NCT guides

Plain answers, with the NCTS rule behind each one. Fees and deadlines checked against ncts.ie in September 2026.

• NCT cancellation list: how to get an earlier date

  Is there an NCT cancellation list? Where cancelled slots go, when NCTS releases capacity, how the priority list works, how to catch one first.

• NCT re-test booking: deadlines, cost and rules

  NCT re-test booking after a fail: 21 days to book and 30 to finish, €40 lane fee or free visual check, and why the re-test calendar is separate.

• NCT phone number: 01 413 5992 for bookings

  01 413 5992, Mon to Thu 8am to 8pm, Fri 8am to 6pm: the NCT phone number to book, change or cancel a test. Customer service 01 413 5994, VRT 01 413 5975.

• How much does the NCT cost in 2026?

  NCT fees in 2026: €60 full test, €40 lane re-test, free visual re-tests, €24 for a late change or no-show, refunds, and how you pay.

• Your NCT has expired. What happens now?

  Expired NCT: €60 and 3 penalty points, more in court. Insurance, driving to the test, and the fastest ways to get a date when the calendar is full.

• The NCT 90-day rule explained

  Test up to 90 days early and keep your due date. What voluntary early testing does instead, and how to find the day your window opens.

• How to book, change or cancel an NCT

  Book an NCT on ncts.ie with the reg and date of first registration; €60 is charged once confirmed. Change or cancel free with 5 working days' notice.

• What to bring to the NCT

  Bring a driving licence and the registration cert. NCTS checklist: empty boot, glove box unlocked for the OBD scan, hubcaps off, warm engine, dashcam off.

• NCT checklist: what is tested and what fails most

  NCT checklist for 2026: about 60 checks in 40 to 60 minutes. Tyres failed 10.5% of cars and headlamp aim 5%. What to check at home before the test.

• When is my NCT due? How often by car age

  Your NCT is due on the anniversary of first registration: first at 4 years, then every 2 years, yearly from 10. Rules for 30+ year old cars and imports.

• How long does the NCT take?

  The NCT takes 40 minutes to an hour for about 60 checks. Arrive 10 minutes early. How long the wait for a date is, and what NCTS promises on queues.

• Free NCT if NCTS cannot offer a date within 28 days

  The NCTS customer charter gives a free test if no appointment can be offered within 28 days. Who qualifies, the six exclusions, and how to ask for it.

• NCT disc: displaying it, and replacing a lost disc or certificate

  Every car due an NCT must show the disc on the windscreen. A lost disc or cert is replaced for €15.50 using form RF134, stamped at a Garda station.

• NCT priority list: how it works and how long it takes

  How to join the NCTS priority list online or on 01 413 5992, the 28-day target and free test charter, and how to get an earlier cancellation slot.