Nct booking date when stopped by gardai

Agreed, I got a ridiculous date when I tried to book earlier in the year.

I signed up for the waiting/cancellation/priority list (can't remember what it's called) and I got at least three appointments for one week's notice before one of them actually suited me.

...wouldnt make much sense that appointments only become available at night, id imagine an element of human interaction would be required to oversee the system, and would people be truly doing that!

I've found that 11:35pm is the time when the slots become available

...tis common human behavior, most people behave as such, yes we all should do what people like you do, but we simply dont, its normal....

...im in the same boat, annual test, have i rebooked for next year, not a chance, as the car is on its last legs, and i may not have it next year, so....

...eerrr emm, no its not, the whole test system is clearly severely under resources, we d call this, clearly obvious, blaming customers certainly wont solve this one, as its not a customer side problem, talk to the lads working there, and they ll tell you so, theyve been telling me this for years, so much so, theyve been considering taking on non or under qualified lads!

happy days, i still probably wont do it though, again, this is normal human behavior, most of us will simply delay such decisions, as we normally have much higher priorities in life, again, this is normal, i.e. its a part of next years problems....

My own car was off the road for a good while with engine problems, rebuild engine myself now ready to put back on road.

NCT due date NOV 22, next available date Jan 24 online.

Now if i get on phone for short list for available dates and get one earlier new nct will still run out in November so could end with only a couple month's of NCT, is this correct.

One of the NCT centre managers posted it on another site - they release slots at midnight once staffing levels are confirmed. I’ve seen It in action first hand where a heap of slots become available as soon as it hits midnight.

Cancellations are released real-time - so you’ll constantly see individual appointments appear through the day.

Was booking tests for two cars myself this week - there were mounds of slots available for Northpoint 1&2 all this week and next.

Do they have the capability to do this nowadays ? Up until 3 or 4 years ago they would tell you that their booking system didn't cover more than six months ahead.

...and for everyone else, the NCT Customer Charter (which is basically their contract with our Government) still states;

"We aim to ensure that the average lead time for an appointment at an individual NCT centre is less than or equal to 15 days. You will be provided with a test, free of charge, where an appointment cannot be offered within a 28 day period, unless any of the following apply".

Do not make an online booking months beyond the expiry date, just phone them and insist on a Test within 28 days. And BTW you are entitled to decline the 1st two appointments offered if they don't suit you.

I did that on a thursday night got a booking for the saturday!

i have just booked my wifes car in for retest earliest date 23nd next wednesday would like it sooner just in case it fails again to book again before 31 days is up.

Phoned them and was told that date is the earliest they have and too ring back everyday to see if they have a cancelation, is there a good time to ring morning or evening of a better chance of getting one?

Where do the slots become available? If I enter my already booked in car reg No (Jan 29th) all I get is the option to cancel or reschedule?

I got waved on once I showed my email with booking time/date. This was a few months back though

Don't really get this mindset of "its no excuse for you to book one way in the future", despite nothing else being available. If its a legal requirement then its up to them to ensure there's no backlog. As someone said, if you don't book that time in the future now you may end up with nothing.

I'd hazard a very strong guess if you fought any charge there'd be a close to zero chance of it sticking

Yes but name one other service where 3 years ago you could book online with a reasonable lead time and now to get a reasonable date you have to call with no garentee or try an book at close to mid night costing you more of your time to get the same level of service as before.

The service has gone backwards and it should not be accepted. Imagine if from next month to tax your car you needed to go into the tax office and they only acepted payment by cheque, an extreme comparison I know but an apt comparison none the less I think.

I trust in the decency of the guards who are people just like the rest of us and live in the same world as the rest of us, that they will wave me through or tell me get it tested ASAP and show the cert at a station in so many day. Treat them with respect and they will respect you i find.

Don't think this is the case for every NCT centre.

Ever business is struggling for staff. We've no more 24 hour supermarkets. We've feck all GPs or dentists, try getting a dentist or GP as a new private patient! Waiting lists for the HSE are spiraling out of control. Pubs and restaurants aren't opening on certain days to due to lack of staff.

Where has the service gone backwards? Everyone I know who called or went on the wait list got their NCT before it expired. So the only issue is the website which even the NCTS have admitted doesn't have all the slots on it.

It's not the Gardaí you need to worry about. You're insurance could be invalid as they all require the car to be road worthy and a lot require an NCT. Having an appointment for over a month away means that you are taking the p!ss as they will give you an appointment before they have to give you a free test. You don't even need to call them, you can go on the priority list from the website.

So many drama queen's complaining about not being able to get a slot online. Just ring and you'll get a booking within a few weeks.

The Garda don't care once you have two out of the 3 but insurance is a must and tax can't be out years. Stopped loads of times

Getting an earlier one from phone calls or the cancellation list is reliant on most people just accepting the 6-7 month wait.

I've always got one within the free-if-not-delivered-within period, because they absolute despise giving them away. Feck all people know it exists; and they refused to honour it for ages - may still be doing so actually, but they really have no basis to refuse.

not a chance that this is happening.

Yes last time, I contacted the NCT centre when I got the reminder and hoped for them to get me an appointment before the expiry like they've done other years, but this year I ended having to book myself into Arklow the day before expiry, when I'd still not received anything back from them.