The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 © Crown Copyright 2001 Statutory Instruments printed from this website are printed under the superintendence and authority of the Controller of HMSO being the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament. The legislation contained on this web site is subject to Crown Copyright protection. It may be reproduced free of charge provided that it is reproduced accurately and that the source and copyright status of the material is made evident to users. It should be noted that the right to reproduce the text of Statutory Instruments does not extend to the Queen's Printer imprints which should be removed from any copies of the Statutory Instrument which are issued or made available to the public. This includes reproduction of the Statutory Instrument on the Internet and on intranet sites. The Royal Arms may be reproduced only where they are an integral part of the original document. The text of this Internet version of the Statutory Instrument which is published by the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament has been prepared to reflect the text as it was Made. A print version is also available and is published by The Stationery Office Limited as the The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, ISBN 0 11 028799 1. The print version may be purchased by clicking here. Braille copies of this Statutory Instrument can also be purchased at the same price as the print edition by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0870 600 5522 or e-mail:customer.services@tso.co.uk. Further information about the publication of legislation on this website can be found by referring to the Frequently Asked Questions. To ensure fast access over slow connections, large documents have been segmented into "chunks". Where you see a "continue" button at the bottom of the page of text, this indicates that there is another chunk of text available.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 23(3) and (4) and 57 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994[1], and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations: - Citation, commencement and revocation 1. - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force -
(b) for all other purposes, on 1st September 2001.
(2) The regulations specified in Schedule 1 are hereby revoked.
(b) an off-road tractor, as defined in paragraph 4B(4) of that Schedule, or (c) a light agricultural vehicle, as defined in paragraph 4C(2) of that Schedule, or (d) an agricultural engine, or (e) a mowing machine;
(b) 400 kilograms in any other case;
(b) in Northern Ireland, 1st January 1948;
(b) used on public roads only -
(ii) in passing from one part of private premises to another or between private premises and other private premises in the immediate vicinity, or (iii) in connection with road works at or in the immediate vicinity of the site of the works.
(2) Unless the context otherwise requires, a reference in these Regulations to -
(b) a registration mark displayed or to be displayed on a plate,
is to be construed, where the vehicle is towing a trailer, so as to include a reference to the registration plate which is required under these Regulations to be fixed to the trailer or a reference to the mark displayed on the plate fixed to that trailer.
(b) a pedestrian-controlled vehicle, that is a vehicle the unladen weight of which does not exceed 450 kilograms which is neither constructed nor adapted for the carriage of a driver or passenger.
Interpretation of Part II 4. In this Part the following expressions shall have the following meanings -
(b) behind the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the rear of the vehicle,
where one corner of the square is immediately below the middle of the plate and the diagonal of the square from that corner is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
(ii) Council Directive 93/92/EEC[6] as regards the rear registration plate lamp;
(b) in the case of any other vehicle or a trailer -
(ii) Council Directive 76/760/EEC[8] (as amended by Commission Directive 97/31/EC[9]) as regards the rear registration plate lamp.
Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
(b) where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or (c) where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer.
(3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).
(6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is -
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres, (c) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.
Fixing of front registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (4).
(4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is -
(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres, (c) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.
(5) In the case of a motor cycle or a motor tricycle which does not have a body of a type which is characteristic of the body of a four-wheeled vehicle -
(b) a plate need not be fixed on the front of the vehicle if it was first registered before 1st September 2001.
Fixing of registration plates: vehicles registered before the relevant date
(b) the rear of -
(ii) where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer or, (iii) where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer.
(3) This paragraph requires each plate to be fixed -
(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable, in the case of a plate fixed on the front of the vehicle, from in front of the vehicle and, in the case of a plate fixed on the rear of the vehicle or trailer, from behind the vehicle or trailer.
(4) In the case of a motor cycle and a motor tricycle which does not have a body of a type which is characteristic of the body of a four-wheeled vehicle, a registration plate need not be fixed on the front of the vehicle.
(b) on the rear of the vehicle, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the vehicle, or (c) where the vehicle is towing a trailer or trailers and the plate is not fixed on the sides of the vehicle, on the trailer or the rearmost trailer (as the case may be) so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the trailer.
(3) Where the towing vehicle is an agricultural machine, a plate fixed on the trailer may, instead of displaying the registration mark of the towing vehicle, display the mark of any other agricultural machine kept by the keeper of the towing vehicle.
(b) road rollers, (c) agricultural machines, and (d) vehicles first registered before the relevant date.
(2) Where the vehicle is being used on a road between sunset and sunrise the registration plate fixed on the rear of -
(b) where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer or, (c) where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer,
must be lit in accordance with this regulation.
(b) in any other case, of 18 metres.
Specifications for registration plates
(b) by the placing of a screw, bolt or other fixing device in any position, or (c) in any other manner,
which has the effect of changing the appearance or legibility of any of the characters of the registration mark, which renders the characters of the registration mark less easily distinguishable to the eye or which prevents or impairs the making of a true photographic image of the plate through the medium of camera and film or any other device. Interpretation of Part III 12. - (1) In this Part and in Schedule 3, the following expressions shall have the following meanings -
(b) "Table A" means the table in Part 1 of Schedule 3, (c) "Table B" means the table in Part 3 of Schedule 3, (d) a reference to "relevant character height" is a reference to the height of the characters in the registration mark shown at the head of column (2), (3) or (4) of Table B as the case may be.
(2) Any provision as to measurement contained in this Part or in Schedule 3 shall be taken to be complied with -
(b) in the case of a provision prescribing any other dimension, if the dimension of the character or the space in question is not more than 0.5 millimetres more or less than the measurement prescribed herein.
(3) For the purpose of any provision contained in this Part or in Schedule 3 as to the spacing between characters or between groups of characters or as to the width of a margin the measurement shall be made -
(b) in the case of a vertical spacing requirement, between horizontal lines passing through the extreme edges of each group of characters or between a horizontal line passing through the extreme edge of a group of characters and the top or bottom edge of the plate (as the case may be).
Layout of marks
(b) a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973).
Size and spacing of characters
(b) the vehicle is a motor cycle, motor tricycle, quadricycle, agricultural machine, works truck or road roller.
(3) In the case of a registration mark fixed on a motor cycle, motor tricycle, quadricycle, agricultural machine, works truck or road roller, each character of the mark may be 64 millimetres high.
(ii) on a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973),
that shown in line 1 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height,
(5) The width of every part of the stroke forming a character in a mark must be that shown in line 3 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.
(b) those characters are either 79 millimetres or 89 millimetres high, (c) the mark is displayed on a vehicle first registered before 1st September 2001, (d) the registration plate displaying the mark was fixed to the vehicle before 1st September 2001 or, if that is not the case, the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973 and, (e) the plate is made of cast or pressed metal with raised characters.
(11) Where this paragraph applies the spacing between -
(c) two characters both of which are "I" or "1" must be within the limits shown in line 9 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height,
but where one or more characters in a group is "I" or "1" all the characters within that group must be evenly spaced.
(b) on a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973),
each of the characters of the mark must be in the prescribed font.
(b) using a font, other than italic script, in which the characters are not vertical, (c) using a font in which the curvature or alignment of the lines of the stroke is substantially different from the prescribed font, (d) using multiple strokes, (e) using a broken stroke, (f) in such a way as to make a character or more than one character appear like a different character or characters.
International distinguishing signs and other material 16. - (1) No material other than a registration mark may be displayed on a registration plate except material complying with the requirements of any of the relevant standards mentioned in Schedule 2. (2) Where a mark is displayed on a dual purpose plate -
(b) no part of the international distinguishing sign must encroach beyond the extreme left of the registration mark (that is to say the outside edge of the margin prescribed by these Regulations).
(3) Unless it forms part of a dual purpose plate a registration plate may not be combined with a plate or device of any kind containing material which would not be permitted to be displayed on a dual purpose plate.
(b) conforms to the requirements of regulations 13 and 14 as to layout and spacing of characters in so far as they apply to vehicles first registered on or after 1st September 2001, and (c) is comprised of characters each of which is in the prescribed font.
(2) Where this regulation applies -
(b) regulations 18 to 23 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973[11],
(which provide for the format and means of display of registration plates and marks) shall cease to apply in respect of that vehicle and any trailer being towed by it and the provisions of these Regulations shall apply instead.
(b) not being such a vehicle, it was constructed before 1st January 1973.
Offences under section 59 of the Act
1. The plate must be made of retroreflecting material which, as regards its construction, colour and other qualities, complies with the requirements of -
(b) any other relevant standard or specification recognised for use in an EEA State and which, when in use, offers a performance equivalent to that offered by a plate complying with the British Standard specification,
and which, in either case, is marked with the number (or such other information as is necessary to permit identification) of that standard or specification. 1. The plate must be made of reflex-reflecting material which, as regards its construction, colour and other qualities, complies with the requirements of -
(b) any other relevant standard or specification recognised for use in an EEA State and which, when in use, offers a performance equivalent to that offered by a plate complying with the British Standard specification,
and which, in either case, is marked with the number (or such other information as is necessary to permit identification) of that standard or specification. A. Requirements where the vehicle carries a registration plate which is constructed so that the mark may be illuminated from behind by virtue of the translucency of its characters. 1. The registration mark must be formed of white translucent characters on a black background on the surface of that plate. 2. When the registration mark is illuminated during the hours of darkness, the characters on that plate must appear white against a black background. B. Requirements where the vehicle carries a registration plate which is not so constructed. Either of the following is permitted - 1. A plate made of reflex-reflecting material complying with the requirements of the British Standard Specification for reflex-reflecting number plates published on 31 October 1967 under the number BS AU 145[15] and which displays black characters on a white background where it is fixed on the front of the vehicle and black characters on a yellow background where it is fixed on the rear of the vehicle. 2. A plate displaying white, silver or light grey letters and numbers on a black surface having every character indelibly inscribed on the surface or so attached to the surface that it cannot readily be detached from it, which may either -
(b) consist of a plate to which separate characters are attached, or (c) consist of a plastic plate having either reverse engraved characters or characters of a foil type, or (d) consist of an unbroken rectangular area on the surface of the vehicle which is either flat or, if there is no flat area where the mark is required to be displayed, an area which is almost flat.
Diagram 1a ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations revoke and replace regulations 17 to 22 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971 and regulations 18 to 23 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973 and instruments amending those regulations by making new provision in respect of the fixing and lighting of registration plates on vehicles and for the format of registration marks. The principal changes from the revoked provisions are:
(b) Provision making it lawful (where it would hitherto have been unlawful) for rear plates to be fixed in the space provided on vehicles constructed in accordance with the requirements of relevant EC type-approval directives[16] and to be lit in a manner provided for in those directives. These Regulations implement those directives to that extent. (See regulations 5 and 9.) (c) Provision for the introduction of a new registration mark format. (See regulation 13 and Schedule 3 Parts 1 and 2.) (d) The introduction of new mandatory character sizes and a mandatory standard character font ("the prescribed font") for registration marks on vehicles first registered on or after 1st September 2001 and on other vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1973 if an existing plate is replaced. (See regulations 14 and 15(1), Schedule 3 (Part 3) and Schedule 4.) (e) As regards registration marks on other vehicles, the prohibition both of fonts which are not substantially the same as the prescribed font and of layouts which make a mark relatively difficult to read or which disguise one character as another or part of another. (See regulation 15(2) and (3).) (f) The prohibition of plates fitted or treated in such a manner as to obscure or disguise the mark or make it difficult or impossible to photograph. (See regulation 11.) (g) The making of provision for the display of the international distinguishing sign of the United Kingdom adjacent to the registration mark in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98 (a copy of which can be obtained from the Stationery Office). (See regulation 16.) (h) The exemption of small invalid vehicles and pedestrian-controlled vehicles from the requirement to carry registration marks and provision permitting "classic" vehicles to use old-style plates indefinitely. (See regulations 3 and 18 and regulations 10 to 14 passim.)
The Regulations make the use of mandatory plates containing characters of the specified size in the prescribed font (with or without the international distinguishing sign) optional on vehicles either currently registered or first registered before 1st September 2001 with effect from 21st March 2001. (See regulation 17.) Notes: [1] 1994 c. 22. Section 57(1) was amended by the Finance Act 1996 (c. 8), Schedule 2, paragraph 16.back [2] Paragraphs 4B and 4C of Schedule 1 were inserted by the Finance Act 1995, Schedule 4, paragraph 10.back [3] OJ No. L 299, 10.11.98, p. 1.back [4] OJ No. L311, 14.12.93, p. 83.back [5] OJ No. L118, 6.5.99, p. 32.back [6] OJ No. L331, 14.12.93, p. 1.back [7] OJ No. L75, 6.4.70, p. 25.back [8] OJ No. L262, 27.9.76, p. 85.back [9] OJ No. L171, 30.6.97, p. 49.back [10] S.I. 1971/450. The Relevant amendments are by S.I. 1972/1865, 1975/1089 and 1984/814.back [11] S.R. & O. (N.I.) 1973 No. 490. The relevant amendments are by S.I. 1976/2180.back [12] Paragraph 1A was inserted by the Finance act 1996, s. 19, and amended by the Finance Act 1998, s. 17.back [13] Published by the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL. The ISBN number is 0 580 28985 0. Copies may be obtained by post from BSI Customer Services, Sales Department, at the above address or from a BSI sales outlet.back [14] Published by the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL, being the first revision of the standard first published in 1967. The ISBN number is 0 580 07327 0. Copies may be obtained by post from BSI Customer Services, Sales Department, at the above address or from a BSI sales outlet.back [15] Published by the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL, the standard having been revised in 1972 to BS AU 145a, as to which see the immediately preceding footnote.back [16] The directives are Council Directives 70/222/EEC, 76/760/EEC (as amended by Commission Directive 97/31/EC), 93/92/EEC (as amended by Commission Directive 99/26/EC) and 93/94/EEC.back
ISBN 0 11 028799 1
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