[iancallaghan87]

Hi all,

I have been looking at buying a new number plate. I was wondering is it possible to change the standard formats??
A111 AAA
A11 AAA
A1 AAA
AA11 AAA

I am looking at spacing mine differently A 11A A A. No my initial thoughts were that this is illegal. But after searching all over the net for this, i am unable to find that it's against the law anywhere.

Then thinking slightly deeper into it. I have loads of Cars with m=number plates in italic or dodgy fonts all of which i thought were illegal. Also there are number plates i have see about which don't even follow this standar format. e.g. 1 AAAA / AA AA1A. These were obviously registered with the DVLA, and can't follow the standard format. Also foreign number plates are again completely different formats some of which i have seen with 4 spaces in and my number plate design has 3.

Please anyones opinions / advise of the law would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone experienced any problems with the police and personalised plates??

Thanks,

Ian

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancallaghan87 (original)

But after searching all over the net for this, i am unable to find that it's against the law anywhere.

You obviously didn't look very far, as it only took me seconds to find this page on the DVLA website.

[iancallaghan87]

Thanks Scrogg,

I had looked on the DVLA website a few times, so doesn't look like a i can space it any differently then. was worth checking i suppose. any ideas then how i can get IAN into my number plate??

Thanks

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancallaghan87 (original)

so doesn't look like a i can space it any differently then.

Basically, no. As the DVLA are all-too-fond of saying, "It is illegal to mis-space or mis-represent your registration mark whilst it is being displayed on a vehicle used on the public highway'.

Quote: Originally Posted by iancallaghan87 (original)

any ideas then how i can get IAN into my number plate??

Why do you need to mis-space it though?

??51 AN?
?1 AN?
?11 AN?
?21 AN?
?31 AN?
?101 AN?
?121 AN?
?321 AN?

All of the above combinations are available to buy.

And, of course, it is not illegal to have a mis-spaced set of plates made up for show purposes

[James]

It might be illegal, and I'm not saying you should break the law but as far as im aware the punishment is only a fine and you would fail an MOT so it depends if you are willing to risk that.

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Crammy (original)

It might be illegal, and I'm not saying you should break the law but as far as im aware the punishment is only a fine and you would fail an MOT so it depends if you are willing to risk that.

AND the registration may be withdrawn by DVLA; a real b***er if you paid serious cash for it

[andrewcregan]

My next door neighbours had a non-standard spaced plate, and in a strange font, but after meeting the boys in blue on the open road, there plate is now a lot more standard.
It is worth taking into account, before buying a plate, what your plate will look like when it is in standard format, as whether you like it or not, that is what it will eventually appear as!

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I just had a brain wave and tried the DVLA website for "YT51ANS" and it's not sold, but "Held for future auction" Shame

Seems it's a little tougher than when they let my one through at bottom price



I've just been back to check again and anything ending in "...1 ANS" is "held for future auction". Oh, the things that you can do with a monopoly

[popey]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

AND the rgistration may be withdrawn by DVLA; a real bugger if you paid serious cash for it

A few years ago the police wanted to take a picture of my ilegal plate and send it to the DVLA to ask them to remove it. In the end I managed to get away with just a fine. But if you ask me its not worth the risk.

[Richard Crofts]

Official spacing is just that. It is illegal to change it. That said my number plate is supposed to be XX52 XXX and it is not....it is XX 52 XXX

[Knowlsey]

£30 fixed penalty ticket, but you also run the risk of losing your entitlement. Is it worth it?

[James]

i got a bargain basement plate (one of the £300 ones) and have it spaced A11AA A instead
of A11 AAA. A policeman actually told me off for my halo sidelights once and didnt even comment on the plate, they are more picky about having different fonts which might be harder to read in an accident.

[Scrogg]

There are plenty of people driving round with mis-spaced plates (my Mum's M5 O?? has always read M5O ??) but that doesn't change the fact that it's illegal.

It just seems to be one of those things that the Police turn a blind eye to most of the time. But that doesn't mean they always will, and saying "everyone else is doing it" is never going to carry any weight as a defence if/when the DVLA do decide to take a plate off you.

I got done the other week

Spacing is as follows

A1 1 AAA.
The font style is the legal style with a slight slant, not the wacky italics you see.

£30 on the spot fine, non endorsable. Officer gave me a big lecture on how They are designed in such a way so that they can be easily remembered, and read easily by all traffic and 'Safety' cameras. I'm pretty sure if i was over the limit the cameras would be able to read it. Plus i'm damn sure my plate would be remembered much easier than the original it was registered with!

Simple trick is, Buy a second set of correctly spaced plates. No fancy borders or stuff. £10 you'll be able to get a set for. Leave them in your boot. If you get pulled you can swap them over. Same at MOT time, again just swap them over.


But to be honest, 99% of coppers really don't care, and even if they pull you over it will be just a warning. Its just if you get one on a powertrip you've had it! I did, and the way he spoke you would have thought my plates caused a real danger to other drivers.

[Plummer]

My plate should read R16 HPL but i have it spaced R16H PL i have never had a problem with this nor has one of my mates whos is L18M LJ i think as long as you dont change the letters to look like something else most will turn a blind eye to it being space different. Its when you make a 1 look like an l or something they get fussy as it does read a different plate if that makes scence

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Plummer (original)

Its when you make a 1 look like an l or something they get fussy as it does read a different plate if that makes scence

Not the best example, as 1 and I are identical!

[Plummer]

lol my bad, I ment make a 1 look like an L or an 8 an 0 is that better!

[South Shore Lad]

are 'bonnet sticker' type number plates legal?

eg as seen on ole E Types and, more recently, MX5s

[South Shore Lad]

sorry - just Googled and answered my own question!

Self-adhesive number plates for the bonnet of your car!

These number plates are reflective, and pass BSAU145d reflection tests; the characters are cut to the correct size and font, ie New Charles Wright. The height is 79mm and the spacing is correct as per DVLA requirements. However, these plates are NOT road legal!

Why?

We believe that because these number plates use to be sold in kit form in shops, it meant people could make their own plates. DVLA did not want the consumer making their own plates as the room for error was greater! Pre-September 2001 these plates were always seen as ‘acceptable’. However, since the change in legislation people have become more conscious of putting them on their car.

I have written a full article about this on our forum ...


<H5>Self-adhesive number plates for the bonnet of your car!

These number plates are reflective, and pass BSAU145d reflection tests; the characters are cut to the correct size and font, ie New Charles Wright. The height is 79mm and the spacing is correct as per DVLA requirements. However, these plates are NOT road legal!

Why?

We believe that because these number plates use to be sold in kit form in shops, it meant people could make their own plates. DVLA did not want the consumer making their own plates as the room for error was greater! Pre-September 2001 these plates were always seen as ‘acceptable’. However, since the change in legislation people have become more conscious of putting them on their car.

I have written a full article about this on our forum ...



</H5>

[Capsaisin]

Well it was always the case that numbers/number plates had to be vertical, hence any numbers stuck on a bonnet were strictly speaking illegal.
In the "old" days, cars with numbers stuck on their bonnets might well have "got away with it", in the same way that thesedays, cars seemingly get away with illegal spacing and font.