Car owners risk hefty fines of up to £1,000 if they fail to maintain their vehicles’ cleanliness, warns a car expert.
According to the law, number plates must always be fully visible and easy to read. They serve as vital identification markers for law enforcement officers and technologies like automatic number plate recognition.
Motorists are strictly prohibited from rearranging letters, altering characters, or changing spacing on number plates.
Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to fines of up to £1,000, and there’s the added risk of the vehicle failing its MOT test.
The Government guidance clearly states, “Number plates (also known as licence plates) must show your registration number correctly. You cannot rearrange letters or numbers, or alter them so that they’re hard to read. You could be fined up to £1,000 and your vehicle will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.”
Jon Kirkbright, the sales director at Platehunter, a specialist in buying and selling private number plates, urges motorists to ensure their number plates are not obscured by dirt or markings.
He advises, “Keeping your car clean is essential in many ways—you wouldn’t drive around with a dirty windscreen or wing mirror, so the same rule should apply to your number plate.”
“The law dictates that number plates must be clearly visible at all times. Drivers are not allowed to rearrange the characters or change the spacing to make it look like other words. But it is just as important that the plate is readable at all times. If your number plate is covered in mud or dirt, this may not be possible, and you will run the risk of being hit with a huge fine.”
The current vehicle registration number format, introduced in 2001, comprises:
- 2 letters (indicating the region of vehicle registration)
- 2 numbers (denoting the date of issuance)
- 3 random letters
However, this format may not apply to private registration plates, which can have as little as 1 character.
Platehunter, a reputable number plate supplier with over 11 years of trading experience, boasts an impressive inventory of over 56 million personalised number plates for sale. They take pride in offering affordable options, with plates available from just £39 plus VAT and transfer fee.
Motorists in search of a registration plate are encouraged to explore the Platehunter site. If the desired plate is not readily available, customers can contact Platehunter to specify their requirements. The company can even request any number plate from the DVLA for auction, provided it adheres to legal requirements and has not been released previously.
For further assistance or to buy or sell a private number plate, visit PlateHunter‘s website. Additionally, you can engage with them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook for updates and inquiries.
