Drivers risk £1,000 fine for breaking crucial DVLA number plate rule just days after new changes
The new "74" plates became available on September 1
PA
Drivers can face hefty fines of £1,000 for not having the correct number plates attached to their vehicles, just days after new licence plates were rolled out.
As new “74” plates slowly grace vehicle forecourts, motorists have been cautioned to make sure their vehicle has plates fitted correctly.
The warning comes after the DVLA released its banned licence plate list which is comprised of 334 registrations.
On top of harsh fines, motorists could also risk failing their MOT tests if they display plates incorrectly.
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The DVLA banned over 300 number plates earlier this year
PAThe current vehicle registration number format, which was introduced in 2001, consists of two letters which refer to the region in the country where the vehicle was first registered.
It also includes two numbers which state when the car was issued and is followed by three letters chosen at random.
The DVLA stated: “You can get theft-resistant number plates - these make it harder for someone to remove them from your vehicle quickly and reuse them. Ask your local car dealer or registered number plate supplier for more information.”
Experts from Motor Match explained that when drivers choose plates which are likely to be banned they have to deal with “all the unnecessary hassle and costs that comes with that”.
The expert said: “The DVLA has already banned a total of 334 number plates, ranging from childish registrations like F24 RTS and **24 RSE, to ones with a more political stance, for example, anything relating to the war in Ukraine with number plates such as NO24 RUS, WA24 RUS, WA24 UKR and FK24 RUS.
“We advise you to choose wisely and stay informed about the DVLA's latest updates to avoid any potential issues.
“Their list of banned number plates includes combinations that might be offensive, inadvertently form inappropriate words, or are in poor taste.”
New plates are issued twice a year - once in March and again in September. The "24" plate was rolled out in March while the "74" plate was launched last week. Under UK rules, number plates must meet certain requirements to avoid getting banned on vehicles.
The rules include being made from a reflective material, display black characters on a white background at the front plate and display black characters on a yellow background on the back plate.
The plates must also not have a background pattern and should be marked to show who supplied the number plate. It has to be issued with a British Standard number for example, “BS AU 145e” for plates fitted after September 1 2021.
Motor Match added: "The rules surrounding the creation and display of number plates are there for a reason. Beyond the obvious legal compliance, they ensure that all vehicles can be easily identified by authorities and other drivers.”
But drivers can still customise their number plate without changing the registration, the DVLA detailed. Drivers can have 3D-raised characters on their registration plates and display flags, symbols or identifiers.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Drivers can personalise plates without changing the registration
PATypes of flags can include the Union Jack, the Cross of St George, the Cross of St Andrew and the RedDragon of Wales.
Other types of identifiers allowed by the DVLA include UK (United Kingdom), GB (Great Britain), CYM (Cymru),ENG (England) and SCO (Scotland).