Guide
UK number plate rules: spacing, fonts and fines
A private registration is only worth having if it's displayed legally. The rules are strict, and police and MOT testers do check them.
Updated by Aqib Plates
The key rules
Number plates on UK roads must:
- Show black characters on a white plate at the front and a yellow plate at the rear, made from reflective material
- Use the standard Charles Wright typeface, in a single shade of black, at the correct character size and spacing
- Have no background pattern, and no characters that are removable, rearranged or altered to be hard to read
- Be made by a registered number plate supplier, show who supplied them, and carry the British Standard mark (BS AU 145e for plates fitted from 1 September 2021)
Spacing
Characters must keep the spacing shown on your registration document. Moving gaps or using fixing screws to change how letters read counts as misrepresenting the registration, even if it spells a word more clearly. Ask us before ordering plates and we'll confirm what's allowed.
Flags and identifiers
You can show one approved flag on the left of the plate, above a national identifier: the Union flag, the Cross of St George, the Saltire or the Red Dragon of Wales, with identifiers such as UK, GB, ENG, SCO or CYM. Neither can go in the margin or be more than 50mm wide. Fully zero-emission vehicles can also show a green flash.
Penalties
Driving with incorrectly displayed number plates can bring a fine of up to £1,000 and means the vehicle will fail its MOT. The DVLA can also withdraw a private registration that keeps being misrepresented. Full details are on GOV.UK.