DVLA number plate fine warning ahead of 26 plates launch

Motorists in England, Scotland and Wales will see the new number plates on the road when they are released from March 1.

They must make sure their own licence plates adhere to specifications in order to be road legal, with a warning that those that do not comply with rules could be hit with a £1,000 fine.

DVLA number plate warning

The DVLA warns: “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.”

Is your number plate legal?

These are the rules you should be aware of around licence plates from the DVLA.

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

Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing , said: “Characters must not be removable or reflective, however, your number plates can have 3D (raised) characters, display certain flags, symbols and identifiers and display a green flash, if you have a zero-emission vehicle.

“It’s important to drivers to understand the nuances of what’s required for their licence plates as even the smallest modifications could make it illegal. For example, 3D characters are allowed on licence plates, but if the raised letters are not black or have a reflective coating on them, this could make them illegal.

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“It’s also important for drivers to understand that any modifications around their licence plate, that could make it unreadable, are also considered illegal.

“For example, licence plate lights must be white – not tinted blue or any other colour – and need to illuminate the plate evenly without causing any shadows. The bulbs themselves must not be visible.

“Failure to meet these requirements can result in fines of up to £1,000, as well as an MOT failure for the vehicle.

“Motorists looking to replace or customise their plates should only buy from DVLA-registered suppliers who follow the legal guidelines. Plates that feature illegal fonts, incorrect spacing, tinted backgrounds, or missing supplier information can all lead to penalties.

“For those unsure whether their plates comply, checking with a reputable supplier or consulting DVLA guidelines is the safest way to avoid unnecessary fines or complications.”