Cavan has highest NCT failure rate nationally, but Meath sites fared much better

12,639 cars put through the NCT in Meath last year 'Failed Dangerously'.

That represents just over 7.5 per cent of overall tests that saw 167,577 cars tested at NCT centres in Navan and Kells. 81,326 (48.53 per cent) passed the test while 73, 612 (43.93 per cent) failed 'Major'

The Cavan NCT Centre had the highest failure rate nationally in 2024, according to figures compiled by cartakeback.ie

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 per cent.

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 per cent, followed by Carrick-on-Shannon at 58 per cent, and then Monaghan and Castlerea on 56 per cent each.

Cavan also took the top spot (12 per cent) 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 per cent), lighting and electrical (14.2 per cent) and the side slip test (12.3 per cent) were the top three reasons for NCT failures.