Cavan has highest NCT failure rate

The Cavan NCT Centre had the highest failure rate nationally in 2024, new figures have revealed.

Sixty-one percent of all vehicles tested failed at the Cavan centre - accounting for some 1,800 vehicles. It compares to a national failure rate of 50%, according to figures compiled by cartakeback.ie

The National Car Test (NCT) is a compulsory vehicle inspection programme. Cars older than 10 years must undergo an annual inspection, while vehicles younger than 10 years must be inspected every two years.

After Cavan, Athlone had the highest failure rate at 59%, followed by Carrick-on-Shannon at 58%, and then Monaghan and Castlerea on 56% each.

Cavan also took the top spot (12%) for dangerous fails, which occurs when there is a dangerous defect that poses a “direct or immediate risk to road safety”.

Overall, steering and suspension (15%), lighting and electrical (14.2%) and the side slip test (12.3%) were the top three reasons for NCT failures.