Key facts
- ✓ Motorcycles registered after 1 September 2001 need a rear plate only — no front plate required
- ✓ Yellow background, black characters, Charles Wright font — no exceptions
- ✓ Characters must be exactly 64mm high with 10mm stroke width
- ✓ Non-compliant plates = £100 fine and automatic MOT failure
- ✓ Dateless personalised plates work on motorcycles — no year identifier, no age restriction
- ✓ New Reg has supplied road-legal plates since 1996
Legal Requirements for Motorcycle Number Plates
The regulations governing motorcycle number plates depend primarily on your vehicle's registration date. For motorcycles registered after 1st September 2001, only a rear number plate is required. Older motorcycles may require both front and rear plates, though this applies to a diminishing number of vintage machines still on UK roads.
Your rear motorcycle plate must display a yellow background with black characters. The typeface must be the standard Charles Wright font — no italics, decorative fonts, or stylised characters are permitted. Character height must be precisely 64mm, with a stroke width of 10mm and character spacing of 11mm between letters and numbers.
The plate material must be reflective and meet British Standard requirements. Carbon fibre plates, gel plates, or any non-standard materials are prohibited for road use. Additionally, the plate must display the BS AU 145e marking and the supplier's postcode. For more on what the standard requires, see our number plate rules guide.
Motorcycle vs Car Plate Dimensions
Motorcycle plates are manufactured to different dimensions than standard car plates. The table below compares the key specifications.
| Specification |
Motorcycle (rear) |
Car (front & rear) |
| Standard plate size |
228mm × 178mm (9" × 7") |
520mm × 111mm (standard oblong) |
| Character height |
64mm |
79mm |
| Stroke width |
10mm |
14mm |
| Character spacing |
11mm |
11mm |
| Group spacing |
33mm |
33mm |
| Front plate required? |
No (post-2001 bikes) |
Yes (white background) |
| Rear background colour |
Yellow |
Yellow |
| British Standard marking |
BS AU 145e required |
BS AU 145e required |
Common Illegal Modifications to Avoid
Many motorcycle owners unknowingly breach regulations through seemingly minor modifications. Screw caps that alter the appearance of characters are illegal. Tinted covers, whether clear or coloured, are prohibited as they can affect readability and reflectivity.
Plates that are excessively small, damaged, or obscured by accessories like tail tidies also constitute offences. The entire registration must be clearly visible from a reasonable distance in normal lighting conditions.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The consequences of riding with an illegal number plate are significant and immediate. Traffic officers can issue fixed penalty notices of £100 on the spot for number plate offences. This fine applies regardless of whether the violation was intentional or accidental.
During MOT testing, non-compliant plates will result in an automatic failure. Your motorcycle cannot legally return to the road until a compliant plate is fitted and the test is retaken. In severe cases, particularly where plates are deemed fraudulent or completely illegible, police have powers to seize vehicles immediately.
Personalised Plates on Motorcycles — Does It Work the Same?
Yes — the process for putting a personalised registration on a motorcycle is identical to that for a car. You transfer the registration via the DVLA using the V317 form, paying the standard £80 transfer fee. Once the transfer is approved, you arrange for road-legal plates to be manufactured to motorcycle dimensions displaying the new registration.
The same eligibility rules apply: you cannot assign a registration that would make the motorcycle appear younger than it is. For example, you cannot put an 'AB24 CDE' current-format plate on a motorcycle first registered in 2005. This is where dateless plates offer a significant advantage — because they carry no year identifier, they can go on any motorcycle regardless of age.
Popular choices for motorcycles include short dateless plates (which look visually clean on the smaller plate format), name plates, and initials-based registrations. Browse our range of personalised number plates to find something that works for your bike, or explore dateless number plates specifically if you ride a classic machine.
For guidance on what personalised plates can legally be placed on motorcycles, read our full number plate rules guide.
Sidecar Plates — Different Rules
A motorcycle with a sidecar attached is classified differently from a standard solo motorcycle for number plate purposes. The sidecar combination is treated more like a three-wheeled vehicle than a conventional motorcycle, and this affects plate display requirements.
When a sidecar is permanently attached, the combination must display both a front plate (on the sidecar or motorcycle front) and a rear plate. The rear plate must be clearly visible from behind the combination. If the sidecar is occasionally detached, the motorcycle returns to solo classification and the front plate requirement lapses for post-2001 registration dates.
In practice, sidecar owners should consult the DVLA directly to confirm the display requirements for their specific combination, as the legal position can depend on how the vehicle is registered (as a motorcycle combination or as a separate three-wheeled category).
Classic Motorcycle Plates — What's Allowed?
Classic motorcycles built before 1 January 1980 and registered in the historic vehicle tax class are eligible to display old-style black and silver number plates. These are the reverse of modern plates — silver (reflective grey) characters on a black background — and were the standard format before the reflective white-and-yellow system was introduced.
To qualify for historic black and silver plates, the vehicle must:
- Have been manufactured before 1 January 1980
- Be registered as a historic vehicle with the DVLA (vehicle tax class 'Historic Vehicle')
- Display the original registration that was first issued to the vehicle (not a transferred personalised registration)
If you transfer a personalised dateless registration onto a classic motorcycle, that registration must be displayed on a standard yellow-rear plate meeting current BS AU 145e requirements — you cannot then use historic-style plates for the personalised registration. Many classic motorcycle owners choose dateless plates precisely because they are period-appropriate in style (short, simple, no year letter) while still being displayed on legal modern plates.
If you're considering a dateless plate for a classic bike, our dateless number plates section has a full guide to the available formats and price ranges.
Show Plates vs Road Legal Plates
The distinction between show plates and road legal plates is crucial for motorcycle owners. Show plates are designed exclusively for static display at motorcycle shows or exhibitions. They are not road legal under any circumstances — the name indicates their intended use.
For those seeking personalised number plates for their motorcycles, road legal options are available that combine individual expression with full compliance. These plates undergo proper DVLA processes and meet all legal requirements.
Maintaining Style Within Legal Boundaries
Achieving an attractive motorcycle appearance while maintaining legal compliance is entirely possible. When modifying your motorcycle's rear section or installing tail tidies, ensure the number plate remains fully visible and accessible. The plate should not be obscured by bodywork, luggage, or accessories, and must be securely mounted.
Professional motorcycle customisers understand these requirements and can recommend solutions that balance style with compliance. Investing in proper mounting systems and quality legal plates protects against future complications while maintaining your desired appearance.
Professional Advice and Quality Plates
With over 30 years of experience in the registration plate industry, New Reg understands the importance of compliance alongside personal expression. Our motorcycle number plates meet all DVLA requirements while offering the quality and durability that serious riders demand.
Whether you need standard replacement plates or wish to transfer a number plate to your motorcycle, professional guidance ensures full compliance with current regulations. Don't let number plate violations spoil your riding experience — choose compliant plates that reflect your style while respecting the law.
