One in every 13 vehicles tested is assessed as being unroadworthy to a dangerous level
The figures indicate a record, with about one in every 13 vehicles tested during 2025 assessed as being unroadworthy to a dangerous level by NCT inspectors.
The overall pass rate for the full test also fell below 50pc for the first time in five years. It has decreased annually from its recent high of 54.3pc in 2022 to 49.2pc last year.
Figures published by the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) show 7.6pc of more than 1.74 million vehicles tested at the country’s 50 NCT centres last year were deemed unsafe to be driven on public roads, up from 7.4pc the previous year.
It is the highest level of unroadworthy cars detected in recent years, with the proportion of “fail dangerous” vehicles having grown annually from a low of 4.9pc in 2020.
The figures reveal a total of 132,964 vehicles were classified as “fail dangerous”, an annual increase of nearly 4,500 on the previous high set in 2024.
They also show 4,218 vehicles remained in a dangerous, unroadworthy condition even after they were presented for re-testing at an NCT centre.
The figures highlight how more than 14pc of all vehicles tested last year had defective tyres, while 11pc had a defective front suspension and 8pc had defective brakes.
The NCTS said the “fail dangerous” classification is applied to vehicles regarded as having a dangerous defect that “constitutes a direct or immediate risk to road safety, such that the vehicle should not be used on the road under any circumstances”.
Cars deemed “fail dangerous” will have a sticker stating their condition affixed to them by an NCT vehicle inspector, with motorists being advised they should have their vehicle towed away.
Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) said the number of vehicles receiving a “fail dangerous” result “poses a direct and immediate risk to road safety”.
The Road Safety Authority expressed concern over figures for NCT testing. Photo: Martin Nolan.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds , Friday Januaray 2, 2026.
“It is an offence to drive a vehicle with dangerous defects on public roads,” the spokesperson added.
Regular upkeep ensures your car is safe, roadworthy and operating efficiently at all times
The RSA has called on all vehicle owners to embrace year-round responsibility for maintaining their cars, rather than relying on the NCT to identify faults.
It pointed out that customer satisfaction surveys have highlighted the disappointing culture of vehicle owners using the NCT as a diagnostic tool.
The RSA said such a culture contributed to inefficiencies in the system and increased risks to road safety.
The spokesperson said: “We use our vehicles for work and to transport our families, so ensuring our vehicles are maintained to a high standard should be a year-round focus, not something to focus on only before your NCT.
“Regular upkeep ensures your car is safe, roadworthy and operating efficiently at all times. Proactively addressing known issues before your test improves your chances of passing and helps the NCT system operate more efficiently, freeing up capacity for others.”
A mechanic uses a laptop for a diagnostics check on a car engine
The figures on rising “fail dangerous” rates in NCT tests come against a background of an 8pc increase in deaths on Irish roads last year.
They also highlight wide variations in failure rates between different parts of the country, with more than one in 10 of all vehicles submitted for an NCT in Cavan last year deemed dangerously defective, with a “fail dangerous” rate of 11.4pc.
Other counties with high “fail dangerous” rates include Meath (9.4pc), Clare and Sligo (both 9.2pc) and Monaghan (9.0pc).
The lowest “fail dangerous” rate was recorded in Offaly, at 6.2pc, followed by Kildare (6.6pc), Wicklow (6.9pc) and Dublin, Kerry and Waterford (all 7.1pc).
The latest figures show the overall pass rate for more than 1.74 million full NCT tests last year was 49.2pc, down from 50.6pc in 2024.
Nearly 14pc of more than 630,000 vehicles submitted for a lane re-test last year were failed
Only eight counties recorded pass rates over 50pc, with the highest in Offaly, at 56.2pc, followed by Waterford (53.0pc) and Tipperary (52.0pc).
The others were Kilkenny (51.8pc), Dublin (51.5pc), Cork (50.9pc), Limerick (50.7pc) and Wicklow (50.6pc).
At the other end of the scale, the lowest pass rate was recorded in Clare, where 41.5pc of vehicles tested passed, just ahead of Cavan (41.6pc), Longford (41.7pc) and Monaghan (42.2pc).
NCTS figures also reveal nearly 14pc of more than 630,000 vehicles submitted for a lane re-test last year were failed.
The NCT centre with the highest pass rate was in Deansgrange, Co Dublin, at 57.3pc. It was also the country’s busiest centre with more than 111,000 vehicles tested last year.