Numberplate size

[markwashington]

Hi Guys, just a quickie, I got pulled by the police on friday night because one of my headlights was out, I didn't know or I wouldn't have been out. The policeman also told me that he could have given me points for having a small front number plate. The plate's been on the car for years and while it is smaller than standard It isn't tiny, does anyone know what size I can use legally (it's an import) the policeman went on about it for ages. I escaped with only a slap on the wrists but it could have been 6 points in one go :doh:. I think I'll just go standard from Halfords.

 

[gl3nn]

I always run plain standard plates as saves agro, although smaller oness do look nicer, I'm not sure on the law side I'd go standard to save the hassle mate

 

[Makaveli_se7en]

Its a bit of a grey area but my understanding is that being an import if there is not physical space to fit a full size UK car plate you can fit one with motorcycle sized font and spacing (68mm tall characters if memory serves me correctly) and that as long as the size of lettering and spacing is correct there is not a limit on the outline of the plate. There are several places online that will make you up import sized plates with all the correct british standard marks for road use which should keep mr plod off your back.

 

[gtir_pimp]

do a search on here as this question has been asked alot and there many different answers and links that will help you find the answer.
also they cant give you 6 points. they can give you a £30 fine if they catch you with the small/illegal plate. they will give you a warning first time. i got warned about 4 times and then i changed my small plate for the standard one for a while and now the small plates back on and has been for 9 months or so with no issue

 

[hkspulsar]

I got pulled ad they measured mine and although they let me off was told I must change it for 2 reasons, the spacing was 1 mm to small and it has to has the hollogram on it!!
I just got a square plate made for day to day and then kept the small one for shows etc!!

 

[fubar andy]

Import cars do not have to comply with UK front plate reg's.

Somewhere on the forum are link to the Road Traffic Act regulations

Display of Vehicle Registration Marks on Imported Vehicles

(which have a restricted space for a standard sized number plate)

Certain imported vehicles may be permitted to display number plates with smaller characters if:

The vehicle does not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval

AND


The vehicle's construction/design cannot accomodate standard size number plates

 

[geoff pine]

Import cars do not have to comply with UK front plate reg's.

Somewhere on the forum are link to the Road Traffic Act regulations

Why do you think a uk sold car would not have European type approval ?? or should l say why would a car sold in the E.U not have E.U type aproval

 

[gl3nn]

I was under the impresion that they did ie why they have to have fog lights put on etc to comply with british rules?

 

[geoff pine]

I was under the impresion that they did ie why they have to have fog lights put on etc to comply with british rules?

Its just another of these grey area,s as no one knows or has the definitive answer. I know some one on here has produced a stack of paper work from there boot stating the rules when they have been stopped and been let off .The only thing if you are told about it is is to change it for the right one!! or keep paying the fine :LOL:

 

[fubar andy]

iirc Sunny's comes with a euro plate surround, the jdm one's don't.

It is a grey area, but with a little inside info, you can baffle the local plod and even traffic officers :thumb:

 

[PobodY]

It makes sense to me that if the vehicle is intended to be sold in the UK, the manufacturer has to comply with UK design rules. If it's a grey import it needs to comply with road safety rules (like the fog lamp), but not manufacturer rules.

As Andy says, with a little inside info (and a polite tone) you can argue your way out of a road-side ticket. They are mainly bothered by the lettering because the ANR doesn't work if it's wrong... then they have to pull you over to use their own eyes (and obviously that's effort so they don't like it).

 

[fubar andy]

They are mainly bothered by the lettering because the ANR doesn't work if it's wrong... then they have to pull you over to use their own eyes (and obviously that's effort so they don't like it).

My "smaller" plate which is in standard UK font can be read by ANPR oddly enough and can be read from 25 metres away which is good enough for me :thumb:

 

[PobodY]

I gleaned that from "Road Wars" on the TV - most of the people they'd pulled-over had non-standard fonts and/or sizes, so they were getting a ticket for that... obviously if the computer flagged an untaxed/uninsured car they'd pull that too.

It just seemed to me that they were much happier sitting in their car (I assume the doughnuts weren't in the shot, but that's usually what they'd be doing), than actually having to do anything... so why make them interested? - The non-standard plate we use was issued by the DVLA, so has the correct font... that's all there is to it. If you weren't entitled to that type of plate, then they wouldn't have issued you one.