Number Plates vs. Plod/MOT

[John_B]

Good morning!

I am finding conflicting information about number plates and legal/MOT requirements and want to check my understanding with you fine folk. Gov website states it must show the supplier's details and the relevant BS AU numbers. However the MOT test guidelines state these do not need to be checked.

Does this mean it is a legal requirement to show those details and you could get a fine or points if pulled by a copper having a suitably bad day - however you wouldn't (shouldn't?) fail an MOT for them?

Gov: https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/rules-number-plates "

The number plates on your vehicle must:...

• be marked to show who supplied the number plate
• be marked with a British Standard number - this is ‘BS AU 145e’ for plates fitted after 1 September 2021

MOT: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-ins...cial-vehicles/0-identification-of-the-vehicle

You do not need to check:

• the supplier’s name
• postcode
• BS number

The reason I ask is I just received some reasonably expensive plates made up by a website I shall not mention at this stage, the plates were sold as road legal but having now received them, I've found they are missing. I have emailed them and asked for them to send a set with those details or to refund my order, however I am just trying to get my ducks in a row before they refuse or try to fob me off. (They also never asked me to provide proof that I own that registration number, as I did with a different supplier the last time I bought plates. Of course the order was already placed by the time this red flag was raised)

@t-tony I'd love to get your take on the matter please

Thanks all!

 

[Duncodin]

I think that rule about plates showing the name of the supplier is quite a new rule. Nobody expects the millions of existing car owners to go out and buy new plates.

The rule, i think, applies mainly to the plate maker. If they have a licence to make plates then they.must put their name on them. I think it's illegal to make plates unless they're a licenced plate maker.

In the end I reckon it's up to you to make sure your car including your plate is legal. ie font size, character spacing.

Those unlicenced websites are often happy to make plates with incorrect spacing but they won't put there name to them.

 

[John_B]

I think that rule about plates showing the name of the supplier is quite a new rule. Nobody expects the millions of existing car owners to go out and buy new plates.

The rule, i think, applies mainly to the plate maker. If they have a licence to make plates then they.must put their name on them. I think it's illegal to make plates unless they're a licenced plate maker.

In the end I reckon it's up to you to make sure your car including your plate is legal. ie font size, character spacing.

Those unlicenced websites are often happy to make plates with incorrect spacing but they won't put there name to them.

Thanks Duncodin, yeah that makes sense about why it wouldn't (shouldn't!) be an MOT failure since there is no way of knowing when the plates were fitted. And the same goes for if I was pulled by plod - although in my case if they really wanted to get me they might be able to see the registration number changed in January 2024 and therefore know the plates must have been fitted since then

So, in my particular case the plate supplier 100% should have included them as they are claiming to sell road legal plates. (There are no issues with font/size/spacing btw, this is purely about the extra details that have been required for the last 2.5yrs)

 

[t-tony]

This can be confusing, where Legality and MOT Conformity are not the same, it always has been. I would follow the legality path personally and also print off the rules and keep a copy in your car, then if you get pulled by an over zealous copper or MOT Tester you can show it. By the way it isn’t a “New” rule, it’s been in effect quite a good few years. @Stevo7682 is still currently an MOT Tester where as I am not so he’s better placed to answer regarding the MOT test.

Tony.

 

[Pingu]

AFAIK, the only check on an MOT is legibility and spacing.

The other checks are done by Police or DVSA.

IANAL...
I don't think the Police can use the strapline (unless it's potentially offensive), or the lack of the BS standard, as an excuse to stop your vehicle. They're not "moving vehicle offences", but legibility and poor spacing are. If you have been stopped, they can add it to the list. The same goes for non-standard writing or logos in the "country space" on the plate.

Police can use illegibility or suspected illegal spacing as a reason to pull you over. This can lead to life changing discovery, and is best avoided.

 

[John_B]

Thanks Pingu, I think you guys have convinced me I have nothing to worry about fitting them. The numbers themselves and my driving (99% of the time... ) shouldn't warrant any further attention.

I'm just a bit peeved these plates were sold as road legal, when strictly speaking, they ain't!

 

[Dxbolton]

I failed one year as the plates had the supplying main dealers name below the reg number and I was told it was too close to the digits (less that 10mm iirc)
These had been fitted from new
It passed after I complained to the garage they had not failed it in the previous 3 years.

 

[Argyll Andy]

Thanks Pingu, I think you guys have convinced me I have nothing to worry about fitting them. The numbers themselves and my driving (99% of the time... ) shouldn't warrant any further attention.

I'm just a bit peeved these plates were sold as road legal, when strictly speaking, they ain't!

I allegedly got stopped because of my plates as they said they were illegally spaced. I pulled up the order email where it both stated in their ad and I had specifically typed in the order “Please proved one pair of road legal plates” Police weren’t in the slightest interested and gave me this for illegally spaced plates, I had just typed the number in the site, no spaces/mis representation, they said there was too big a space between the first two letters and numbers, bar stewards

After getting the ticket I said theres no way they’d seen the spacing at the speed I’d passed them at

Moral of the story, don’t drive like a knob and you’ll be fine

 

[Duncodin]

Would love to see a photo of the plate.

That cop must have seen you as a quick ticket. Maybe they were playing billiards with car colors and he needed a quick red.

If you look like a sensible law abiding person the cops will pull you for minor things. Quick ticket and they're off.
You need to slouch forwards and wear a hat on backwards and have a few similar dressed mates in the car and the cops won't come near you for fear of getting a load of lip and spending all day doing paperwork.

 

[Argyll Andy]

Would love to see a photo of the plate.

That cop must have seen you as a quick ticket. Maybe they were playing billiards with car colors and he needed a quick red.

If you look like a sensible law abiding person the cops will pull you for minor things. Quick ticket and they're off.
You need to slouch forwards and wear a hat on backwards and have a few similar dressed mates in the car and the cops won't come near you for fear of getting a load of lip and spending all day doing paperwork.

I think I’ve still got them somewhere. I’ll see if I can dig them out.

It was lateish, after 9pm, on a quiet rural road, they were being knobs imo, me on the other hand

 

[Argyll Andy]

Would love to see a photo of the plate.

That cop must have seen you as a quick ticket. Maybe they were playing billiards with car colors and he needed a quick red.

If you look like a sensible law abiding person the cops will pull you for minor things. Quick ticket and they're off.
You need to slouch forwards and wear a hat on backwards and have a few similar dressed mates in the car and the cops won't come near you for fear of getting a load of lip and spending all day doing paperwork.

Best I’ve got at short notice

I personally think the font etc is perfectly ok and legit but they didn’t

 

[John_B]

View attachment 290135

Best I’ve got at short notice

I personally think the font etc is perfectly ok and legit but they didn’t

I don't have a ruler but that looks like a lot more than 11mm between the M and the zero

Illegal number plates: UK rules on font, spacing and fines | Auto Express

Car number plates are a subject to a series of regulations to ensure they can be read. Here’s how to avoid driving with illegal plates and getting a fine…

www.autoexpress.co.uk

Characters must be 79mm tall.
[*]Characters (except the number 1 or letter I) must be 50mm wide.
[*]Character stroke (the thickness of the black lines) must be 14mm.
[*]The space between characters must be 11mm.
[*]The space between the age identifier and the random letters must be 33mm.
[*]The margins at the top, bottom and side of the plate must be 11mm.
[*]The vertical space between the age identifier and the random letters must be 19mm.

Nice try though

 

[Jam03]

View attachment 290135

Best I’ve got at short notice

I personally think the font etc is perfectly ok and legit but they didn’t

You were definitely looking for trouble with that plate

 

[Duncodin]

The rules about spacing are pretty clear. That plate isn't spaced correctly but it's nowhere near as bad as many I see on rhe road

 

[Argyll Andy]

You were definitely looking for trouble with that plate

I don’t normally need to look far to find it