Numberplate Sizes

[Lazy-Ferret]

Reading Wikapedia, there does not seem to be any laws on the actual size of a number plate, just the letters and their spacing. The number plate must also display the maker and BS number.

Now, as far as I can tell, there are 3 sizes of "Standard" number plate,
long thin rectangular one 520mm x 111mm (20.5" x 4.4")
larger "square" shaped one 279mm x 203mm (11" x 8")
smaller "square" shaped one 229mm x 178mm (9" x 7")

Now I know that the smaller Square shaped one is normally used on motorcycles, but I was wondering if anyone knows if you can use it on a car and still be legal?

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

you wouldn't fit car sized numbers on it! :thumb2

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-numberules-number-plates

useful downloads on here :thumb2

 

[96terrano]

you wanting to do this?

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16533&highlight=rear+door+plate

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

you wouldn't fit car sized numbers on it! :thumb2

Bummer...

Looking at the direct gov site, you could be very right...

Left margin, min 11mm
first letter width, 50mm
group spacing 33mm
3 x numbers and 2 spaces, 50mm and 11mm (172mm) actually one of my numbers is a "1", so I save 36mm
Right margin, min 11mm

Total width, 241mm. Number plate width, 229mm

Top margin, min 11mm
Top row of letters and numbers 79mm
Vertical space between groups 19mm
Second line of letters 79mm
Bottom Margin, min 11mm

Total height, 199mm. Number plate height 178mm

Back to the drawing board...

you wanting to do this?

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16533&highlight=rear+door+plate

Sort off.

I need to move my towing socket, as I keep bending it when towing. When off roading yesterday I did it a power of no good as well, and filled it with mud, so wanted to put it up a bit higher, ideally where the number plate is.

If I fitted the number plate up on the door, purely for cosmetic reasons, I really wanted it to finish above the grove at the bottom of the door.

What I was actually thinking of doing though, was putting the smaller sized number plate to one side of where the number plate already is, and then the socket next to it.

Might still be able to do that though, if I get a standard number plate made up with all the numbers towards the right, and then trim it down. I can then put the socket right to the left of the number plate area. The long thin one is 520mm, but with my numbers, I only need a 446mm number plate, so that would give me 74mm left over for the socket. Only thing is, I hate the idea of the number plate not being centred.:lol

 

[davenclaire]

Reading Wikapedia, there does not seem to be any laws on the actual size of a number plate, just the letters and their spacing. The number plate must also display the maker and BS number.

Now, as far as I can tell, there are 3 sizes of "Standard" number plate,
long thin rectangular one 520mm x 111mm (20.5" x 4.4")
larger "square" shaped one 279mm x 203mm (11" x 8")
smaller "square" shaped one 229mm x 178mm (9" x 7")

Now I know that the smaller Square shaped one is normally used on motorcycles, but I was wondering if anyone knows if you can use it on a car and still be legal?

nope its all about font size and spacing speaking as a biker who has had his bike plate measured at the roadside by mr plod all in the name of road safety.
"ello sir do you know why weve stopped you" is this a trick questi think fast erm no office do tell me "well were concernd by the high death rate of bike riders while your here il.just check your number plate for you" why is that it doesnt look very murderous to me. out came his special number plate ruler.


mot guy said there were about 10 pages on number plates in the mot book and 1 on brakes, go figure

 

[makeitfit]

It's the end of the world as we know it, bloody plod number plate measurer ruler jobs worth :doh
I did my back number plate on the door instead of over the tow bar. I got off with it being on the door by blaming the insurance company :augie By law you can't put the no. plate on the door unless it's the Mistral import ffs
Type approval and all that shite. Any way I had mine made by a nice man on ebay who puts the BS on it and his ebay id for legalities but it was made smaller over all but the font is the right size :sly
Same issue at the front as mine is on my winch bumper. it too is a bit smaller over all but keeps full size font. It was mounted off center , not legal unless it's on an Alfa etc :doh So then I got a self adhesive one made for the bonnet. Now centered but still not allowed as it's not flat or an E-type
It's all tosh, so I carry the correct ones in the boot (for the trailer ) just incase plod gets the hump.
It's a game innit

 

[MudLifeCrisis]

From memory the law says front plates have to be fitted to a forward facing surface as close to the front of the vehicle as possible . If you have a winch then up on the roof lightbar might be the closest place. I guess the law is simular for the back . No hight or side restiction , think of some vans or trucks where its up the top of the roof. If a towbar obscures a plate you can move it to a better location as long as its lit ( unlike mine :lol )

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Many years ago I had a uhum...princess, and the towbar covered up the number plate. I fitted a stick on number plate on the vertical bit of the boot lid, but as a way of bending the rules, I left the other one in place, as that had the lights on it.

One night I got stopped, and the police man asked me why I had 2 number plates, so I explained about the towbar covering one. At this point he walks back round the back of the car, and takes a second look... he had not realised it was actually the same number plate twice, and had not even spotted the towbar was obscuring most of the original one. Doh...

 

[solarman216]

Stupid rules and regulations, how many trucks/buses do you see with the plate 8ft or more from the ground, cos they have tail lifts, fork trucks etc in the way, as long as the rear is iluminated it can be anywhere, Rick

 

[solarman216]

Clive was that a princess 1100? I loved them, Rick

 

[Fez_uk]

been running without a front number plate for 3-4 months now

 

[makeitfit]

been running without a front number plate for 3-4 months now

and the trol :lol it's on the floor somewhere :augie

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Clive was that a princess 1100? I loved them, Rick

No far worse than that... a nigh on florescent orange 2.0l wedgie... :augie :sly

In my defence, my Wolseley 2200 landcrab (which was a fantastic car) had just been written in a head on with a speeding Allegro, you can imagine what the Allegro looked like.

I needed a car quick, and still in shock, I went to my first ever car auction, to have a look for something cheap... I learnt a lot that day...:bow

"Only a man who drives a second hand car, knows how hard it is to drive a bargain":doh

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

I found this site while messing around last night..

http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=61

I thought it was quite interesting, but one thing that I was not sure about is under "Summary of Lighting Rules", "ANY COLOUR", it says you can use any colour for number plate lights...

Also... "You can’t have a flashing light except for: a green light used as an anti-lock braking indicator"

I have never seen that... and to be honest, if I saw a car take a nose dive, while flashing a green light at me, I have a feeling that in the confusion, I would probably hit it... :lol:lol

The worst bit is, having read that, now I want one, just so I can have it before Ryan:lol:lol

 

[makeitfit]

Yeh but Ryan's lights will flash and he'll take a fortnight to suss out why :lol

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

:lol:lol

 

[solarman216]

No far worse than that... a nigh on florescent orange 2.0l wedgie... :augie :sly

The last Firecracker at Arena Essex, Swifty raced a wedgi with a RR in it, I tuned the twin SU's for him, think he only managed 1.5 laps before he finished it off completely, he could not hold it on the road, cos he only has two throttle positions, on and off and he does not always know when to turn it off Rick

 

[solarman216]

Hi L F, I particularly like the bit about your lights need to be "clean and working except"
1 those that do not need to be seen cos you is towing a trailer with lights.
2 a light has just stopped working on your current journey.
3 you have tried everything reasonable to fix it, NOW THIS ONE I DO LIKE, makeitfit look at this, Rick