Number Plates

[Kiriyama]

I was reading a thread that Stav had posted regarding a number plate surround he'd bought and someone posted a link to a site that makes the actual plates. I had a play with it and came up with this design that I think would look pretty cool on my blue Is200 Sport (opinions welcome) :

Trouble is, I'm not 100% sure of the legality of them. Knowing that there are some MOT testers who visit these forums, I thought I'd ask.

I looked on the VOSA site and that stated :

Vehicles with incorrectly displayed registration plates already fail the MOT test. From Monday 1st October the requirements will be tightened to further align with the regulations. This action is being taken to aid eye witness accounts, traffic enforcement cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems and road user charging technology.

Registration plates must be present, secure, show the correct registration, colour and be the correct size, format and font. MOT testers are not required to carry out physical measurements but will complete a visual inspection.

which doesn't really explain the requirements in much detail.

Also, I read in a national newspaper a few months back where someone had written in asking why his car had failed it's MOT due to the number plates. The 'expert' suggested that his spacing was slightly out AND current law states that the company that provided the plate must be displayed at the bottom of the plate! I can't find this law anywhere else though.

Anyone?

[loggyboy]

100% illegal

Font, lexuslogo and brand all contribute to its ilegality

[sparkystav]

Yep there illegal,

Only the countrys flag or the Euro stars are allowed at the side, with the country letters underneath.

And the plate must have the place that made them (or postcode if its a big company like Halfrauds) and the BS mark.

but then its the same argument as Loggyboy, whether you get pulled for it.

Look smart though

Stav

Edit: loggy got there first, didnt even notice the font

[Kiriyama]

sigh... I ****** hate this country.

Thanks for the help. :(

[Rory]

Altho they are illegal, traffic cops won't normally bother you if the font itself is correct, with the correct spacing too, I have the Lexus logo on mine below the country logo,

i've had them for just over a year and never been stopped... mine also don't any dealer names/postcode/anything else, all it is is the logo on the left with the country emblem, a single line border round the edge, and road legal font, like these:

[aaronabbott]

get them if you want but its like loggy and stav said i depends weather you mind getting hastle from the police

[Bobski]

Altho they are illegal, traffic cops won't normally bother you if the font itself is correct, with the correct spacing too, I have the Lexus logo on mine below the country logo,

i've had them for just over a year and never been stopped... mine also don't any dealer names/postcode/anything else, all it is is the logo on the left with the country emblem, a single line border round the edge, and road legal font, like these:

Agree, as long as you keep lettering and spacing legal you should be fine.

[pobrown]

My dad got pulled over in his IS200 about 2 years ago for mis-spacing. It was spaced L3X JB instead of L3 XJB.

The copper said his mis-spacing would be reported and if it was spotted agin he would loose the registration mark. The copper also said that he wasn't going to give out a fine because the mis-spacing was the only thing wrong. The font, size, EU flag, branding etc were all legal. He said incorrect fonts and sizes would be a fine.

[Rikos]

At the end of the day it's all a load of :tsktsk:

As long as it can be read or identified from the dvla standard distance for a visual check what is the problem??

If it has lexus on it or a lexus logo what is the big deal??? Why do we need the GB logo unless your travelling abroad?

[loggyboy]

At the end of the day it's all a load of :tsktsk:

As long as it can be read or identified from the dvla standard distance for a visual check what is the problem??

If it has lexus on it or a lexus logo what is the big deal??? Why do we need the GB logo unless your travelling abroad?

Thats all well and good but the laws the law, just down to how much your prepared to bend the rules i guess.

GB logo isnt required, its an option, but if you have it then you dont need to stick a stupid GB sticker when you do drive abroad (that the onlt time a national sticker is required)

[Bobski]

At the end of the day it's all a load of :tsktsk:

As long as it can be read or identified from the dvla standard distance for a visual check what is the problem??

If it has lexus on it or a lexus logo what is the big deal??? Why do we need the GB logo unless your travelling abroad?

Legal spacing aids the use of the Number Plate Recognition (NPR) system police use.

[Chris.S]

I put plates on like this (not the reg number though)

[jason_l]

I got this, correct font but i think spacing might be wrong????? told the guy to make it real close together but keep it legal, i personally don't think it is but i haven't been pulled over yet.............

Jason :P

[loggyboy]

If theres 33mm between the 3 and the X the it would make it legal

(11mm between all other letters,and 11mm (min) space from letters to edge of plate)

Certainly looks close enough!

[atce4]

I reckon the easiest thing to do is get two pairs of number plates made, one for everyday use and take a chance the plod might stop you, and another for the MOT. Voila!

[Parthiban]

Just my personal opinion but I don't actually like the use of different fonts - all looks a bit chavvy to me.......... :shutit:

But as the others have said, I think if you use the standard font and correct spacing it doesn't really matter what's on the border, they probably can't even see it from a distance. It's when the major stuff is wrong that you give them a reason to pull you over and then check all the other details.

I don't even think the plate above where the letters are slightly closer together would be a problem, as at a glance it doesn't look obviously wrong, it's when the spacing has been clearly changed (L3X XX for example) that it again becomes obvious that you've intentionally played about with it.