Straight answers to practical questions about driving, travelling, parking and getting around Northern Ireland.
You must apply for the retest within 21 days of the original MOT test.
For a standard Class IV car, the DVA retest fee is currently £29.50.
A Class IV car MOT in Northern Ireland currently costs £38 when booked through DVA.
Use the main Antrim Castle Gardens visitor parking and overflow parking when directed. If the site is full, Castle Centre/town-centre parking is only a short walk away and has been promoted by the council as the fallback.
Use the National Trust countryside car park at Murlough Bay. It is a remote, small coastal parking area reached by narrow roads, so do not expect large-capacity parking or roadside overflow.
For Coleraine town centre, use one of the council car parks such as Abbey Street, Long Commons, the Mall, Railway Place or Railway Road. Railway Road has high capacity; pick the car park on the side of town you need rather than crossing the centre by car.
For the central Waterside, use a proper Waterside car park such as Spencer Road, Ebrington or St Columb’s Park depending on your destination. If you are heading to the Peace Bridge/Ebrington area, parking at Ebrington or St Columb’s Park is usually the most useful.
William Street car park is the most useful general choice for the Bogside. It is the public car park specifically recommended by the Museum of Free Derry and keeps you on the correct side of the city centre for Glenfada Park and the murals.
Brooke Park has only limited parking. Visit Derry says parking is available at Rosemount Avenue and off Creggan Hill, so arrive early at busy times rather than expecting a large park car park.
The Tower Museum is in Union Hall Place beside the Guildhall/Quayside side of central Derry. Use Quayside, Foyleside or a nearby council car park such as Victoria Market rather than looking for museum parking at the entrance.
Use William Street car park. The Museum of Free Derry specifically identifies public parking in nearby William Street, with other city-centre car parks also within walking distance.
For the city-centre end of Peace Bridge, park around Queens Quay, Strand Road, Quayside or another central lot. For the Waterside/Ebrington end, use Ebrington or St Columb’s Park parking.
For the southern/Diamond side of Derry’s Walls, Bishop Street car park is a strong choice. For the Guildhall/Tower Museum side, Quayside, Foyleside or Victoria Market can be more convenient.
For the Guildhall, use a central car park such as Quayside, Foyleside, Victoria Market or Strand Road. The Guildhall’s own visitor information lists these as nearby parking options.
For Derry city centre, choose a council or shopping-centre car park on the side you need. Bishop Street is useful for the Walls/Diamond side; William Street suits the Bogside; Foyleside and Quayside provide larger private multi-storeys for central shopping and attractions.
Use the paid parking in the Odyssey/Titanic Quarter area beside Belfast Harbour Marina. Belfast Harbour confirms parking is available in the marina’s vicinity and is charged by the Odyssey Trust.
For Queen’s Quarter, parking around Stranmillis Road/Queen’s Sport is usually more practical than trying to park directly at Queen’s University or Botanic Gardens. Pick the car park nearest your main stop and walk between Queen’s, Botanic and the Ulster Museum.
For the Linen Quarter, choose a car park close to the side you are visiting. The quarter has extensive on-street parking and nearby multi-storeys; for the Great Victoria Street side, Value Car Parks/Grosvenor Road is one practical longer-stay option.
Belfast Cathedral has its own private paid car park, making it the most direct option for a cathedral visit. Payment is by card; CastleCourt and council car parks nearby are useful alternatives.
There is no dedicated visitor car park for the Belfast Peace Wall. For the best-known Cupar Way section, park legally in west Belfast or use a central public car park and walk/taxi to the wall; do not use residential entrances as informal parking.
The Shankill Road does not have one dedicated tourist car park. Decide which mural, memorial or venue you are visiting, then use a legal marked bay or public car park nearby rather than treating residential side streets as visitor parking.
The Falls Road is a long urban street, not one attraction with a dedicated visitor car park. If you are visiting murals or community sites, use a legal marked bay near the exact place you want and check the time limit; some Falls Road bays are restricted.
The Lyric has no public car park. Its own guidance recommends the free Stranmillis Road car park (BT9 5DT) or Queen’s Sport PEC car park on Stranmillis Embankment, plus limited legal on-street parking.
Use the O2 Belfast/Odyssey car park directly beside W5. It is the parking option W5 itself recommends and is much more convenient than parking elsewhere in Titanic Quarter.
Do not assume you can drive onto Queen’s campus and find public parking. University visitor parking is limited and normally needs to be arranged by a Queen’s staff member; independent visitors should use public parking around the Queen’s/Botanic/Stranmillis area.
Use CastleCourt’s own multi-storey car park. Entrances are from King Street and Smithfield Square North, and the car park has EV charging and allows overnight parking subject to its retrieval hours.
If Victoria Square is your main destination, use the centre’s associated Q-Park parking rather than driving past it to another side of Belfast city centre. Check the current Victoria Square parking offer before relying on a promotional rate.
For the St Anne’s Cathedral end of Cathedral Quarter, Belfast Cathedral’s private paid car park is one direct option. CastleCourt and council car parks around Little Donegall Street/Corporation Street are practical for a longer visit across the quarter.
Lanyon Place is a strong current choice for ICC Belfast and is only a short walk from the venue. ICC also lists parking around Oxford Street, but check the live venue page before travel because city-centre car-park access can change.
Lanyon Place car park is a straightforward choice for Waterfront Hall: the venue lists it as roughly 100 metres away and it can be pre-booked.
