The Queue That Broke Kildare Is Gone — For Now
Two months ago, the answer to “how long is the NCT wait in Naas?” was depressing: 20 to 24 weeks. Commuters on the M7 corridor were driving with expired certs and crossed fingers, praying the Gardaí wouldn’t be doing spot checks on the Newbridge Road.
In February 2026? The wait at Naas has dropped to 2.4 weeks.
That’s not a typo. The second-shortest queue in the entire country right now. Kilkenny is the only centre faster. If you’ve been putting off your NCT, this is your window — and it will close.
NCT Wait Times: Naas vs. The Rest of Kildare (February 2026)
| NCT Centre | County | Current Wait | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naas | Kildare | 2.4 weeks | Open |
| Portlaoise | Laois | ~11 weeks | Busy |
| Carlow | Carlow | ~5 weeks | Getting busy |
| Fonthill (Dublin) | Dublin | ~16 weeks | Gridlocked |
| Deansgrange (Dublin) | Dublin | ~17 weeks | Gridlocked |
| Navan | Meath | ~5 weeks | Busy |
If you’re commuting from Naas, Newbridge, Clane, Sallins, or anywhere along the M7 — this is the best NCT news in two years. Dublin centres are still choking. Portlaoise is at 11 weeks. But Monread Business Park on the Monread Road? She’s wide open.
Use our NCT cancellation slot scanner to grab a slot before word gets out and the queue rebuilds overnight.
Why Did the Naas Wait Collapse So Suddenly?
Three reasons, and none of them are permanent.
1. Post-Christmas booking hangover. January and February are traditionally slower months for NCT bookings. Drivers who got their certificate renewed in the autumn haven’t cycled back yet. This gap closes fast come March.
2. The 2016 cohort has cycled through. The wave of 2016-registered cars that hit the annual testing cycle last year — the same ones that caused the backlog to explode — have mostly been through. The next age cohort isn’t fully due yet.
3. Naas added capacity quietly. The Monread Road centre expanded its testing lanes without much fanfare. Extra capacity + seasonal dip = the window you’re looking at right now.
Here’s the catch. Word travels fast on the Kildare Drivers Facebook groups and Naas boards.ie threads. When enough people see that the wait is 2 weeks, bookings spike and you’re back to 10 weeks by mid-March. Done and dusted before Saint Patrick’s Day if you book today.
The Monread Business Park: What to Expect on Test Day
The Naas NCT centre is tucked into Monread Business Park on the Monread Road, about 5 minutes from the town centre. Coming from the M7 (Junction 9), head into Naas and follow signs for Monread. The centre is past the Lidl on Monread Road — you’ll see the car park and the queue of vehicles lined up in lanes.
Local insider tips for the Naas centre:
- Arrive dead on time. They run to a tight schedule at Monread. Early is fine, late and you’ve missed your slot — and forfeited €24.
- Lights and wipers are the number-one fail in Kildare. Check every bulb the night before. A €3 bulb from Halfords could save you a €40 retest.
- Diesel drivers on the M7: Do a 20-minute hard run on the motorway before your test. Get the DPF up to temperature. Cold diesel engines are emissions test nightmares.
- Tyre date codes. Six years old is the limit. Even if the tread is grand, a 2018-date-coded tyre on a 2024 car is a fail.
- Reg plates. Clean them. Your man at the test won’t even begin if the plate is illegible.
If you want to get fully prepared, check our previous Naas NCT guide — it breaks down the most common fail reasons for Kildare drivers in detail.
What If You’re Still Showing on the Priority List?
Plenty of drivers put themselves on the NCTS priority list back in November and December when the wait was 20 weeks. Now that standard slots are available in 2.4 weeks, the priority list text might never come — NCTS only activates it when the standard queue is genuinely full.
Don’t wait for a text that might not arrive. Book a standard slot now through our Naas NCT booking page — our bot monitors the centre 24/7. If a cancellation appears even earlier than your booking, you’ll get a WhatsApp alert within minutes.
Can You Drive Without an NCT While Waiting in Kildare?
Technically, no. There’s no grace period in Irish law. Your cert is either valid or it isn’t.
The M7 is one of the most heavily-policed stretches of road in Kildare. Garda checkpoints at the Naas bypass junction are common — especially on Friday evenings. Getting stopped with an expired NCT cert means a fixed charge notice. Getting stopped without a valid NCT and having an accident means your insurer could refuse your claim entirely.
The Naas wait is 2.4 weeks right now. There is genuinely no reason to be driving without a cert in Kildare this month. Check our NCT locations page and book today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the NCT wait in Naas in February 2026?
As of February 2026, the NCT wait at the Naas centre (Monread Business Park, Monread Road) is approximately 2.4 weeks — the second shortest in Ireland. This is a dramatic improvement from the 20–24 week waits seen in mid-2025. Use an NCT appointment bot to secure a slot before the queue fills again.
How much is the NCT re-test fee in 2026?
A full lane re-test costs €40. Minor visual re-tests (wiper blades, a cracked lens cover, etc.) are free — but only if no test equipment is needed. You must book within 21 days of the original fail and complete the re-test within 30 days. In Naas, with a 2-week wait, getting a re-test slot in time should now be straightforward.
Is the Naas NCT centre on the M7?
The Naas NCT centre is at Monread Business Park, Monread Road, Naas, Co. Kildare. Access from the M7 via Junction 9 (Naas North). From the bypass, follow signs for Monread — the centre is on your left past the Lidl. Check our locations page for directions and real-time slot availability.
Leave a Reply