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In BriefAll registration marks including marks purchased through DVLA's sales scheme must be displayed in accordance with The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 (obtainable from Her Majesty's Stationery Office). Rules for the display of number plates are set out in law, briefly these are: -
NUMBER PLATES FITTED AFTER 1 SEPTEMBER 2001Number plates fitted after 1 September 2001 must display characters that meet the dimensions shown below.
The character width has been slightly reduced from 57mm to 50mm to accommodate the Euro-symbol on the number plate.
NUMBER PLATES FITTED BEFORE 1 SEPTEMBER 2001Number plates fitted before 1 September 2001 must display characters that meet the dimensions shown in one of the two groups below
TRADITIONAL NUMBER PLATES
Display of Vehicle Registration Marks on Imported
Vehicles
|
 |
The vehicle does not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval
AND The vehicle's construction/design cannot accomodate standard size number
plates | |
Specifications for smaller sized plates (for certain imported vehicles)
|
Character Height |
64mm |
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|
Character Width |
44mm |
|
|
Character Stroke |
10mm |
|
|
Space between characters |
10mm |
| All motorcycles and tricycles must display a number plate at the rear of
the vehicle.
| Motorcycles and tricycles registered before 1.9.2001 can display a
number plate at the front of the vehicle but are not required to.
| If you have a two or three wheeled motor cycle or tricycle that has a
body type of a four-wheeled vehicle, you MUST display a number plate at
the front and back of the vehicle.
| The characters may be smaller e.g. | |
|
Character Height |
64mm |
|
|
Character Width |
44mm |
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|
Character Stroke |
10mm |
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|
Space between characters |
10mm |
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|
Space between groups |
30mm |
|
|
Top, side & bottom margin |
11mm |
|
| Space between vertical lines | 13mm |
| Motorcycles registered on or after 1 September 2001 must display a two-line number plate number plate. Motorcycles registered prior to the 1 September 2001 may display a three-line plate, but one-line plates are illegal, irrespective of the date of registration of the motorcycle. |
From 1 September 2001 all new number plates must display the new mandatory font. Combined with the new format registration mark, number plates will become clearer and easier to remember.
 |
Number plates fitted before 1 September 2001 need not be changed provided the character font used is substantially the same as the one shown above.
Number plates must be replaced if they have been customised with:
| Stylised letters and/or figures such as italics
| Number plate fixing bolts that alter the appearance of the letters
and/or numbers
| |
Since 1st September 2001 there has been an optional provision for the display of a Euro-plate for vehicles registered in the UK. The Euro-plate is a number plate that incorporates the symbol of the European Union (a circle of 12 stars on a blue background) with the national identification letters of the member states below. This symbol is located on the far left-hand side of the number plate.
Vehicles displaying this symbol no longer have to use the traditional oval shaped national identifier (GB) sticker when travelling within the European Union. All vehicles registered in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have, by international convention, the distinguishing sign GB.
The Government announced on 28 December 2001 the intention to permit the
display of national flags and national identifiers on vehicle number plates.
The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 are in the
process of being amended. They will provide for the voluntary display of the
Union flag, Scottish Saltire, Cross of St George and Red Dragon. Football team
crests etc are not allowed.
The law states that,
| You must not alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers
| Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC
must not be displayed as A242A BC). | |
Offences may result in any or all of the following:
| A fine of up to £1,000
| The registration mark may be WITHDRAWN
| The vehicle may FAIL the MOT test | |
Full details of the requirements are included in The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001
The British Standard sets out the physical characteristics on the number plate. This includes:
| Visibility
| Strength
| Reflectivity | |
The British Standard also requires that a number plate must be marked with the following information: -
| The British Standard Number (currently BS AU 145d)
| The name, trade mark, or other means of identification of the
manufacturer or component supplier. (The company who actually make the
number plate.)
| The name and postcode of the supplying outlet. (The 'supplying outlet'
is taken to mean a company whose business consists wholly or partly of
selling number plates.)
| A non-reflective border and the Euro-symbol with the national
identification letters are optional additions.
| There shall be no other markings or material contained on the number
plate. | |
Further information about the British Standards requirements can be obtained at www.bsi-global.com
Copyright (c) trafficcops.co.uk 2006
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