Displaying L plates when the learner is not driving

[richard sails]

The question is in the title, is it legal to display L Plates when the learner is not driving or should they be removed / covered?

I know many cars drive round displaying L Plates without a learner behind the wheel, on motorways etc without any problems but what does the law actually say?

Cheers

Richard

[Zombie]

https://www.gov.uk/driving-lessons-learning-to-dri...

"You should take L plates off your vehicle when it’s not being used by a learner."

The wording "should" rather than "must" suggests to me that you can't be prosecuted... Don't blame me if you get pulled though! Which you probably will if displaying them without a passenger.

Edited by Zombie on Wednesday 16th December 18:38

[Antony Moxey]

Are driving instructors regularly prosecuted?

[Bigends]

Leave 'em on - its not an offence - you could plaster your car with the things. It may be that youll get pulled more often if out driving alone or on the motorway though

[Cooperman]

A professional driving instructor can hardly be expected or required to remove the L-plates after dropping off one learner and driving to collect the next one.
Of course it's not illegal. Why would it matter to anyone?

[Cooperman]

A professional driving instructor can hardly be expected or required to remove the L-plates after dropping off one learner and driving to collect the next one.
Of course it's not illegal. Why would it matter to anyone?

[Dogwatch]

If you have a bit of exprience it doesn't take long to work out whether the driver of the L-plated car in front is a learner or not.

Sometimes you do wonder though......

[battered]

It's legal but not a great idea to leave them on. A driving instructor could easily modify his car so that the plate was invisible when he was driving without a student, and operate it without leaving the car. The fact that they don't says that it's not strictly necessary.

[richard sails]

Cooperman said:

A professional driving instructor can hardly be expected or required to remove the L-plates after dropping off one learner and driving to collect the next one.
Of course it's not illegal. Why would it matter to anyone?

In the 80's my driving instructor was a retired Police Driving Senior Instructor, he covered his L plates on the way to and from my house every time, hence the question.

What I really would like to know what the law actually states.

[ferrariF50lover]

There isn't a law for everything. Chances are, this is one of the things filed under "no one gives a fk", so they didn't bother making a law either way.

[Rostfritt]

richard sails said:

In the 80's my driving instructor was a retired Police Driving Senior Instructor, he covered his L plates on the way to and from my house every time, hence the question.

What I really would like to know what the law actually states.

I'm sure I read somewhere (possibly the highway code) that you can't drive with them on with a full licence unless you are a driving instructor driving between lessons. Mine always did and only took the thing on the roof off if he had to drive any distance or do pass plus, which is done without L-plates.

[surveyor_101]

Seem to remember adi are exempt but others should remove. It's not something you will get prosecuted. However some people may react differently to l plates. When I have taught people I use magnetic plates and only have them when a leaner was driving, however I am aware they do sometimes come off.

[BertBert]

battered said:

It's legal but not a great idea to leave them on.

You are right. I'm pretty sure you'll get into trouble with the insurance if you have a crash whilst displaying L plates and not a learner.
Bert

[TwigtheWonderkid]

BertBert said:

battered said:

It's legal but not a great idea to leave them on.

You are right. I'm pretty sure you'll get into trouble with the insurance if you have a crash whilst displaying L plates and not a learner.
Bert

Why? No you wouldn't get into any trouble.

My son is learning and I have magnetic plates. But the front ones can fly off when you get over 40mph. So I've taped it down. Back one is removed when son not driving but front one is a permanent fixture. No intention of changing that. Perfectly legal. Best practice and law are not the same.

[BertBert]

But what about insurance?
Bert

[Paul_M3]

From the Gov.uk website:

"Laws MV(DL)R reg 16 & RTA 1988 sect 87

Vehicles. Any vehicle driven by a learner MUST display red L plates. In Wales, either red D plates, red L plates, or both, can be used. Plates MUST conform to legal specifications and MUST be clearly visible to others from in front of the vehicle and from behind. Plates should be removed or covered when not being driven by a learner (except on driving school vehicles)."

Note that it says SHOULD be removed (not MUST) and even then it specifically says except on driving school vehicles.

[Red Devil]

BertBert said:

battered said:

It's legal but not a great idea to leave them on.

You are right. I'm pretty sure you'll get into trouble with the insurance if you have a crash whilst displaying L plates and not a learner.
Bert

Can someone please link to any legislation which prohibits a full licence holder from driving a car which is displaying L plates otherwise this is going to end up as another one of those tedious interminable arguments.

If the law is silent on the subject then I can't see why that would be an insurance issue unless there is a specific exclusion clause to that effect in the policy. I'm sure LoonR1 will be along to correct me if I am mistaken.

It's akin to the well known aphorism: "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

[Bigends]

Red Devil said:

Can someone please link to any legislation which prohibits a full licence holder from driving a car which is displaying L plates otherwise this is going to end up as another one of those tedious interminable arguments.

If the law is silent on the subject then I can't see why that would be an insurance issue unless there is a specific exclusion clause to that effect in the policy. I'm sure LoonR1 will be along to correct me if I am mistaken.

It's akin to the well known aphorism: "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence".

Its NOT an offence - just may result in stops by Police

[Swampy1982]

richard sails said:

In the 80's my driving instructor was a retired Police Driving Senior Instructor, he covered his L plates on the way to and from my house every time, hence the question.

What I really would like to know what the law actually states.

Have you been wondering for the full 30+ years?

[SS2.]

richard sails said:

What I really would like to know what the law actually states.

The law doesn't state anything about it, because it isn't an offence for a full licence holder to drive a vehicle displaying L plates.

BertBert said:

But what about insurance?

I know what mine say, but what do your policy documents say about it ?