NCT to issue new certificates to 34,000 drivers following error

The National Car Testing Service (NCTS) has identified a system error that led to the distribution of 34,000 certificates with incorrect expiry dates.

The service said in a statement on Tuesday that some customers were wrongly provided with a certificate to cover them for two years instead of one.

These certificates have been revoked and new NCT documents are being issued to all affected customers. This process should be completed by August, according to a spokeswoman.

The computer error, which has affected some documents issued over the past 12 months, arose when the expiry dates for test cover was extended in 2020 due to the pandemic. The mistake has affected about 34,000 cars out of a total of 1.3 million tested since the service resumed in June 2020.

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This issue relates only to vehicles that were over 10 years old at the time of their last test, which subsequently had their certificate extended by four months because of the pandemic. A free full test will be provided for affected vehicle owners who purchased a vehicle with the expectation of longer NCT coverage.

The spokeswoman said: “We would like to reassure customers that NCTS has taken all the necessary steps to correct this administrative error and that we will be in contact directly with each affected customer.”

The NCT database has been updated to reflect the correct expiry dates on affected vehicles and all relevant authorities have been alerted.

To ensure compliance with road traffic regulations, affected drivers are advised to check that the details on the replacement certificate are valid. They should display the corrected NCT certificate on their vehicle. The old certificate is no longer valid and should be destroyed.