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NCT Carlow · Pass rate

NCT Carlow pass rate

In 2025, 43.7% of cars passed first time at Carlow, 5.5 points below the Irish average of 49.2%, down 1.4 points on 2024. It ranks 45 of 50 centres. 90.6% of retests passed.

Will my car pass? Since 2013 Address & hours
43.7%first-time pass rate, 2025
45 / 50national ranking
90.6%retests passed
35,163initial tests in 2025

NCT Carlow pass rate by year

Best year 2023 (47.4%), weakest 2020 (29.3%), when Covid disrupted testing. The dashed line is Ireland as a whole.

25%30%35%40%45%50%55% 2013201520172019202120232025
CarlowIreland
YearTestsCarlowIrelandRank
202535,16343.7%49.2%45 of 50
202429,93645.1%50.6%41 of 50
202326,64347.4%52.9%42 of 50
202227,93045.8%54.3%45 of 49
202124,64741.5%52.8%47 of 49
202019,79029.3%43.7%46 of 47
201926,78738.1%50%47 of 47
201825,92442.6%49.2%43 of 47
201725,67445.1%48.5%38 of 47
201628,96643%47.2%42 of 47
201530,10644.9%48.1%38 of 47
201427,65244.7%48.4%40 of 47
201323,91842%46.6%41 of 47

How NCT Carlow compares

#CentrePass rate 2025
43Mullingar44.6%
44Navan43.9%
45Carlow43.7%
46Monaghan42.2%
47Athlone41.7%

All 50 centres ranked · Ireland since 2013

The car matters more than the centre

Will my car pass?Your make, model and year, and what it fails on.Check your car Why cars failThe fault categories that fail most cars.Fail reasons 10 checks before the testQuick checks that avoid common fails.Checklist
Volkswagen Golf · 50%Ford Focus · 41.8%Toyota Corolla · 48.4%Nissan Qashqai · 38.9%Toyota Yaris · 50.5%Volkswagen Passat · 42.9%Ford Fiesta · 46.5%Volkswagen Polo · 46.8%Škoda Octavia · 52.2%Audi A4 · 43.6%Toyota Auris · 48.6%BMW 520 · 50.2%

NCT Carlow pass rate: questions

What is the NCT pass rate in Carlow?

In 2025, 43.7% of cars passed the full NCT at Carlow on the first attempt (15,349 of 35,163 initial tests), 5.5 points below the national rate of 49.2%. 90.6% of retests passed.

Has the pass rate at Carlow gone up or down?

Results go back to 2013 (42%). The best year was 2023 (47.4%) and the weakest 2020 (29.3%). In 2025 it was 43.7%.

Is it easier to pass the NCT in Carlow?

Pass rates mostly reflect the age and condition of the cars tested locally, not how strict a centre is: every centre uses the same standard. Preparing the car makes far more difference than the centre.

RSA NCT Pass Fail Rates 2025 and the NCTS annual reviews 2013–2024 (initial tests; from 2018 "pass pending recheck" counts as a pass, as in the RSA open data). Reviewed 2 October 2026.