Number plate regulations amended

The DVLA has announced a couple of changes to the regulations surrounding the use of number plates

– the main one being the introduction of legislation to plug a loophole over the use of black/silver number plates.

In 2015, an issue was identified in the regulatory requirements for the valid display of black/silver number plates; this loophole allowed any vehicle over 40 years old and registered in the historic tax class the option to display an old-style black/silver number plate. Thisis was despite the law previously requiring all vehicles first registered after January 1, 1973 to only display yellow/white number plates with black characters.

To rectify this, the DVLA is implementing a correction to the legislation which will prevent any vehicle constructed after January 1, 1980 from being allowed to display a black/silver number plate, despite being recorded in the DVLA's historic tax class. Those vehicles with a construction date prior to January 1, 1980 will continue to be able to legally display black/silver number plates to avoid any undue costs of replacement.

EURO PLATES: Other legislation states that from January 1 this year it was no longer permissible to fix a new number plate displaying a Euro symbol. Number plates already fixed to vehicles are unaffected.

NEW BRITISH STANDARD: New legislation for number plates produced from September 1, 2021, will also be introduced; this will mean all current style number plates that are first fixed to a vehicle from that date must meet the technical requirements contained in that standard.

More info: www.fbhvc.co.uk/news