British number plates are there any rules?

ChuckMountain

The number plates will still be read automatically by the cameras so long as they can be seen.  A lot of the time and what annoys me is that the garage cannot seem to fit them level anyway

Might be a £1,000 fine ...

Has this changed?  The maker etc is part of the British Standard and the gov.uk page referencing it has been withdrawn

                                                https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/823552/vehicle-registration-numbers-and_number-plates-inf104.pdf                       
and the new one mentions it but does not say it is compulsory

                                                https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/823552/vehicle-registration-numbers-and_number-plates-inf104.pdf               

AMc

As long as the plate is unique, readable and assigned to the car I really don't see why anyone would be giving a hoot, let alone waste police time ?
As others have said it should be checked at the MOT - if someone can be bothered to switch plates twice each year for the dubious pleasure of seeing their initials or name on their plate then that's their look out YMMV.

The roads are full of idiots driving too fast in the wrong places, fiddling with their phones etc. if we still had any traffic police left then I'd prefer them to be dealing with that which might actually cost someone their life.

Yesterday I was waiting at a massive roadside puddle when the van coming the other way nearly hit me - plain as day his phone at the top of the wheel held in both hands, clearly sending a text. he didn't even realise how close he'd wobbled to my door. He'll never get caught unless he kills someone.

ChuckMountain

I sort of agree but at what point does a plate move out of the above and into the challenging area.  There are still people putting the screws in the "right" place which alters the number plate.  That's why we have standards.

Maybe its more appropriate to have a semi-automated fining system in that if a number plate cannot be recognised automatically by the likes of ANPR then it should be sent for manual processing and a fine through the post.

Bl4ckGryph0n

I was pulled over once, up north near Shipley. I didn't space mine incorrectly nor did I try and make it look different. It was an original 1970 plate with a black background. It looked fantastic on my grey metallic Alpina B7 (BMW 7 series but a bit extra )  I had. Finished the car looks-wise.

But I made an honest mistake, I thought that by having an original 1970's plate it was ok to have it black. The detail of the rules meant that not only the plate needs to be from that period but also the car.

Anyway, the police pulled me over late on a Sunday evening. And we had a chat about it, and he even commended me on not misspelling and that everything was official but the car a few decades news. Whilst in the vehicle he pointed out some much worse examples that drove by, yeah lol not funny when I was pulled over.

A large part of it was also that it was late on a Sunday evening, the car that I drove was standout, the plates gave it cause to check it, and then I was very far away from the registered address.

We had a nice chat though as he loved the car, I didn't mind the fine. I took personal responsibility. What I did object to was being hit with a £35 victim surcharge. Come on, what victim was there?

The really funny thing was the following morning. As I was working for a government agency myself at the time, and on the clock as it were, I had to report the incident. Yup I drove it into my usual official government car parking space

nvingo

I spot several of those, and always assumed it was done wilfully, and not in ignorance of the rules.

Bl4ckGryph0n

Most that are spot aren’t old plates. They are newer plates and that is blatantly not following the rules in my opinion.

aVdub

The only time you see a pull today for incorrect number plates is when there is a TV show being made.

MarkyPancake

So long as the characters haven't been altered by the screw caps, I've never understood why it matters how they're spaced, so long as they're in the correct order. Most online forms don't care about the spacing and you enter the reg in one continuous line anyway.

A1 ABC and A1A BC are ultimately still A1ABC when you enter them in sequence into a reg check.

nvingo

To clarify, do you mean older (pre-1974) VRMs on modern reflective silver-on black plates, or recent post-1974 VRMs ?
I assume in your case, you acquired the pressed tin plates from the original vehicle along with the right to use the VRM on your owned vehicle?

Bl4ckGryph0n

That doesn’t matter either way. But yes they were pressed plates. Actually my current plates are also pressed and fully in compliance with current regulations.