NUMBER PLATES

Number plates (also known as licence plates) must show your registration number correctly. You cannot rearrange letters or numbers or alter them so that they’re hard to read.

You could be fined up to £1,000 and your vehicle will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.

The current vehicle registration number format was introduced in 2001. It consists of:

• 2 letters (these refer to the region in the country where your vehicle was first registered)
• 2 numbers (these tell you when it was issued)
• 3 letters chosen at random

Rules for number plates

The number plates on your vehicle must:

• be made from a reflective material
• display black characters on a white background (front plate)
• display black characters on a yellow background (rear plate)
• not have a background pattern
• 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

The characters must not be removable or reflective. If your number plates were fitted after 1 September 2021, they must also be a single shade of black.

Your number plates can also:

• have 3D (raised) characters
• display certain flags, symbols and identifiers
• display a green flash if you have a zero-emission vehicle

Towing a trailer

Your trailer must display the same number plate as the vehicle you’re towing it with. If you’re towing more than one trailer, the number plate must be fixed to the trailer at the back.

Taking commercial or heavy trailers abroad

If your trailer needs to be registered to go abroad, you need to fix the trailer registration plate to the back, as well as the towing vehicle’s number plate.

Fix the trailer registration plate as far away as possible from the towing vehicle’s number plate.

If you cannot fix the trailer registration plate on the back of your trailer, fix it to both sides instead. Make sure they’re clearly visible.

Letter spacing, size and style

The characters on a number plate need to be a certain height and size.

Read leaflet INF104: vehicle registration numbers and number plates – height and size measurement, for more information.

If you have a trailer, read leaflet INF291: trailer registration numbers and number plates.

Flags, symbols and identifiers

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You can display one of the following flags with identifying letters on the left-hand side of the number plate:

• Union flag (also known as the Union Jack)
• Cross of St George
• Cross of St Andrew – also known as the Saltire
• Red Dragon of Wales

The letters, or national identifiers, you can have are:

• UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
• GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
• CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
• ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
• SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
• WALES or Wales

The flag must be above the identifier. You cannot have the flag or letters on the number plate margin, and neither can be more than 50 millimetres wide.

Driving Outside the UK

If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

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However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• a GB identifier with the Union flag
• a Euro symbol
• a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
• numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier

If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

If you have a GB sticker, cover or remove it before driving outside the UK.

You do not need a UK sticker or number plate [identifier] to drive in Ireland.

Getting number plates made up

You can only get a number plate made up from a registered number plate supplier, such as Central Signs.

We will need to see original documents that:

• prove your name and address
• show you’re allowed to use the registration number

Identity documents

You can use the following to confirm your name and address:

driving licence

utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the last 6 months

bank or building society statement from the last 6 months

national identity card

The following will confirm your name only:

• passport – does not have to be issued in the UK
• bank or building society debit or credit card
• police warrant card
• armed forces identity card

Proving you can use the registration number

You must bring one of the following to show you’re allowed to display the registration number: