The “No Dates Available” Screen is a Lie

It is the most frustrating screen in Irish motoring. You enter your car registration on the NCTS.ie website, click your local centre, and are met with a sea of grey. “No test dates available.” The Road Safety Authority (RSA) statistics claim the average wait is 24 days, yet you can’t find a slot for 4 months.

Here is the insider reality: The calendar you see is not a live representation of capacity. It is a filtered view. Approximately one-third of all NCT appointments never appear on the standard booking calendar for more than a few minutes. These are what insiders call “Ghost Slots”—appointments that appear due to last-minute cancellations or workforce shifts.

The “Insider” Solution: Beating the Algorithm

The Applus+ booking system is designed to fill gaps, not to be user-friendly. When a driver cancels their test in Deansgrange or Cork, that slot goes back into the pool instantly. It could be for tomorrow morning. If you aren’t looking at that exact second, it’s gone.

You have two choices. You can join the “Priority List” (and wait weeks for a text), or you can automate the process. Our NCT appointment bot scans these “Ghost Slots” 24/7. While you sleep, it watches your local centre. When a cancellation appears, you get an instant alert. It is the only way to skip the 4-month queue and get a test this week.

Manual vs. Automated Booking: The Success Rates

Is it worth refreshing the page yourself? We compared the three main methods of securing a test in 2026.

Method	Avg. Wait Time	Success Probability
Priority List	5 – 8 Weeks	Low (You often miss the link)
Manual Refreshing	Random	Very Low (Requires luck)
Cancellation Bot	1 – 3 Days	High (Instant alerts)

The “Midnight Release” Myth

A common forum rumour suggests that NCTS releases new slots at midnight. While some slots do appear then, the vast majority of “Ghost Slots” appear during the working day (9 AM – 5 PM) when people call to cancel. We have seen ghost slots in Limerick and Dublin appear and vanish in under 60 seconds.

If you need a specific centre, check our NCT locations list to see the real-time backlog in your county. Often, driving 20 minutes to a neighbouring town can save you 3 months of waiting.

Can I drive without an NCT while waiting?

Technically, no. Driving without a valid NCT certificate is an offence attracting 3 penalty points. However, the Gardaí are aware of the backlog. Keeping a printout of your “Priority List” confirmation or a booking for a future date is better than nothing, but it is not a legal defence. The only safe option is to secure a cancellation slot immediately.