New plate is on, didn’t know if it would work on the Superb due to overall size and width of car but seems ok. 

 

 

Doesn't appear to be a makers name/post code on it, you may attract attention you would rather not have.

Edited 12 February, 20188 yr by IJWS15

Its a show plate and is not road legal. 

31 minutes ago, IJWS15 said:

Doesn't appear to be a makers name/post code on it, you may attract attention you would rather not have.

 

17 minutes ago, skidpan said:

Its a show plate and is not road legal. 

 

Doesn't make any difference these days, Mis Placed letters/numbers, incorrect placing of bolts to make up letters and numbers, wrong font.

 

The police don't seem to care.

^^^ Bit of a generalisation there.

Officers from Police Scotland will stop you if the mood takes them.

They do not need a reason to do so but this gives them one if they want.

12 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

 

Doesn't make any difference these days, Mis Placed letters/numbers, incorrect placing of bolts to make up letters and numbers, wrong font.

 

The police don't seem to care.

Not true. 

 

There just isn’t enough of them anymore. They haven’t got time to sh!t these days. 

 

Dwindling in number means they are resourced in areas of higher priority. 

 

Enforcement of traffic offences is predominantly conducted by civilians now recording evidence via CCTV. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 12 February, 20188 yr by EddGee

The font size etc is legal. Just no BSAU and postcode of manufactures. 

 

Would have to to be very picky to pull for that. 

That is exactly what they are supposed to pick up on, that was why introduced, as is the required dimensions.

If on an Audi S3 it might have you in a hard stop with Armed Police pointing guns at you. 

Skoda Superbs less likely....

13 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

 

Doesn't make any difference these days, Mis Placed letters/numbers, incorrect placing of bolts to make up letters and numbers, wrong font.

 

The police don't seem to care.

Not about not caring per se. It's about having the time to target low level stuff like this. 

Like it's already been pointed out, not enough cops on the streets. 

 

 

Edited 12 February, 20188 yr by flyingpigvrs

OP if you want a number plate that looks basically identical to yours, but that is road legal, check out FourDot. I've never used them personally, but they're long-established, and a very well regarded maker of custom plates. They're the tiniest size legally required for your particular reg (so shorter number/letter combos result in ever smaller plates) and their maker info is so tiny as to be basically invisible unless you're holding it in front of your face. They're DVLA/DVSA and police approved for road use, and come in a large variety of possible shapes/types depending on your preference. They're not very cheap though.

 

Thank you, I’ll take a look

Plenty of road legal short plates here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/?_nkw=short number plate

On 2/12/2018 at 08:59, Auric Goldfinger said:

 

 

Doesn't make any difference these days, Mis Placed letters/numbers, incorrect placing of bolts to make up letters and numbers, wrong font.

 

The police don't seem to care.

 

Sometimes they do - see here

 

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=112479

This will run for pages and pages its always the same on the subject of small number plates for cars and motorcycles, as soon as the subject is broached the thought police start spouting the law and others will tell you that it doesn't matter.

 

For what its worth here is my take on it, the regulations are there for specific reasons and those regarding number plates are checked as part of your MOT as well as by others most notably the police whilst performing their duties whether you think the rules are sensible or not!

 

If you want a small number plate or a number plate mounted in some obscure location in some obscure script then do it, just be prepared for the consequences of your actions and take any tickets on the chin, also be warned that the DVLA can remove the right for you to display a "cherished registration mark" i.e. personal plate if you choose too ignore the rules regarding the display of it. 

 

I speak from nearly 20-years of riding American motorcycles on which our UK Registration Plates look more like air brakes and so have had all manner of tastefully altered plates and in that time I've come to the conclusion that life is too short to waste on being spoken to or being given a ticket for a number plate that doesn't conform to the rules, all my current number plates conform, but thats my choice!

 

As I've already said this is a very emotive subject on many car and motorcycle forums, if you want to be different, thats great, just be prepared for the consequences. 

 

I think the guy in the Seat in the above link has fallen foul of the part that states that car registrations should have the characters in a single row and not in 2-rows as his is, however I'm sure that someone will pipe up if I'm wrong  

 

 

Edited 15 February, 20188 yr by Prykey

Sad as I am I have just read through the link above.

 

The guy went to court (about page 15!) and won his case. The prosecution failed to prove that the plate did not conform to marking requirements. The question of the position was not tested as it did not form part of the case although the view from the obvious competent posters was that he would most likely have lost that point.

 

What I did gain from the thread is that it is a minefield and best avoided as Prykey says!!

12 hours ago, Prykey said:

 

 

I think the guy in the Seat in the above link has fallen foul of the part that states that car registrations should have the characters in a single row and not in 2-rows as his is, however I'm sure that someone will pipe up if I'm wrong  

 

 

 

Do the regulations actually say that?  There must be a lot of illegal Midgets and Sprites out there.

 

I see them on Discos etc. all the time… looks like 2 rows is fine.

From the official INF104:

Both points accepted above, Midgets and Sprites it will be due to their age and Discos etc. it is on the rear. The Seat in question was a “new” car and it was on the front and has already been pointed out he won his day in court as the prosecution was solely on whether it conformed to the marking requirements and it actually did, location or style was not part of the court action. You tell me how many new UK legal cars have a standard location for a front number plate that isn’t over a single row of characters, I cannot think of one.

 

 I go back to what I said, if you want to be different and stand out from the crowd then by all means do so, just don’t feel aggrieved when you attract unwanted attention. Make sure you know all the rules and regulations and that you are prepared to fight the case.

Edited 16 February, 20188 yr by Prykey

Square and rectangular plates with 2 and 3 rows are perfectly legal.

6 hours ago, Prykey said:

Both points accepted above, Midgets and Sprites it will be due to their age and Discos etc. it is on the rear. The Seat in question was a “new” car and it was on the front and has already been pointed out he won his day in court as the prosecution was solely on whether it conformed to the marking requirements and it actually did, location or style was not part of the court action. You tell me how many new UK legal cars have a standard location for a front number plate that isn’t over a single row of characters, I cannot think of one.

 

 I go back to what I said, if you want to be different and stand out from the crowd then by all means do so, just don’t feel aggrieved when you attract unwanted attention. Make sure you know all the rules and regulations and that you are prepared to fight the case.

 

I can’t find any info stating it has to be on one row and you seem to have specific regulations in mind so could you link to it?

Here is the 2001 placement legislation:

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/part/II/made

If it’s on the front of the vehicle, unobscured and parallel with the chassis it’s OK. Also, don’t go by car design. You might find a particular market/region doesn't allow double row and a single row also lends itself to cooling and light placement regulations.

In saying that, I think one of the Alfa Giulietta special editions had a square front plate… and Alfa also love the off centre placement in general.

 

Edited 16 February, 20188 yr by Alan_P

2 hours ago, Alan_P said:

 

I can’t find any info stating it has to be on one row and you seem to have specific regulations in mind so could you link to it?

Here is the 2001 placement legislation:

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/part/II/made

If it’s on the front of the vehicle, unobscured and parallel with the chassis it’s OK. Also, don’t go by car design. You might find a particular market/region doesn't allow double row and a single row also lends itself to cooling and light placement regulations.

In saying that, I think one of the Alfa Giulietta special editions had a square front plate… and Alfa also love the off centre placement in general.

 

 

I don’t have a specific link and it’s just supposition on my part, and if I’m wrong then fine as I don’t want to have a similar plate on my car, I’m more than happy with the standard one. The crux of my reply is you can do want you want as long as you accept the consequences of your actions should you get a pull and you are in the wrong. I think that this has been done to death now so no more responses from me.

9 hours ago, Prykey said:

 

I don’t have a specific link and it’s just supposition on my part, and if I’m wrong then fine as I don’t want to have a similar plate on my car, I’m more than happy with the standard one. The crux of my reply is you can do want you want as long as you accept the consequences of your actions should you get a pull and you are in the wrong. I think that this has been done to death now so no more responses from me.

It could definitely be a problem if the officer pulling you over doesn’t know what the regulations are

I never realised this would cause so much of a debate on legality etc. 

 

I was merely seeking opinion on if a shorty plate looked out of place on a big car like the Superb (length proportions to the car etc)

 

However interesting reading and food for thought. I think to get a tug on my plate without the BSAU and postcode markings would be very petty. 

 

On my my other car, I have had that pulled due to a spacing issue, not a significant space and certainly no misrepresentation to the letters. That was once in 8 years. Fair cop guv. 

One thing I was told was about ANPR cameras and if your pride and joy is stolen, it may not get picked up on these. A good point but that plate did get recognised by the ANPR cameras in car parks at airports etc... The other car now has legal spacing on it as the Mrs doesn’t want any issues when she’s driving around.