7 days and 30 days: the NCTS deadlines after your car lands

The two deadlines

An imported vehicle must be booked for a VRT inspection at a National Car Testing Service centre within 7 days of entering the State, and registered, meaning VRT paid and a registration number issued, within 30 days. Both are Revenue rules, both run from the date the car arrives, and both carry penalties.

Late registration attracts additional charges that grow with the delay, and a vehicle that is unregistered past the deadline can be detained. The calculator flags the deadlines on every estimate because they are the part of the process most people find out about too late.

Plan backwards from the sailing

You know the vessel and its estimated arrival weeks in advance. Book the NCTS appointment as soon as the arrival date is reliable, even if the slot is after the car is cleared; a booking made within 7 days satisfies the first deadline, and appointment availability is the constraint, not the rule.

Availability is a real problem. Press coverage in 2026 described dealers driving to centres on the far side of the country for slots, so treat the booking as urgent. If the only appointment is beyond 30 days, keep the confirmation: it is your evidence that you acted in time.

Before the appointment: customs first

The car cannot be registered until it is customs-cleared. Your broker lodges the import declaration, duty and VAT are paid, and you receive the clearance reference. That has to be done before the NCTS will register the vehicle, so line the broker up before arrival, not after.

This is also when the Statement on Origin and the invoice do their work for the duty rate, and when the Irish-side fees start: port handling, the broker, transport from the port.

What to bring

The list is long and every item is checked. Missing one means another appointment and another wait.

1. The Japanese export certificate (deregistration certificate) and a certified English translation.
2. The purchase invoice and proof of the customs clearance.
3. Evidence of CO2 and NOx: the Certificate of Conformity for a model sold in the EU, or the disclosure document for a Japan-only model. Without it the top CO2 band and the NOx default apply (V5 covers exactly which forms are accepted for which models).
4. The completed vehicle purchase details declaration for an imported vehicle, and photo identification, proof of address and your PPSN.
5. The shipping paperwork showing the date the vehicle arrived, which fixes the deadlines.

At the appointment and after

The inspector confirms the vehicle’s identity against the chassis number, records the mileage, checks the emissions evidence and assesses the OMSP. VRT and the NOx levy are calculated and paid, the registration number is issued, and you get the plates made.

Then motor tax, insurance on the Irish registration, and an NCT if the car is more than four years old. Japanese tyres without an E-mark are the usual NCT failure on a fresh import; budget for a set.