New NCT certificates are being issued to all customers who were provided with incorrect expiry dates in the last 12 months, the National Car Testing Service has said.
The blunder resulted in some customers being incorrectly provided with a certificate of two years duration instead of a one-year certificate.
The NCTS says this problem was caused by a computer error, which arose when the expiry dates for test certificates were extended in 2020 because of the pandemic.
This issue only relates to vehicles that were over 10 years old at the time of their last test, and which had their certificate extended by four months because of Covid-19.
It has affected some 34,000 cars of 1.3 million tested since the service resumed in June 2020, according to the NCTS.
The incorrect certificates, issued at the time of the inspections, have been revoked and new NCT certificates are being issued to all affected customers. This should be complete by August, the NCTS says.
It adds that a “free full test” will be provided for those affected vehicle owners who purchased a vehicle with the expectation of a longer NCT certificate duration, “if the vehicle is booked for a test in advance of its revised test due date”.
A spokesperson for the NCTS says: “We would like to reassure customers that NCTS has taken all the necessary steps to correct this administrative error and we will be in contact directly with each affected customer. There is no need for anyone to take any action until they hear from us.”
