The Legal Requirements at a Glance
UK number plates are governed by the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 and the BSAU 145e British Standard. The rules cover font, character size and spacing, background colour, reflectivity, and what can and cannot be displayed on the plate.
Font and Character Spacing
All UK plates must use the Charles Wright 2001 font — the only font legally approved for road use. Character height must be 79mm, stroke width 14mm, and spacing between characters 11mm. Spacing between the two groups of characters (e.g. between "AB12" and "CDE") must be 33mm.
You cannot alter the font, compress or stretch characters, or vary the spacing for stylistic effect. Plates with non-standard spacing are illegal and will fail an MOT.
Colours and Background
The standard UK plate uses black characters on a white background (front) and black characters on a yellow background (rear). Since 2021, you may also display white plates front and rear if you prefer. No other colour combinations are permitted for road-legal plates.
Black and silver plates — although often seen on classic cars — are not legal on public roads under current DVLA regulations, regardless of the vehicle's age.
3D and 4D Plates
Three-dimensional (gel) and four-dimensional (deep-acrylic) plates are fully legal provided they meet all other requirements. The raised or recessed characters must use the correct font, retain proper contrast, and meet the BSAU 145e reflectivity standard. They will pass an MOT and are read correctly by ANPR cameras.
Flags and Identifiers
You may display a national identifier on the left side of your plate. Permitted options are:
- GB — with or without the Union Flag
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Yes — provided they meet the BSAU 145e standard with correct font, spacing, reflective background and BS mark. ANPR cameras read the contrast between characters and background, not the surface texture, so compliant 3D and 4D plates are read correctly.
- UK — introduced in 2021 following the end of EU membership
- ENG — with the St George's Cross
- SCO — with the St Andrew's Cross
- CYM or WALES — with the Red Dragon
No other flags, emblems, or decorative graphics may appear on the plate. If you display a national flag on your plate, you do not need a separate oval GB sticker when driving abroad (within the countries that recognise this).
Plate Covers
Clear plastic plate frames are permitted. Tinted, smoked, or coloured covers are illegal and carry a fine of up to £1,000. The plate must be clearly readable at all times — any cover that reduces legibility makes the plate non-compliant.
Trailers
Trailers being towed on public roads must display their own number plate — they cannot show the towing vehicle's registration. The plate must meet the same legal standards as a car plate and must be permanently fixed to the rear of the trailer in a clearly visible position.
BSAU 145e Standard
BSAU 145e is the British Standard specification for number plate construction. It covers the retroreflective material used for the background, the quality of the print or moulded characters, the overall durability of the plate, and the BS mark that must appear at the bottom. Any plate sold by a DVLA-registered supplier must comply with this standard.
Who Can Make Number Plates?
Only DVLA-registered number plate suppliers are authorised to produce road-legal plates. They must verify the buyer's identity and entitlement to the registration before production. You can check whether a supplier is registered on the DVLA website. Plates made by unregistered suppliers will not carry the required BS mark and will fail an MOT.
