DVLA new rules regarding number plates

The DVLA has introduced new rules regarding number plates. 

Your number plate must show your registration number correctly, and you cannot rearrange letters or numbers or make them hard to read. 

Failure to comply with these rules could result in a fine of up to £1,000 and your vehicle failing its MOT test. 

The current registration number format consists of two letters, two numbers, and three letters chosen at random. Additionally, number plates must be made of reflective material and display black characters on a white background for the front plate and black characters on a yellow background for the rear plate. 

The plates must not have a background pattern, and they must be marked to show who supplied them and with the British Standard number "BS AU 145e" if fitted after 1 September 2021. 

The characters must not be removable or reflective and must be a single shade of black if fitted after 1 September 2021. 

You can also get theft-resistant number plates that make it harder for someone to remove them quickly. 

Your number plates can have 3D characters, display certain flags, symbols, and identifiers, and a green flash if you have a zero-emission vehicle.

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

Displaying number plates (DVLA)

Guidance (INF104 (pdf)* - Find out about vehicle registration numbers and number plates.

Displaying vehicle registration numbers

Vehicle registration numbers must be displayed correctly on number plates according to regulations, which govern their design, manufacture, and display. The numbers and letters on a number plate cannot be rearranged or misrepresented to form names or words that are difficult to read. Violations can result in fines up to £1,000, MOT test failures, and permanent withdrawal of the registration number. Additionally, using a registration number to make a vehicle appear younger than it actually is not permitted. Misrepresenting a registration number will not result in any refunds or compensation.

Refer to the Guidance* above and DVLA for further details.

In the Echo News (23 Feb 2023) as follows:-

Drivers have been asked to make important checks regarding recent licence plate rule changes that they may have missed.

New number plates can now only display solid black lettering, as two-tone registration plates that used different shades to create a 3D-like effect have been banned. The rule change was introduced in in September 2021 to help Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras identify vehicle number plates on the roads.

This comes alongside another long-standing rule regarding 'incorrectly displayed' number plates, which includes obscuring or manipulating the digits. Even visible amounts of dirt can put you at risk of having an illegal plate and a potential fine of £1000 if the contents cannot be easily read. Other punishments include an on-the-spot fine of £100 if stopped with an unreadable or illegally altered plate by a police officer.

The DVLA website says: "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."