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number plates
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:33 am
by geth-pgti
hey guys, anyone know the law about haveing german number plates over here in the uk?
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:54 am
by Redline
They're illegal. End of.
People, such as myself, do choose to run them and have had varying degrees of problems with the police. I'm yet to have had any trouble yet, but I do keep my original plates in the boot should I need to change them.
But the bottom line is, they are technically not UK legal, so the risk of being, stopped, fined, whatever else does exist.
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:54 am
by Mouse_GTI
They look great, though its a case of run them at your own risk. I couldn't care less myself - it's not exactly the most bad "crime"
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 12:15 pm
by Tailor
Wheres the Best Place to get the Plates from in London, or on the Web ?
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:34 pm
by geth-pgti
cheers, so u obvo not allowed the euro sign with a D on the side but are u allowed plane number plates with the foreign style letters , the ones whcih are more squared?
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:53 pm
by david burton
this isn't strictly true, if you have a look at the rules and regs then EEC standard plates are "subject to testing"......
I think the pressed plates may fall down on the fact you have to have where they were manufactured et etc on the plate somewhere
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:21 pm
by ModifiedMadness
geth-pgti wrote:cheers, so u obvo not allowed the euro sign with a D on the side but are u allowed plane number plates with the foreign style letters , the ones whcih are more squared?
To be 100% legal, you have to have the standard UK font, BS AU145D in the corner, the place that made them on the bottom of the plate and of course for the plate to be the right colour, size etc.
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:51 pm
by jason11
ive had mine on quite a while nothin has happened just keep my proper ones in the boot :D
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:21 pm
by david burton
that's what I thought, and that's what the simple dvla website says, but if you look further into the law:
VEHICLES REGISTERED AND NEW REGISTRATION PLATES FITTED ON OR AFTER 1ST SEPTEMBER 2001 (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 15 January 1998 under number BS AU 145d[13], 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.
take note of part (b)
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:16 pm
by Redline
All that states is the actual plate material must meet British Standard requirements and be marked as such, or meet equivalent EU standards.
That makes no mention of font, spacing, symbols etc.
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:21 pm
by dubpilot
(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
... if i understand this correctly, then German plates should be alright with no problems as its from an EEA state, almost all that you can buy are reflective anyway, and they are roughly the same font size with UK standards.
which only leaves out the technicality of font spacing.
anyone agree?
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:24 pm
by Arnoldo
So basically if u have uk font and spacin on german plates their gd to go?
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:06 pm
by david burton
put it this way, I wouldn't argue with the plod, and I have spare ones in the boot ready to put on.....
I haven't put them on thinking they're legal, just read that on the dubmeister site.
however, I think car's with a zero in the reg number run a higer risk of getting stopped..... the german one is a bit too different.
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:25 pm
by DanDiesel
i have pressed plates with uk-font and no band at the side and i've had no trouble at all! they are reflective tho so unless u look closely its hard to tell!
ps- yes my standard ones are in the boot!
Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:37 pm
by chunkychimpanzee
I am the same. I have those german plate more than a year now. I also got stop by the police at one point, but they did not mention about my german plate. I think it depends which policeman you have got pull over by really. Bare in mind I have my standard plate in my boot too, just in case I get caught. Touch wood.......