2020/0500/UK
EC/EFTA
GB Vereinigtes Königreich
  • T40T - Stadtverkehr und Strassentransport
2020-11-06
2020-08-06

The draft Statutory Instrument updates the regulations to prescribe that new vehicle registration plates that are displayed from 1st January 2021 must comply with the updated British Standard for registration plates, under BS AU 145e or any other relevant standard or specification recognised for use in an EEA State and which, when in use, offers a performance equivalent to the updated British Standard.

The instrument prescribes the requirements for an optional border and other markings, when displayed on a registration plate.

The instrument provides an end date for historic vehicles exempt from excise duty, from also being able to display white/silver lettering on a black registration plate.

The instrument also prescribes the dimensions and requirements for displaying an optional green background on the left hand side of a registration plate for eligible zero emission vehicles.

The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The substantive part of the draft instrument states as follows:

VEHICLES REGISTERED AND NEW REGISTRATION PLATES FITTED ON OR AFTER 1ST JANUARY 2021 (MANDATORY SPECIFICATION)

1. The plate must be made of retroreflecting material which, as regards its construction, colour and other qualities, complies with the requirements of—
(a) the British Standard specification for retroreflecting number plates published on 28 February 2018 under number BS AU 145e( ), or
(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.
2. Where the registration mark is displayed on the front of the vehicle, it must have black characters on a white background.
3. Where the registration mark is displayed on the back of a vehicle, it must have black characters on a yellow background.
4. The space between the bottom of the registration mark and any other mark must not be less than 7 millimetres.
5. Each plate must display below the registration mark additional markings showing—
(a) the number of the British standard or other relevant standard or specification as referred to in paragraph 1;
and
(b) the name and postcode of the supplier.
6. The markings required under paragraph 5 must be—
(a) permanently marked;
(b) non-retroreflecting;
(c) of a single shade of non-reflecting colour; and
(d) no more than 10mm in height and no less than 3mm in height.
7. A border may be displayed on a registration plate where the border is—
(a) permanently marked;
(b) non-retroreflecting;
(c) of a single shade of non-retroreflecting colour without any design, pattern or texture;
(d) positioned no closer than 10mm from the edge of any character of the registration mark;
(e) not positioned above any other markings; and
(f) no more than 5mm in width.”
An eligible vehicle may display a green background on a plate or other device.
The green background referred to in paragraph must be positioned to the left of the registration plate and must not encroach into the margin. It must be—
(a) made from retro-reflective material;
(b) a colour match or equivalent to Pantone 7481c as found at:
https://store.pantone.com/uk/en/colorfinder/index/acfproduct/code/7481+C;
(c) positioned no less than two millimetres from the top, bottom and lateral sides of the plate or device;
(d) no less than forty millimetres and no more than fifty millimetres, in width .
An “eligible vehicle” means a zero-emission vehicle.