Illegal number plate - who can fix this?

Rover_Driver

Yellabowley wrote: »

It's been illegal to sell 'show plates' or plates for off road use in the UK since 2008. If an eBay seller says this then they are either operating abroad where the authorities can't enforce the laws or they're a bit dodgy at the least.

They can sell 'Show plates', but an unregistered dealer cannot sell 'Number plates'

fivetide

pc1271 wrote: »

He is not necessarily breaking the rules if he checks it. That can be done electronically, via email or even Twitter if you like. Unless the rules specifically define how it is checked, he can check it any number of ways.

Good luck with the numberplate business


Seriously, they aren't asking. Not sure why you are pushing it? The seller, like many of these things is not operating legally but that doesn't mean the plates won't be fine.


As long as they are in the right font with proper spacing most Police wouldn't be bothered. It is the dodgy spacing the OP has run foul of.


A local motor factors should be cheap enough (they'll need your V5 and some ID) or use the online sellers like this chap or fancyplates etc. They specifically say they are 'for show only' yet will make you a plate that looks legal with the right fonts and BSU numbers etc. for a lot less than say Halfords will. The only difference is a factors should make them on the spot so you are less likely to get stopped again (especially now the car is known to the local police for it)


By the way, if you don't care about the plate and it isn't a bad one, why not sell it? Very MSE and the car will simply be put back on its original plate.

molerat

pc1271 wrote: »

He is not necessarily breaking the rules if he checks it. That can be done electronically, via email or even Twitter if you like. Unless the rules specifically define how it is checked, he can check it any number of ways.

The rules .........

The supplier will need to see original documents that:

• prove your name and address
• show you’re allowed to use the registration number

Identity documents

You can use the following to confirm your name and address:

• driving licence
• utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the last 6 months
• bank or building society statement from the last 6 months
• national identity card

The following will confirm your name only:

• passport - doesn’t have to be issued in the UK
• bank or building society debit or credit card
• police warrant card
• armed forces identity card

Proving you can use the registration number

You must bring one of the following to show you’re allowed to display the registration number:

• vehicle registration certificate (V5C or V5CNI)
• new keeper supplement (V5C/2 or V5C/2NI)
• certificate of entitlement (V750 or V750NI) to the number
• retention document (V778) - not applicable in Northern Ireland
• a renewal reminder for vehicle tax or SORN (V11 or V11NI)
• temporary registration certificate (V379 or V379NI)
• a number plate authorisation certificate (V948) with an official stamp from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or DVSA
• a letter of authorisation from a fleet operator (including lease or hire company) quoting the document reference number from the registration certificate

You need a licence to manufacture number plates for sale but anyone can make a "legal" plate that conforms to C&U. You do not need to be registered if you only make them for yourself / own fleet or make only for new vehicles so obtaining street legal parts is not a major problem. These makers are probably not registered so will be breaking the rules. The number plate supply laws were brought in supposedly to limit the use of vehicles in crimes as part of the wider The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001.

Yellabowley

Rover_Driver wrote: »

They can sell 'Show plates', but an unregistered dealer cannot sell 'Number plates'

Not in the UK. The law changed in Nov 2008. If you look at any of the more reputable sites that sell 'show plates' you'll find they come from abroad to get around the issue.


If you Google CraigsPlates they are one of the better known ones and it even states on their home page that their show plates come from Ireland due to the manufacturing laws.

Rover_Driver

Yellabowley wrote: »

Not in the UK. The law changed in Nov 2008.

It depends if it is sold 'as a registration plate' or not. The Road Safety Act 2006 added the offence of making a plate that did not comply with the display regulations, which is why some of the on-line suppliers make and advertise their plates as 'fully legal' but sell them as showplates.

molerat

It is the usual half arsed over regulating that just adds loopholes rather than closing them. The plate must carry the BS number but the regs fail to state where which caused a bit of chaos when they started printing it on the back so as not to spoil the look and was quickly dropped as an MOT test point. Some plates failed because of the lack of supplier & post code info - but it was there in yellow on rear and white on the front - difficult to see but there none the less, something else that was dropped from the MOT due to ambiguity in the regulations.

As for spacing failing, the numbers ending in 4 and letters starting with T look really far apart even if spaced correctly, I remember someone being stopped by the police for that one.

PDC

Yellabowley wrote: »

Not in the UK. The law changed in Nov 2008. If you look at any of the more reputable sites that sell 'show plates' you'll find they come from abroad to get around the issue.

I don't know anything about this though I am surprised if it is the case as when I've attended large commercial car events and shows there will always be several booths selling 'show plates' there and then.

There were at least two at the NEC when I was there earlier this month?

BeenThroughItAll

Yellabowley wrote: »

Not in the UK. The law changed in Nov 2008. If you look at any of the more reputable sites that sell 'show plates' you'll find they come from abroad to get around the issue.


If you Google CraigsPlates they are one of the better known ones and it even states on their home page that their show plates come from Ireland due to the manufacturing laws.

One example of interpretation does not legislation make - can you please cite the relevant statute and pertinent section and clauses?

molerat

As far as I can see most of the changes in the 2008 legislation made it easier for fleet managers and repairers to buy plates, the only major change was to make it an offence to supply a non conforming number plate, what constitutes a number plate could be open to interpretation. The big show plate suppliers probably took their manufacture out of the legislated area to stop aggravation from local trading standards enforcing debatable issues rather than hard and fast legalities.

[Deleted User]

Basically as the end of the day, the eBay plate sellers are selling them illegally. But as they are made to look legal with supplier postcode and BS mark, no police bod is going to actually check if the supplier is above board on a road side check. Just that it is correctly spaced with postcode and BS mark.