Every NCT in Ireland is booked through one operator, NCTS, either on ncts.ie or on 01 413 5992. The same login moves or cancels a booking. Here is what you need, what it costs, and what to do when the first date offered is months away.
What you need to book
- Your registration number.
- The date of first registration, printed on the vehicle registration certificate (the logbook). NCTS asks for it the first time a car is booked.
- Or the Booking ID from the top of your NCT letter. NCTS says it is only needed when you are cancelling or rearranging an existing appointment.
- A debit or credit card. The fee is taken from the card once the appointment is confirmed, not on the day.
Book NCT online: the steps
- Open "Book or manage your NCT" on ncts.ie and enter the registration.
- Confirm the car (make, model, due date) and sign in with the date of first registration or the Booking ID.
- Pick a test centre. Any of the 50 centres can test the car; you are not tied to the nearest one.
- Pick a day from the calendar, then a time. If nothing suits, tick the priority list before you leave the page.
- Pay. €60 for a full test, €40 for a re-test that needs the test lane. The confirmation email is your proof of booking; carry it if your old certificate has run out.
Booking without paying is not offered online: NCTS says the card is needed for the online facility, and gives the phone line as the alternative.
Book by phone
Ring 01 413 5992, Monday to Thursday 8am to 8pm, Friday 8am to 6pm. The agents see the same calendar as the website. Two cases where the phone is the only route: the car has been off the road or untaxed for more than three months, and NCTS asks the owner to contact them directly; and you have already paid for a test and then sold the car, where ringing before the date saves the fee.
No date for weeks? What to do
NCTS says the appointments shown online are roughly a third of what a centre will run. The rest are released about two weeks ahead, when staff rosters are final. So a calendar that shows nothing until spring is not the last word.
- Book the earliest date you can see anyway, at any centre. It holds your place and can be moved for free until five working days before.
- Join the priority list during booking. NCTS aims to find a slot within 28 days and chooses the day and time for you.
- Check the centres around you. The centres page on this site shows all 50 by waiting time; waits differ by months between centres a half hour apart.
- Watch for cancellations. Freed slots go back on the public calendar and are gone in minutes. nctalerts.ie watches up to five centres for you and sends an email or push within a minute of a date before your deadline appearing. You then move your booking to it on ncts.ie. €9.99 covers 7 days and up to five centres, one payment, and fewer than 3 alerts in the week means an automatic refund.
Change or reschedule an NCT booking
Sign in on ncts.ie with the registration and the Booking ID, pick the new centre, day and time, and confirm. The old slot is released for someone else. With five or more working days' notice (Monday to Friday, not counting the test day) the change is free. Inside five working days a change costs €24 for a full test and €16 for a re-test, paid when you reschedule.
Cancel an NCT booking
Same login, same screen. Cancel with five or more working days' notice and no fee applies. Cancel inside five working days and NCTS keeps €24 of the €60 and refunds €36; on a re-test it keeps €16 and refunds €24. Not turning up at all costs the same €24.
Sold the car, or the car is off the road
If you sell the car after paying for a test, contact NCTS as soon as possible; otherwise you forfeit the fee or get a no-show charge when the car is not presented. A car that has been off the road or untaxed for more than three months has to be put back into the system by NCTS before it can be booked, so ring rather than trying the website again.
Booking early: the 90-day rule
A test up to 90 days before the due date does not shorten the next certificate, which is why booking as soon as your window opens costs nothing. Earlier than that is a voluntary early test and moves your anniversary. The free due-date check on this site shows the day your window opens.
Frequently asked
Do I need a Booking ID to book an NCT?
No. A first booking works with the registration and the date of first registration. NCTS says the Booking ID, printed at the top of your NCT letter, is only needed to cancel or rearrange an existing appointment.
Can I book an NCT without paying?
Not online. NCTS says you need a credit or debit card for the online facility, and the fee is taken once the appointment is confirmed. The alternative NCTS gives is to ring 01 413 5992.
Can I change my NCT appointment online?
Yes. Sign in on ncts.ie with the registration and Booking ID and choose a new centre, day and time. Free with five or more working days' notice; €24 inside that.
How much does it cost to cancel an NCT?
Nothing with five or more working days' notice. Inside that, €24 is kept and €36 refunded on a full test; €16 kept and €24 refunded on a re-test. A no-show also costs €24.
Can I book an NCT at any centre?
Yes. NCTS lists 50 centres and says motorists may choose the nearest one or any other. The result and the fee are the same everywhere.
When is my card charged for an NCT booking?
Once the booking is confirmed, not on the test day. If you cancel with enough notice no fee applies; inside five working days NCTS keeps €24 and refunds the rest.
Sources
Read on 22 September 2026. Fees, deadlines and phone numbers above come from these pages.