question Front & rear number plates

[antarmike]

number plates can be painted on over here too. The rules that apply re size and spacing of letters have to be adhered to. Plates should be vertical but if painted the wording is something like "vertical or nearly vertical" or "vertical, but if this is not possible, as near vertical as can be achieved". That from memory, it is in the regulations somewhere, but I will leave it to someone else to find it and post it..

[utt61]

I remember reading somewhere (probably on direct.gov or VOSA websites) something along the lines of "VOSA considers that self-adhesive numberplates are probably non-compliant with the current regulations" (I can't remember the exact wording but that was the gist).

 

This suggests to me that there is some doubt as to whether self-adhesive numberplates are legal but this has not yet been established by the courts.

 

If s/a plates are considered illegal, then it is possible that painted plates might be similarly illegal, unless the fact that they are invariably white on black and on pre-73 vehicles means that whichever regulation the s/a ones fail to conform to is inapplicable anyway, which seems quite possible (it's probably something to do with retro-reflectivity or the revolting euro flag or something).

 

It is worth noting that in the very early days of Land-Rover, Series 1 vehicles were supplied with a plain black panel of numberplate size fixed in the appropriate place, specifically provided so that the reg no could be painted on. Presumably therefore in the late 40s/early 50s there was no doubt.

 

Personally I would have no hesitation running with painted numbers on a vehicle for which black/white or black/silver was legal, provided of course that the plates are well executed.

[antarmike]

What the regs say about B&W plates

 

2. A plate displaying white, silver or light grey letters and numbers on a black surface having every character indelibly inscribed on the surface or so attached to the surface that it cannot readily be detached from it, which may either—

 

(a)be made of cast or pressed metal with raised characters, or

 

(b)consist of a plate to which separate characters are attached, or

 

©consist of a plastic plate having either reverse engraved characters or characters of a foil type, or

 

(d)consist of an unbroken rectangular area on the surface of the vehicle which is either flat or, if there is no flat area where the mark is required to be displayed, an area which is almost flat.

 

 

Section(d) above refers to "an unbroken rectangular area on the surface" as opposed to a plate. This is the section that I understand allows the mark to be applied directly to the bodywork on a painted area.

 

I think the problem with adhesive plates is that they are designed to be retro-reflective, but may not actually be able to met the required standards for retro-reflective materials.

[Metroman]

Number plates arrived & now in place, thanks to all for the interesting thread