yr from May

Can anyone clarify whether or not I'm currently regarded as 'vulnerable' by the NCT system? The only info I have about it (below) is via an email last November giving my deferred due date. I'm finding it a little ambiguous about over-70s, and don't know how up-to-date it is (quoted below). I've put in a Booking Request, and am hoping to find the answer in time for whenever they respond (I'm not sure if they ring or what?).

Long story short; I want to drive there myself. It's important to me to be able to get around, my NCT expires in 2 weeks (and may need a retest), and the earliest slots within a day trip on the NCT website are in June. Finding another driver is problematic (let alone at short notice, and lined up ready for whatever time of booking), but the budget doesn't run to risking being fined. (Though if it's a grey area, I feel logic is on my side, and I'd have no qualms about interpreting the guidelines my way, and not volunteering my age).

I've never been instructed to continue cocooning, but then a comma somewhere might have helped. (I don't know whether to imagine one after '70' or after 'condition'). I'm only vulnerable in the sense of being over 70, and am healthier and fitter than many under-70s (and the household is my husband and me, he's hardly left the house this past year or so, and we had our first Pfizer dose a week or two back). I don't know what the 'additional provisions' would be, but wouldn't like to make their task unnecessarily fiddly, or take up time at the expense of someone else. (And yes, that is the short story!). The FAQ in question;

Q; "I am over 70 or have an underlying condition and am instructed to continue cocooning. My
vehicle is overdue its NCT test, should I present my vehicle for test?"

A; "NCTS asks that vulnerable drivers and those with an underlying illness do not attend and that they organise for someone else to present their vehicle where possible. If they are unable to organise someone to bring the vehicle for testing, please make a member of staff aware of this at the time of booking so that additional provisions can be put in place on the day of the inspection. Whoever presents the vehicle for test must produce their own identification in the form of a driving licence.".

Thanks odyssey06. No, I shouldn't need to wait inside (I dress for the weather, and prefer a walkaround anyway). And I assumed the general Covid precautions would rule out the crowded waiting-room fug of old! Yes, I will be wearing a mask (second nature now when around people).

Think I'll play it by ear and just turn up, if I can get an appointment before expiry. If not, I'll just have to turn to the only other person I know who could take the car there, our mechanic. (He'd probably readily agree; very outdated views re women and cars, and glad of an outing. But I have reason to believe he's a lot more medically vulnerable than me, despite his younger age group).

Just found an old note about another booking I left rather late, saying to try online just before 8am and/or between 12 and 1, so meanwhile might as well try that.

Yes, their guidance does suggest dating from.the first lockdown (with its directive for all over-70s to cocoon).

phelimb wrote: »

Just checking something - think I know the answer but hopefully somebody had a similar experience and can confirm (did a search but not conclusive).

So, the car failed the NCT Feb last year (2020), got it fixed and had a retest booked but then COVID/lift issues kicked off so we eventually declared it off the road for the last 6 months as it was not being used anyway.

Long story short is that the cert is 14 months out of date. If (fingers crossed) it passes on Friday, how long will the new cert be valid for?

Cheers,
PB

12-24 months dependant on the age of the car, would be my understanding. If your car is 4-9 years old, 2 year cert. If its 10+ years, a 1 year cert.

Pretty sure it'll be 12 months valid NCT.

My missus was over a year out of date, got it done and I'm pretty sure she got a full 12 months from the test date.

Fogmatic wrote: »

Thanks! Only saw your post about 10 this morning, but will try this evening.(and keep trying).

I tried on a whim later today (about 12.30), and a free slot had appeared at my nearest centre for today, but by then there waan't eough time to get there! Maybe it's worth trying in any spare moments in case of cancellations (the booking request thingy didn't tell me about it, but then maybe it has a queue of requests to work through).

It's my understanding that cancellations etc. are released at 9.30 pm so that one was probably released yesterday evening. Anyway, let's know how you get on.