MOT and number plates

[drew.h]

My chimaera just failed the MOT on rear number plate. The mechanic said the rules had changed and the rear plate couldn't have a honeycomb pattern. I checked with the place I bought the plate from and they say as far as they know the translucent plates look like that, its part of the translucency and are legal.

If I buy a new plate (it is a new plate I have on) it will be the same and fail. If I put a standard plate on there will be no lighting for it and it will also fail.

Who is correct? What should I do?

[14-7]

drew.h said:

My chimaera just failed the MOT on rear number plate. The mechanic said the rules had changed and the rear plate couldn't have a honeycomb pattern. I checked with the place I bought the plate from and they say as far as they know the translucent plates look like that, its part of the translucency and are legal.

If I buy a new plate (it is a new plate I have on) it will be the same and fail. If I put a standard plate on there will be no lighting for it and it will also fail.

Who is correct? What should I do?

The place you bought the plate from is, quite simply put, totally wrong . Standard plates do not under any circumstance have a honeycomb effect on them.

[shuvitupya]

"MOT testers will only pass cars with registration plates that are not overprinted or shadowed with text,
have black characters on white backgrounds, do not have a honeycomb background
and do not have a non-reflective border wider than permitted or positioned too close to the characters."


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/motoring/article-112772...

Edited by shuvitupya on Wednesday 27th May 18:58

[RussWood]

The translucent plates were legal on the car when it was new so they must be legal now!

Russ

[drew.h]

The honeycombing is part or the translucent backing, my old plate was the same (well similar, more of a diamond effect), the new plate the same, any translucent plate I buy will be the same.

The lines in the honeycomb are more reflective and the holes more translucent.

[Magic919]

Try another MoT place.

[drew.h]

I trust this garage though. I am popping in there tomorrow to adjust the headlights (I have longer arms) and try and get the car past the emissions (took the cats off).

I'm sure if I took it to somewhere like Track V Road they would get it through for me, but I'm not happy with the work they did last time.

[drew.h]

The backing on mine is very similar to that. The problem is the new MOT rules saying the background can not have a honeycomb or similar effect.

[EU_Foreigner]

Just get a spare set just for MOT purposes?

[cazzer]

You need a friendlier MOT place mate.

[rs1952]

shuvitupya said:

"MOT testers will only pass cars with registration plates that are not overprinted or shadowed with text,
have black characters on white backgrounds, do not have a honeycomb background
and do not have a non-reflective border wider than permitted or positioned too close to the characters."


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/motoring/article-112772...

This only applies to vehicles registered after 1 September 2001. Further details here:

http://www.mottest.net/mot/registration-number-pla...

I looked it up because I was happily running a pre-1973 with non-reflective plates until 2000 with no problems. That link shows that "The characters and background colour comply with regulations " and "The character font is a correct type," both of which will depend on the vehicle's year of manufacture.

[drew.h]

EU_Foreigner said:

Just get a spare set just for MOT purposes?

Any translucent set I get will have a similar background. A standard opaque one will fail because there is no forward lighting for it.

I have the old one and a opaque one (bought by mistake) which I will take tomorrow to argue my point. Its not the garages fault, they are only following the new rules.

[cazzer]

Blindly.
Its also illegal to have stick on vinyl plates now too.
But there are a significant number of cars with them on.

[paintman]

Number plate legislation has been around for a while, but until recently MoT testers were instructed by VOSA to basically ignore them. http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Special...
That's now changed & they are being enforced.
Arguing with the tester is unlikely to get you anywhere as if they pass the car with non-conforming plates on they and their employing garage could, in worst case, lose their authority to test.
http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_630.htm

ETA Does beg the question as to how those with backlit plates will be able to comply.
Further ETA after a quick look on the net these people say they can do ones which comply, http://www.craigsplates.co.uk/tvr-backlit-plate.ht...

Edited by paintman on Thursday 28th May 02:07

[drew.h]

paintman said:

Further ETA after a quick look on the net these people say they can do ones which comply, http://www.craigsplates.co.uk/tvr-backlit-plate.ht...

That is where I got my plate from last year. They say it complies MOT garage disagree.

[paintman]

Next step is to complain to VOSA. They are usually the final arbiter in disputes over MOT issues.
http://www.motuk.co.uk/appeals.htm
Although a quick look at their site brings up: http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/newsandevents/pres...

What have the plate supplier said, as this will obviously affect their business, esp as they are claimimg conformity.

I also see, again from trawling the net, that there is discussion that backlit plates on TVRs are illegal in Australia. OK so nothing to do with UK, but assumng that they are required to be lit, how do they get round it there?

Edited by paintman on Thursday 28th May 08:47

[Shaun_E]

Quote from the MOT manual:

3. On vehicles first registered on or after 1 September 2001, check that the registration plates
a. display the name and postcode of the supplying outlet
b. display a BSAU145d marking
c. do not display a honeycomb or similar effect background

If your car was registered before September 2001 then the plate is legal! If it was registered after that time then the MOT testser is correct to fail it.

[drew.h]

paintman said:

Although a quick look at their site brings up: http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/newsandevents/pres...

I'll print that out and take it with me, its a '94 so should be OK.

[drew.h]

Garage confirmed plate is OK. The new regs they had been sent didn't mention the date aspect, but checked the website and agreed.

[HRG]

My MOT place have got the hang of looking inside the boot to check the number plate light works these days Mine went through with a honeycomb last Friday no problem.