'UK' identifier on number plates

[aturnick54]

So I'm after some new plates. Never liked the big oval stickers on the back when abroad, also don't like having unnecessary flags on the plate (not necessarily for poltical reasons, just for a cleaner look).

Would like to get plates with the 'UK' identifier but without a union flag because from what I can tell, this is permissible under the Vienna Convention to avoid needing a UK sticker when abroad.

Example of what I'm after, just without the border:


Has anybody seen this style for sale anywhere? Looked on Ebay, they all have the union flag on.

[stef1808]

https://www.a1showplates.com/
You can do custom badges

[braddo]

aturnick54 said:

So I'm after some new plates. Never liked the big oval stickers on the back when abroad, also don't like having unnecessary flags on the plate (not necessarily for poltical reasons, just for a cleaner look).

Would like to get plates with the 'UK' identifier but without a union flag because from what I can tell, this is permissible under the Vienna Convention to avoid needing a UK sticker when abroad.

Example of what I'm after, just without the border:


Has anybody seen this style for sale anywhere? Looked on Ebay, they all have the union flag on.

Not sure how you think your mock-up looks better than the legal alternatives! Which can also be temporary... If someone wants to fine you or deny you entry to their country, they will still do so no matter how much you say 'Vienna Convention'.

[braddo]

Does anyone have stories of actually being fined and/or refused entry to a European country because they didn't have a correct country identifier on the back of their car?

[CABC]

isn't the convention that your need a white oval of a certain size?
within the EU it was agreed to deploy the familiar end of plate symbols, but that's not internationally recognised.

[Scrump]

According to the gov.uk website you need a union flag as well as the UK identifier for the sign to recognised abroad.

gov.uk said:

Driving outside the UK
If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

a GB identifier with the Union flag
a Euro symbol
a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
numbers and letters only - no flag or identifier

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/flags-symbols-and-identifiers

[Bluetec350]

is it the EU that require this or is it the UK government?

[Pica-Pica]

Scrump said:

According to the gov.uk website you need a union flag as well as the UK identifier for the sign to recognised abroad.

gov.uk said:

Driving outside the UK
If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

a GB identifier with the Union flag
a Euro symbol
a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
numbers and letters only - no flag or identifier

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/flags-symbols-and-identifiers

That’s a mis-reading. You DO NOT need the Union flag, but you do need a ‘UK’ symbol. That site describes when and how.

[Earthdweller]

Bluetec350 said:

is it the EU that require this or is it the UK government?

Neither its a U.N. Thing I think .. every country in the world has a legal identification code

The British gov decided to change the identifier from GB to U.K. though

[Pica-Pica]

Earthdweller said:

Bluetec350 said:

is it the EU that require this or is it the UK government?

Neither its a U.N. Thing I think .. every country in the world has a legal identification code

The British gov decided to change the identifier from GB to U.K. though

Correct (or more correctly UK rather than U.K.).
All tied in to ensure that Northern Ireland status is incorporated in any identity.

[Earthdweller]

Pica-Pica said:

Correct (or more correctly UK rather than U.K.).
All tied in to ensure that Northern Ireland status is incorporated in any identity.

Ah yes if I type U then K together this bloody thing autocorrects to U.K.

Every time

:Laugh:

[Scrump]

Pica-Pica said:

That’s a mis-reading. You DO NOT need the Union flag, but you do need a ‘UK’ symbol. That site describes when and how.

I think it says that you if you have the UK identifier AND the union flag then you don’t need a separate UK sticker.
If your number plate only has the UK identifier but no flag then you need an additional UK sticker.

So if the OP wants to avoid the big oval sticker then they need both the number plates to have both the UK identifier and a union flag, that is how I read it.

[Dolf Stoppard]

The example quoted by the OP is not what I'd consider a 'clean look' 🙄

[Prohibiting]

Dolf Stoppard said:

The example quoted by the OP is not what I'd consider a 'clean look' ??

This. Looks terrible even imagining it without the border. The empty yellow space where the flag symbol should be will look awful.

[Jaguar99]

My reading and understanding of the regs is that you need both the identifier and the flag to negate the requirement for a UK sticker

Also, be aware that some EU countries (Spain for example) technically require a UK sticker regardless of what you have on the number plate

[vonhosen]

And Spain, Cyprus or Malta you need the UK oval sticker whether your reg plates are compliant or not.

Republic of Ireland you don't need either the oval sticker or UK badged plates.

[Jaguar99]

vonhosen said:

And Spain, Cyprus or Malta you need the UK oval sticker whether your reg plates are compliant or not.

I think we typed that at the same time

[Pica-Pica]

Scrump said:

Pica-Pica said:

That’s a mis-reading. You DO NOT need the Union flag, but you do need a ‘UK’ symbol. That site describes when and how.

I think it says that you if you have the UK identifier AND the union flag then you don’t need a separate UK sticker.
If your number plate only has the UK identifier but no flag then you need an additional UK sticker.

So if the OP wants to avoid the big oval sticker then they need both the number plates to have both the UK identifier and a union flag, that is how I read it.

You need, at the minimum a UK symbol, somewhere, as I read it. Exactly what a ‘sticker’ is, and where (apart from the rear of the vehicle), remains undefined in that government article.
The RAC seem to conclude/assume that a number plate with just the registration mark AND a UK symbol is acceptable. However, I have not seen any government source that confirms that, and as said, the government site gives incomplete information. For me, I only have the registration mark on my number plate, so I would only need a UK symbol (and I would buy a simple plastic sticker for the rear window).

[braddo]

vonhosen said:

And Spain, Cyprus or Malta you need the UK oval sticker whether your reg plates are compliant or not.

Does any enforcement actually happen?

[vonhosen]

braddo said:

vonhosen said:

And Spain, Cyprus or Malta you need the UK oval sticker whether your reg plates are compliant or not.

Does any enforcement actually happen?

That'll depend where you go & who you encounter I suspect.
I just comply with these things & benefit from not having to worry about fines (Seems like a decent deal for the pennies it costs to comply).