Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

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S_94
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Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by S_94 »

Hadn't seen this discussed on the forum. Interested to hear peoples thoughts.

https://www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/im ... er-plates/
New Number Plate Rules for 2021

The DVLA is introducing new legislation for the UK’s number plates from next year. The new plates will have improved durability and enhanced compatibility with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. There will also be changes with regard to 3D-effect number plates and traditional black and silver plates.

What’s New for Number Plates

The British Standards Institute (BSI) has updated the technical standards for number plates in the UK. The plates have undergone testing for reflectivity, vibration, impact, thermal and weathering effects, solvent-resistance, bending, and more. As a result, the plates will be more durable and compatible with on-road ANPR cameras.

Additionally, different shades of black lettering that create a 3D effect or highlighting will no longer be allowed. The letters and numbers will have to be only a single shade of black. Raised lettering for 3D and 4D effects will also be banned. The DVLA says,

“The agency has not seen any evidence to show that number plates displaying raised plastic, acrylic or Perspex lettering (3D/4D plates) are able to meet the requirements of either the current or new the British Standard.”

The new plates will be available from 1st January 2021 and will become mandatory from 1st September 2021.
Just a heads up for anyone who has changed their plates. I'm wondering if this will be properly enforced...
Andy Beats
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Andy Beats »

I've been running private plates for years, never seen the attraction of the 3D/4D plates myself.
My plates are legal font and size, carbon fibre letters, red border, no BSAU or supplier markings.
Hands up, the spacing is illegal in that it's bunched together to spell my surname.
Never had a single bit of bother with this in 15 years+, including MOTs etc.
Speaking to a copper, he explained the legal font and size is the key thing, as ANPR will recognise it no problem,
Any messing with the size and font is when problems kick in.
SRGTD
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by SRGTD »

S_94 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:07 pm Hadn't seen this discussed on the forum. Interested to hear peoples thoughts.

https://www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/im ... er-plates/

Just a heads up for anyone who has changed their plates. I'm wondering if this will be properly enforced...
I think there’ll probably be some variation in enforcement from region to region. Some regional police authorities might just hand out a verbal warning and a requirement for the plates to be changed within x hours / days, whereas other more zealous police authorities might hand out fines and licence points - especially where someone with non compliant plates has been stopped for committing other motoring related offences too.

There’s also the issue of the annual MOT; for anyone willing to take the risk and keep non compliant plates on their car, it’d be a pain in the butt to change the plates to a legal set every year to pass an MOT - especially if plates are stuck on with strong double sided tape, as there’s a good chance of the plates being being damaged when removing them.
S_94
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by S_94 »

SRGTD wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:49 pm
S_94 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:07 pm Hadn't seen this discussed on the forum. Interested to hear peoples thoughts.

https://www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/im ... er-plates/

Just a heads up for anyone who has changed their plates. I'm wondering if this will be properly enforced...
I think there’ll probably be some variation in enforcement from region to region. Some regional police authorities might just hand out a verbal warning and a requirement for the plates to be changed within x hours / days, whereas other more zealous police authorities might hand out fines and licence points - especially where someone with non compliant plates has been stopped for committing other motoring related offences too.

There’s also the issue of the annual MOT; for anyone willing to take the risk and keep non compliant plates on their car, it’d be a pain in the butt to change the plates to a legal set every year to pass an MOT - especially if plates are stuck on with strong double sided tape, as there’s a good chance of the plates being being damaged when removing them.
I've got 4D Plates and the first thing that came to mind was how much of a nightmare it'll be getting them off. When I put mine on I used quite a few strips of tape to make sure they were secured well!

Interested to know if having them would mean a fail on the MOT. I much prefer the look compared to standard so would be disappointed to switch back.
Andy Beats
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Andy Beats »

S_94 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:59 pm Interested to know if having them would mean a fail on the MOT. I much prefer the look compared to standard so would be disappointed to switch back.
Sticking some standard plates over the 'naughty' ones with blu-tack for 30 minutes wouldn't be a big issue (not even kidding).
I've yet to have a car fail with illegal plates though and I'm talking umpteen cars, over umpteen years at several different MOT stations.
S_94
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by S_94 »

Andy Beats wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:21 pm
S_94 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:59 pm Interested to know if having them would mean a fail on the MOT. I much prefer the look compared to standard so would be disappointed to switch back.
Sticking some standard plates over the 'naughty' ones with blu-tack for 30 minutes wouldn't be a big issue (not even kidding).
I've yet to have a car fail with illegal plates though and I'm talking umpteen cars, over umpteen years at several different MOT stations.
Hopefully it'll never come to that!

But yeah know quite a few people who have different styles of plates and they've never had any issues.
Stuart_Rendall
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Stuart_Rendall »

I have some 4D plates on my car, liked the look of them originally but as time has gone on they make the car look more and more 'chavish' so I will be swapping back to original.
Andy Beats
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Andy Beats »

IMO the most chavish thing you can do with plates is cutting them down.
I just hate seeing a short plate looking forlorn in the middle of a big space, looks idiotic.
SRGTD
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by SRGTD »

I personally wouldn’t buy a cherished plate, fit a short plate, alter the spacing on a standard plate so the characters spell out a word or name, or buy one that spells out a word or name without altering the spacing.

I never have an issue with the standard dealer fitted plates. They help keep the car ‘anonymous’ which is my preference. I don’t have an issue with others who want a cherished plate either - we’re all individuals with different likes and wants, which is good IMO. If we all liked and wanted the same things, life would be pretty boring.
steeve
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by steeve »

There is no legislation on the size of a number plate. If for instance you were lucky enough to have A1 then your plate can be very short and totally compliant with current legislation.
Andy Beats
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Andy Beats »

steeve wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 3:28 pm There is no legislation on the size of a number plate. If for instance you were lucky enough to have A1 then your plate can be very short and totally compliant with current legislation.
Would look bloody awful though. :D
I knew the (now deceased) guy who owned '1P' up here (Chinese guy, surname was Pang)
He won £350K on the lottery on top of being quite well off already.
Bought himself a new Merc Coupe and the plate, the plate costing more than the car.
J_hutchison
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by J_hutchison »

Does this mean 3D gel plates are going to be banned? If so that sucks I wanted to change mine to them
S_94
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by S_94 »

J_hutchison wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 1:45 pm Does this mean 3D gel plates are going to be banned? If so that sucks I wanted to change mine to them
I'd assume so going off this.

Raised lettering for 3D and 4D effects will also be banned.
How well that will be enforced though remains to be seen. I'll be keeping mine on.
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Boxerboy »

We’ve a handful of private plates. Not all in current use.

I’m all for legal characters and spacing. I do think MOTs are getting stricter. Allowing blatantly illegal plates to wrongly pass will become less common. Testing stations may risk losing their “licence”.

I like my plates as small as possible. No dealer junk. No flags.

A 5 character plate can be only 14” not 20”.

Even my current “17” plate was reduced by 3” due to the narrow 1 digit and no junk.

I’ll be swapping out my big OEM bike plate soon for a significantly smaller plate without the dealer junk.
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Nora
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Re: Incoming ban on 3D/4D plates

Post by Nora »

I have two private plates inc a very desirable one on the Gti polo, neither is altered or cut down
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