Vehicle owners around Ireland are facing huge backlogs to get an NCT appointment, with waits of up to six months in some areas.
However, a major concern for motorists who have an expired NCT is being charged with a road traffic offence while they wait for the test.
The penalty for driving without an NCT certificate is a fine of up to €2,000, and/or up to 5 penalty points and/or imprisonment for up to 3 months.