National Car Test

Testing, Testing One Two

Since 2000 a National Car Test has operated in Ireland. All private cars - INCLUDING SECOND HAND IMPORTS - are subject to the test.

The picture on the right is taken from the National Car Testing Service Official Website.

All 4 year old cars and older need to be tested. Subsequent tests are due every 2 years. Vintage cars (those old hand cranked Duisenburg's you folks were planning to bring over, and, more officially, those over 30 years of age) and cars permanently based on islands with no ferry service are exempt from the test. But, all cars 10 years and older must take the test annually.

The tests are carried out by a private company using sophisticated electronic machines and that most delicate of instruments - a well trained mechanic's eye. The items to be tested include suspension equipment, steering, lighting and signaling, vehicle identification (e.g. proper registration plates), wheels and tyres, transmission, bodywork, chassis and chassis components, braking, exhaust emissions.

Test statistics are located on the Car Testing website. Roughly half of all cars taking the test pass first time round, with cars more than a decade old causing a massive fall in the average. Happily, more than 90pc of all vehicles pass second time through and this figure includes these older vehicles.

Test centres are scattered around the country. There are plenty of anomalies with the locations, such as in Wexford where the testing centre isn't in the biggest town but in more centrally located Enniscorthy. So, for many of us, it's a hassle to get to the testing centre.

It is an offence to drive an untested car once the test date passes.

You can book a reservation for the test online or check the nearest location at the National Car Test website. The email is: info@ncts.ie

The Full Site

The Full Site examines in detail the issue of importing used cars into Ireland in these Car Test days. Procedures for doing so are laid out clearly. More importantly, there's some advice that could save you thousands.