Your car’s number plate is a significant part of your car, seeing as it is the primary way to identify a vehicle visually. Because number plates are often made from the kind of plastic known as acrylic, you’ll often hear them referred to as acrylic plates.
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Rules and Regulations Governing Number Plates
Number plates need to be visible to both people, like police officers and also dreaded tech equipment like ANPR systems and speed cameras. Therefore, the government has set out very strict rules and regulations around everything relating to your number plates including the colors, reflectivity of the number plates, character size and spacing, borders, badges and much more. There are also very strict rules and regulations that govern the manufacture and sale of number plates.
The government has also outlined penalties that can be applied to those found flouting these rules. The penalties for displaying non-compliant number plates can be harsh and often include hefty fines or even loss of registration. It is therefore imperative to make sure that the number plates on your vehicle comply with the rules and regulations. Since motorcycles and motor tricycles are smaller than cars, their number plates are also not as large. But there are specifications for motorbike number plates just as there are for cars.
Buying Replacement Number Plates
Sometimes you need to replace a broken or lost number plate. Or you may need to get an extra rear plate for a trailer. The one thing to remember when purchasing a replacement number plate is that you can only do that from a registered supplier. You will also be required to produce certain identification documents meant to prove your identity and also that you are entitled to purchase the number plates for that registration number.
These conditions are set out by the DVLA and must be satisfied if you are going to purchase legal replacement plates. The rules are meant to curb crime by making it very hard to buy false number plates that are often used in criminal activity.
How to Fit a Number Plate
Fitting a number plate can be a simple process when done correctly. But the acrylic material used to make the plates scratch or crack when handled carelessly. The key is to have the necessary tools and a little preparation, and you could fit a new plate to your vehicle yourself. The whole process, when you know what you’re doing can take only a few minutes.
source: news.immitate.com
Show Plates
Show plates are the kind of number plates that are used at events, off the public highway. They are ideal for car shows and meet-ups but cannot be used for everyday driving. They can be useful since they allow car owners to use words, letters or numbers that are ideal for exhibiting the vehicle in a location where regular number plate rules don’t apply. You must, however, be very careful when purchasing show plates. Since they don’t meet the prescribed DVLA rules and regulations regarding number plates, they are not road legal. You should always remember to change the number plates before driving home from the car show or meet-up. Failing to do so can result in fines or even deregistration.
