Black Number plates on a modern car
Discussion
If the car looks pre-73 most plod wouldn't bother.
Quote from www.gov.uk "If you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates, you could be fined up to £1,000..." doubt it would be anything like that though. Probably a warning the first time and maybe a £60 FPN the second time - dependant totally of which plod you get, but who knows
Quote from www.gov.uk "If you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates, you could be fined up to £1,000..." doubt it would be anything like that though. Probably a warning the first time and maybe a £60 FPN the second time - dependant totally of which plod you get, but who knows
http://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/overvie...
"If you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates, you could be fined up to £1,000 and your car will fail its MOT test."
INF104:
"Vehicles manufactured after 1 January 1973, must display number plates of:
- reflex-reflecting material;
- white background at the front of the vehicle and a yellow background at the rear of the vehicle; and
- the characters must be black.
On 1 September 2001, new regulations were introduced that put in place a standard character font for number plates, making them easier to be read. This change ended the use of italic, multiple stroke and other difficult to read lettering on number plates."
I've seen a few pre-73 looking cars (replicas) with post-73 registration dates, but old style plates. They don't seem to attract any attention from plod.
"If you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates, you could be fined up to £1,000 and your car will fail its MOT test."
INF104:
"Vehicles manufactured after 1 January 1973, must display number plates of:
- reflex-reflecting material;
- white background at the front of the vehicle and a yellow background at the rear of the vehicle; and
- the characters must be black.
On 1 September 2001, new regulations were introduced that put in place a standard character font for number plates, making them easier to be read. This change ended the use of italic, multiple stroke and other difficult to read lettering on number plates."
I've seen a few pre-73 looking cars (replicas) with post-73 registration dates, but old style plates. They don't seem to attract any attention from plod.
Edited by Roy C on Tuesday 23 July 19:46
LordBretSinclair said:
If the car looks pre-73 most plod wouldn't bother.
Sounds about right to me, plus plod these days are so young they wouldn't remember pre '51 plates to work out the age.That's my thinking anyway & I've run a black n silver plate (under size) on a '77 bike for six years without a problem. I do have to swap it for the MOT though.
I'm a bit worried about putting this again in case I hear the sound of several classic and show cars owners heads hitting the carpets as they get the vapors
if you actually use the car, - thud
in the dark, - thud, thud, thud . . .
at night - thud, thud, thud . . .
then reflective plates might be better for when the car is parked and when traveling especially if it has tiny dim rear lights
many roads areas are without lighting or it's turned off partially or whole
well before 1973 reflective plates where on the cars at the time and a b&w plate on an earlier 70s car at the time might make it look outdated and not so much a brand new car
if you actually use the car, - thud
in the dark, - thud, thud, thud . . .
at night - thud, thud, thud . . .
then reflective plates might be better for when the car is parked and when traveling especially if it has tiny dim rear lights
many roads areas are without lighting or it's turned off partially or whole
well before 1973 reflective plates where on the cars at the time and a b&w plate on an earlier 70s car at the time might make it look outdated and not so much a brand new car
I've been working in the magistrates courts for the thick end of twenty years.
Number of times I have dealt with defective plates prosecutions?
Twice.
One mis-spaced, one incorrect font and too small.
Number of times I have dealt with excessively noisy exhausts?
Never.
These things are generally dealt with by plod issuing a rectification notice. They very rarely get to court.
Personally, I don't like black and silver plates on post '73 vehicles.
It doesn't look so bad on something like a '76 Bonnie, but on an obviously modern vehicle it just looks crap.
Number of times I have dealt with defective plates prosecutions?
Twice.
One mis-spaced, one incorrect font and too small.
Number of times I have dealt with excessively noisy exhausts?
Never.
These things are generally dealt with by plod issuing a rectification notice. They very rarely get to court.
Personally, I don't like black and silver plates on post '73 vehicles.
It doesn't look so bad on something like a '76 Bonnie, but on an obviously modern vehicle it just looks crap.
Pat H said:
I've been working in the magistrates courts for the thick end of twenty years.
Number of times I have dealt with defective plates prosecutions?
Twice.
One mis-spaced, one incorrect font and too small.
Number of times I have dealt with excessively noisy exhausts?
Never.
These things are generally dealt with by plod issuing a rectification notice. They very rarely get to court.
Personally, I don't like black and silver plates on post '73 vehicles.
It doesn't look so bad on something like a '76 Bonnie, but on an obviously modern vehicle it just looks crap.
I agree with everything this man said. They look naff.Number of times I have dealt with defective plates prosecutions?
Twice.
One mis-spaced, one incorrect font and too small.
Number of times I have dealt with excessively noisy exhausts?
Never.
These things are generally dealt with by plod issuing a rectification notice. They very rarely get to court.
Personally, I don't like black and silver plates on post '73 vehicles.
It doesn't look so bad on something like a '76 Bonnie, but on an obviously modern vehicle it just looks crap.
I know the law is the law etc, but I would hope the Police have bigger fish to fry and wpuld be out looking for idiots who drive with no insurance etc or over the limit. There was a guy who ran a mini close to me with the reg 8 SIMON. He had actually changed the 5 for an S. Ran it for years without being stopped.
AH33 said:
They look absolutely terrible on modern cars, with no exceptions. They'd make a Veyron look cheap.
I do actually specify replicas or Morgans in my original post.In my opinion modern plates don't look right on a replica Jaguar C or D type, a Cobra or even a Morgan.
I don't imagine anyone, including me, would want to fit them on a run of the mill current car, but that wasn't the question.
sorryapart from the point about being seen at night and some one actually agreeing with me about their use back in the day 
thank you Monty
so many of these show and concours cars are not original or ‘correct’ in that respect
to me any registration after ’73 L looks odd on b&w plates no matter what car it’s on, a 53 plate Morgan’s going to look odd with a b&w plate
and personalised plates like that ‘Simon’ seem egotistical to me and many are sad in their disjointed near spellings, many I don’t get and don’t recognise despite the illegal spacing
it would of course be very acceptable to put b&w plates on any Marlin just to upset the snotty among the Morgan owners who also appear to be looked down on by a Jaguar owner
whichcopy, kit, donor replica are these genuine b&w plates to go on 
good job this thread isn’t in another PH forum or there be more than just me pulling your leg
thank you Monty
Monty Zoomer said:
Most new vehicles had reflective plates for four or five years before they became compulsory. The black ones were seen as being dull, grim and very old fashioned.
If you had a new car you wanted it to look new and shiney reflective number plates were the things to have.
If you had a new car you wanted it to look new and shiney reflective number plates were the things to have.
so many of these show and concours cars are not original or ‘correct’ in that respect
to me any registration after ’73 L looks odd on b&w plates no matter what car it’s on, a 53 plate Morgan’s going to look odd with a b&w plate
and personalised plates like that ‘Simon’ seem egotistical to me and many are sad in their disjointed near spellings, many I don’t get and don’t recognise despite the illegal spacing
it would of course be very acceptable to put b&w plates on any Marlin just to upset the snotty among the Morgan owners who also appear to be looked down on by a Jaguar owner
which
good job this thread isn’t in another PH forum or there be more than just me pulling your leg
Edited by nta16 on Wednesday 24th July 10:15
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