from the black and white plates of France to the multi-coloured registrations of Australia, every country across the world has its own laws regarding the colours that vehicle plates must be presented in. While it hasn\u2019t always been the case, the colours of the number plates displayed on UK vehicles today are yellow and white.<\/p>\n
For UK cars to be road legal, they must feature a white plate made of reflective material at the front of the vehicle featuring characters in black, and a yellow coloured plate at the rear with the reg in black characters.<\/p>\n
There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, the black and white registrations sported by UK military vehicles don\u2019t use reflective material for their plates. The reflective surface can render vehicles more easily targeted by enemy forces.<\/p>\n
Cars considered classic by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are also allowed to carry the older style of registration used in the UK. These plates are black in colour and feature the index marks in either white or silver. Cars that are 40 years in age or older are afforded several allowances, such as no annual MOT tests, but they are also allowed to legally use older styles of plates that differ from the yellow and white plates more commonly seen.<\/p>\n
The main purpose of a number plate<\/a> is to allow quick and clear identification of its numbers and letters to other motorists and the authorities alike, more information regarding how number plates work<\/a>. When either an accident or criminal act occurs involving a vehicle, it provides a fast way to find out essential details for the police.<\/p>\n It\u2019s vital that number plates are always easy to read in a variety of weather and lighting conditions and it was deemed by experts that black characters on a white background provide the most legible combination. Black characters on a yellow background is the second most easy to read mix of colours, and so yellow was picked for rear plates.<\/p>\n If white and black is the combination that\u2019s easiest to read, why use a yellow plate at all? According to the DVLA, having a white plate at the front and a yellow plate at the back is designed to give drivers on the road a very quick way of telling if they\u2019re looking at the front or rear of a vehicle. With this knowledge they can gauge how likely the vehicle is to be moving away or towards their own car\u2019s location.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also illegal to show a white light at the rear of your vehicle because plates are made of reflective material and so this could cause confusion.<\/p>\nWhy are rear number plates yellow?<\/h2>\n
Adding colour to your number plate<\/h2>\n