Buying number plates...online

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:31 pm

I need to change my number plates (not the number) as they're frankly pants and oddly wearing out.

I notice that you can get SHOW anc REAL plates online yet I thought that regs meant you had to show your documents over the counter as some sort of proof. Is this true?

On a question of style and correctness I noice they have to carry som e BS info but almost all I see carry garage names. I'd rather have none or at least what I want

The wifes X5 has a slightly bigger (height) rear plate and that seems to be more in proportion too

Thoughts...costs?

For me simple is good enough....no flags or stuff and being silver I think a border (colour?) may be right?

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:38 pm

ive used myshowplates.com many times now and had cars mot'd with them on fine, also you can have them with no writing on the bottom

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:43 pm

I have 2D plates that i ordered online for the X5 and have 3D plates on the VW and no problems. Passes MOT no problems.

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kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:44 pm

I paid £13 per pair for mine(s).

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storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:53 pm

[quote="kkodal78"]
I have 2D plates that i ordered online for the X5 and have 3D plates on the VW and no problems. Passes MOT no problems.

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[/quote]

[quote="shadrack"]
ive used myshowplates.com many times now and had cars mot'd with them on fine, also you can have them with no writing on the bottom
[/quote]

Thanks for that...I guess that means you don't need to show your V5 then?

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:53 pm

[quote="kkodal78"]
I paid £13 per pair for mine(s).

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[/quote]

Cheaper than I thought

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:54 pm

no documents required

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:59 pm

'3D' plates aren't an MOT failure.....permitted under Sec 6.3.

Some suppliers will require documentary proof, but not all. If you are buying from Halfords as I have for trailer plates, then you need to supply documentation as per the link.

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:00 pm

[quote="shadrack"]
no documents required
[/quote]

How bizzare...I thought they were trying to stop clone plates

On show plates site you can delete the BS bit.....I guess that has to stay to be legal?

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:01 pm

I found my supplier from fleabay. There are tons of them and i also requested the GB option to be added this way i don't have to put a sticker when i drive over to mainland europe.

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X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:05 pm

GB mark is legal too. Licensed/Approved plate suppliers in the UK require proof of 'entitlement', but with Fleabay then anything goes - legal or otherwise.

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:12 pm

[quote="X5Sport"]
GB mark is legal too. Licensed/Approved plate suppliers in the UK require proof of 'entitlement', but with Fleabay then anything goes - legal or otherwise.
[/quote]

Not fussed about GB....what I did notice was the British Standard BS bit could be deleted online, that I thought might cause trouble....but the again you can get stickers

Mine got a WELSH dragon on it....and I'm not welsh

)

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:24 pm

Don't get me wrong when i say from fleabay i don't mean someone printing the number pkate in their garage. I bought it from a company who sells thru fleabay with all legal requirements met such as writing at the bottom, legal distance between the number and borders and spacing etc. they just gave me an option between 2D abd 3D.

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X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:35 pm

[quote="kkodal78"]
Don't get me wrong when i say from fleabay i don't mean someone printing the number pkate in their garage. I bought it from a company who sells thru fleabay with all legal requirements met such as writing at the bottom, legal distance between the number and borders and spacing etc. they just gave me an option between 2D abd 3D.

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[/quote]
It's all right kkodal, but a couple of years back there was a serious problem with dodgy plates from the likes of Fleabay - mainly from 'offshore' suppliers. The 'anti-clone' drive then running in the UK was being completely circumvented as it was way too easy to get anything you wanted made up unchecked including non-UK plates to disguise a car.

UK Suppliers are supposed to check ID, but then l guess if anything goes wrong then it's their neck on the block, not the buyer's! Cloned plates generally was a serious issue 10 years ago (I had several instances on the UK Gov't Fleet I ran - bad choice for the cloner though!) which was when the rules were tightened up. Until then anyone could knock plates up as you said 'in their own garage'.

I am surprised that the suppliers aren't making more checks though... ??? Kinda defeats the whole idea of tightening the rules.

AW8 · Post by **AW8** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:40 pm

The official & correct line is plates fitted on uk cars are required to comply with BSau145d & must be supplied by a Registered Number Plate Supplier, (RNPS) ,who should ask for proof of registration & a suitable document to confirm correct name and address.

Specific rules exist re plates for legal uk road use and with reference to fonts, sizes and spacing etc. There aren't any restrictions on max rear plate size so long as you otherwise comply hence the slightly larger than the norm rear plates seen on Rover 75, X-Type Jag, some RRS, X5's and other cars with large rear plate recesses. Conversly a smaller plate than normal can be used so long as it is otherwise BS compliant including character size, font, spacing between characters, groups and complying with min distance from extremes of marking to the physical plate edges, ( though few make legal smaller physical width plates for say 5 character registrations)

Plates should display the correct Bs mark as mentioned as well as plate maker details.

More info by clicking [www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/forms/~/media/pdf/l ... /V796.ashx] here[/url]

Totally accept folk buy various plates from various sources & thus compliance is a personal choice albeit with possible varying, (perhaps insignificant to some), consequences depending on what is fitted.

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