Over 200,000 cars have no valid NCT cert

More than 200,000 cars are on the roads without valid National Car Testing (NCT) certificates, a figure likely to rise in the new year due to a huge backlog in testing.

At the same time, tougher laws being introduced next month will mean that motorists face a €60 on-the-spot fine and penalty points for failing to have a current NCT cert.

Some of the country’s 47 NCT centres, which conduct tests for the Road Safety Authority (RSA), have an online waiting list of almost three months.