Evening all. How's everyones Valentines? I spent it with the car ha ha. Ok, as per the title I'm hoping someone can provide an answer for me as I'm unsure of the legalities around this.

Basically, I want to change my plates and have noticed pics of 'raised' carbon & gel domed plates that are apparently legal and have taken my fancy. I was lead to believe that so long as the plates display a BSAU number and postcode of supplier, your fine. A company in Manchester do 'legal' plates and are supposedly registered with the DVLA and request proof of vehicle ownership prior to making/despatching plates. Oh, and they advertise raised plates too that are apparently, roadworthy.

However, suspicions and further research has drawn up blanks and has me feeling that the DVLA will only allow plates with standard Black font (flat - no 'raised' or 3D variation what so ever) and obviously the correct spacing.

If this is the case, I'm pretty dissapointed but would sooner know 100% rather than bang on 3D plates be it carbon, gel or whatever, to then be pulled by the boys in blue.

What's everyone's take on this? Are these plates only allowed for shows etc?

Cheers.

I think pressed plates are illegal.

 

I used to have some pressed plates on my golf, they looked nice and were reflective and had no issues with them for 3 years.

 

As soon as my partner took ownership of the car she got pulled over and agreed to put standard ones back on

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=291678722313&alt=web check these out.. Been watching them on eBay.. Claim to be legal.

I think pressed plates are illegal.

 

I was thinking the same. Anyone else have any thoughts on this or experiences with raised font plates?

http://www.bnma.org/faqs.html seems to say 3D and pressed are legal assuming they meet BS AU 145d.

I think the fine is about £30 worst case scenario

As long as your press plates comply with BS specs you will be fine as not had issues with police or MOT. I think its only when you mess around with the font and spacing they become illegal

I am one of the "boys in blue", and have recently encountered this very problem....

 

I was out with a colleague one day when he spotted a car displaying pressed metal number plates, and immediately stopped the guy believing they were illegal.

We checked the plates more closely and they conformed to all the regulations regarding font/spacing and had the BS Au145d moniker stamped on them, but he was adamant that they were illegal (I wasn't sure), so we issued the guy with a Vehicle Defect Form to get them changed. He then went off and bought some new plastic plates, fitted them to the car and took it to his MOT tester friend to stamp the VDF up.

However, his friend stated that he believed that the pressed metal plates were legal, so the guy got back in touch with us to seek clarification.

I contacted the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who informed me that pressed metal plates USED TO BE ILLEGAL as it was impossible to get the Reflex Reflective background (the white or yellow reflective part) to conform to the BS Au 145d reflective standard. However, with the advancement of technology, companies such as 3M, can now achieve this required standard on metal number plates.

Although these particular plates were found to be legal and from an approved supplier ( I spoke to them as well), there are other suppliers out there who will stamp pressed metal plates with BS Au 145d, when in actual fact the plates DO NOT COMPLY with this standard.

 

So to answer the O.P's original question, pressed metal plates are not illegal per se, but they could still be, depending on where you buy them from !!

And I bet people will still argue about it here, even after that comprehensive answer.

I am one of the "boys in blue", and have recently encountered this very problem....

 

I was out with a colleague one day when he spotted a car displaying pressed metal number plates, and immediately stopped the guy believing they were illegal.

We checked the plates more closely and they conformed to all the regulations regarding font/spacing and had the BS Au145d moniker stamped on them, but he was adamant that they were illegal (I wasn't sure), so we issued the guy with a Vehicle Defect Form to get them changed. He then went off and bought some new plastic plates, fitted them to the car and took it to his MOT tester friend to stamp the VDF up.

However, his friend stated that he believed that the pressed metal plates were legal, so the guy got back in touch with us to seek clarification.

I contacted the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency who informed me that pressed metal plates USED TO BE ILLEGAL as it was impossible to get the Reflex Reflective background (the white or yellow reflective part) to conform to the BS Au 145d reflective standard. However, with the advancement of technology, companies such as 3M, can now achieve this required standard on metal number plates.

Although these particular plates were found to be legal and from an approved supplier ( I spoke to them as well), there are other suppliers out there who will stamp pressed metal plates with BS Au 145d, when in actual fact the plates DO NOT COMPLY with this standard.

 

So to answer the O.P's original question, pressed metal plates are not illegal per se, but they could still be, depending on where you buy them from !!

 

 

As an offshoot from this......as there is a cost involved in having to purchase new plates and have the vehicle re-mot'd, and then the original plates have turned out to conform, would it have been possible for the cost to be re-imbursed?

 

 

I think the biggest mistake that people seem to make with pressed metal plates is have the characters done the "german" typeface and believing them to still be legal.

 

 

 

I think the biggest mistake that people seem to make with pressed metal plates is have the characters done the "german" typeface and believing them to still be legal.

No, the biggest mistake is having the characters done in the "German" typeface and believing them to look anything other than complete and utter garbage.

No, the biggest mistake is having the characters done in the "German" typeface and believing them to look anything other than complete and utter garbage.

 

lol, indeed................I wonder if the germans like to get "british" style plates made up ;)

I never even contemplated this when I bought the pressed number plates for my car. They had the BS AU 145 D mark and from an approved supplier. All I wanted was something that didn't delaminate like my plastic plates had done on all my previous cars. As soon I fitted the pressed plates it was like they were illuminated as they were clearly visible in the dark from the garage lights over 10 metres away.

They've been fitted now for around 8 weeks and attracted no attention from the boys in blue. If I do get pulled at least I now have the correct information to argue the case.

As an offshoot from this......as there is a cost involved in having to purchase new plates and have the vehicle re-mot'd, and then the original plates have turned out to conform, would it have been possible for the cost to be re-imbursed?

 

 

I think the biggest mistake that people seem to make with pressed metal plates is have the characters done the "german" typeface and believing them to still be legal.

The car did NOT need to be MOT'd...just inspected by an MOT tester and the VDF form stamped up.

Regarding re-imbursement, that was all the guy (rightly) wanted, so he was advised to claim against our Force, and I assume it went through as I haven't heard anything since.

The car did NOT need to be MOT'd...just inspected by an MOT tester and the VDF form stamped up.

 

 

Last I was aware, an MOT station could still charge for the partial MOT inspection that the vehicle would require to satisfy the defect rectification notice.

 

Good to hear that there is a reimbursement channel though :)

 

 

 

(I still have the ZX-80 somewhere too )

I believe most charge a small fee to stamp the form

No, the biggest mistake is having the characters done in the "German" typeface and believing them to look anything other than complete and utter garbage.

Neighbours daughters boyfriend used to have 'german style' plates on his MG!! 

 

He then swapped that for a Chrysler and the german plates (private reg) went on that too!!

 

What a nugget.

Fully legal as long as they conform to all specifications.

 

I'm going to get some from Dubmesiter in the summer.

I have them on mine and its parked at the Traffic Patrol Base daily. Enough said.

Fully legal as long as they conform to all specifications.

 

I'm going to get some from Dubmesiter in the summer.

 

 

I have them on mine and its parked at the Traffic Patrol Base daily. Enough said.

 

 

Are you guys talking pressed metal or german style?

I think my title may have ended up being a tad misleading as it comes across that I'm asking about pressed plates. What I was meant to ask was are the raised 3D font plates legal?

Like the gel font style in Black, if you know what I mean. That's the 3D in the title he he. Incidentally, I appreciate the input however regards the metal plates but don't want the thread to focus on them, if possible.

Can we please discuss the legalities regards the style of fonts, with respect to the fact they will be purchased from a reputable company that require proof of vehicle ownership and use correct spacing blar blar.

I'm sure Phillip can help with this.

Pressed metal are raised so I see no difference. Font needs to be standard as does spacing to be legal?

Can we please discuss the legalities regards the style of fonts, with respect to the fact they will be purchased from a reputable company that require proof of vehicle ownership and use correct spacing blar blar.

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/overview

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/359317/INF104_160914.pdf

 

 

The rules are fairly black and white (or black and yellow ;) )

I think my title may have ended up being a tad misleading as it comes across that I'm asking about pressed plates. What I was meant to ask was are the raised 3D font plates legal?

Like the gel font style in Black, if you know what I mean. That's the 3D in the title he he. Incidentally, I appreciate the input however regards the metal plates but don't want the thread to focus on them, if possible.

Can we please discuss the legalities regards the style of fonts, with respect to the fact they will be purchased from a reputable company that require proof of vehicle ownership and use correct spacing blar blar.

I'm sure Phillip can help with this.

Rainbow Fire beat me to it above...as the second link states, the characters have to be black on a white or yellow background and must conform to size and spacing specifications.

Just a thought to add to this subject. What's the score regards a 'slogan' at bottom of number plate? Probably a bit chavvy but was thinking of something witty but unsure if that's acceptable.

Any thoughts?