Whether you already have your own private number plate or it’s something you’re considering, you might need to do some research before you purchase either a new car or a new number plate. If you are thinking of buying a car on finance rather than purchasing it outright, you might wonder – can I put a private plate on a financed car?

Can you change the number plate on a financed car?

This is the first question to consider. There’s little point in buying a new private number plate if you cannot place it on your vehicle – unless, of course, you see the number plate purchase simply as a shrewd investment.

Do you own the car?

The first question to ask regards the ownership of the vehicle. This is not the same as being its registered keeper. The answer is also not as straightforward as it may first seem.

Outright ownership

If you buy a car outright, then this is straightforward. You own the car once you’ve bought it outright, therefore it’s yours to do with as you please. That includes changing the number plate, should you choose to.

Car finance

If you buy a car through finance, then you will usually be the registered owner of the car (as well as its registered keeper). This means you are entitled to change the number plate if you wish, and you can follow the same procedure as someone who owns a car outright.

Car leasing

If you lease your car, then you are not classed as its owner. This does not, however, mean that you cannot put a private registration onto the vehicle you drive on a daily basis. You can put a private plate onto your lease car, as long as you have the agreement of the leasing company. In this case, it’s best to wait until the car has been delivered before you start the process of adding your own registration plate to the vehicle.

New Reg can help

If you would like to take advantage of the service we offer at New Reg when it comes to assigning your number plate, then you will find that the process is far simpler. We can handle the DVLA paperwork on your behalf, and transfers take an average of just two to four weeks to complete.

What happens when the finance or leasing agreement ends?

What happens when you’ve made all your payments once again comes down to a question of ownership. If you pay off the car, either by means of a fully repaid loan or because you’ve made the final payment required, then the car is yours to do with as you like. This means you can keep the car, and the private plate you put onto it.

If you have to hand the car back at the end of the finance or lease term, then it’s your responsibility to remove the private number plate. It’s advisable to do this a couple of months before the term is up, to ensure everything is in order before you hand the car back.

At this point, you could either sell the private number plate, assign it to another vehicle or put it on retention for future use. If you decide to sell, make sure you get a free valuation from New Reg. Car registrations are seen as a savvy investment by many, particularly when it comes to cherished number plates, so you could get a pleasant surprise if the plate is worth more than you had envisaged.

Alternatively, why not browse our range of available registration marks if you fancy trying something new, or adding another plate to a second vehicle or your private number plate portfolio?

Since 1904, when the Motor Car Act was officially passed here in the United Kingdom, it has been compulsory for cars to display a number plate. Number plates were introduced to create a quick and simple way for authorities and other motorists to identify vehicles involved in crimes or collisions, and the same holds true today.

While all vehicles have an identifier stamped into their chassis along with other parts called a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), number plates are far easier to spot. Displayed in black characters on a white plate at the front, and on a yellow plate at the rear, they must always be clear to read.

Can you have the same number plate on two cars?

If number plates are registered to a specific keeper, you might be wondering ‘can two cars have the same number plate?’ Put simply, no. It’s illegal for two vehicles to carry the same plate. These registrations are designed to not only be able to trace the owner of a vehicle, but identify the car itself when necessary.

If you own two cars and you’re in the process of reassigning a personalised number plate from one vehicle to the other, you may also have questioned whether both can have the same plate. When you assign your plate to another vehicle, the car that originally carried the plate will revert to its previous registration or be assigned a new one by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Every car must always have a unique registration and no two vehicles can share the same one.

How do I swap number plates on my cars?

If you own more than one vehicle and wish to swap their number plates, you can do this via the DVLA, providing the plates are suitable for the cars in question. Modern number plates as well as older prefix and suffix style plates contain an age identifier. It’s against the law in the UK to make a vehicle appear newer than it is by adding a more recent plate, so drivers should be mindful of this when making a swap.

To swap a plate, you must first remove it from one vehicle and retain the registration. You can then assign it to another vehicle. This action can be performed by post, but the fastest way to complete the process is online with the DVLA, taking a matter of minutes rather than days. On successful completion of your application, the DVLA will then send you updated V5C logbooks for your cars by post.

How much does it cost to swap number plates?

While it won’t cost you anything to assign a number plate to a vehicle, removing the registration from a vehicle and retaining it comes with a charge. You can apply to remove and keep a registration through the DVLA for a fee of £80.

Duplicate plates and the law.

It’s an offence to use the same number plate on more than one car. In 2016, research by the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) revealed that as many as one in 12 cars out of the 37 million used in the UK could potentially have cloned number plates.

Police data records motorists using illegal cloned plates to break a variety of laws, from smaller offences such as speeding and prohibited parking, to petrol theft, burglary and robbery. Criminals trading in cloned plates also create forged vehicle registration certificates (V5Cs) to accompany them. Those purchasing a vehicle are advised to always run a vehicle history check before buying.

You can ensure the number plate you’ve purchased is unique and not simply a copy by purchasing your registration from a reliable plate dealer like New Reg. All our plates are one of a kind and fully legal to use according to UK law.

In the UK, selling a number plate is fully legal providing you own the right to use it either through a certificate of retention, a certificate of entitlement or because you own the car it’s currently assigned to. When it comes to the ins and out of selling a number plate, however, there are a number of things you need to be aware of.

Can I sell my number plate back to DVLA?

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) issues standard number plates in two batches each year and has been selling private number plates since 1989. However, the DVLA doesn’t purchase plates, so selling your plate to the DVLA, even if you bought it from the agency in the first place, isn’t possible.

Where can I sell my number plate?

The good news is that there are other options available when it comes to selling your number plate. Naturally, you can try to sell your number plate on your own. This may seem like a worthwhile option to you on first inspection. After all, if you sell the registration without assistance, you might think you won’t have to share the profits gained from the sale, right?

The process of selling the plate by yourself is not without costs, however. If you advertise your plate in the classified section of an auto magazine or online car publication, you will need to pay a fee for the ad space and finding the best platform to showcase your plate is not always easy by yourself.

Selling via a specialist broker in number plates like New Reg can be an easier and more effective option for making a sale. With New Reg, you can benefit from the experience gained over thousands of transactions and every step of the deal will be carefully managed on your behalf.

How to sell a number plate

The first step in selling a number plate is to get an accurate assessment of its worth. At New Reg, we can offer you a free valuation of your personal plate. To keep the process as simple as possible, you can use our easy to fill in contact form. Just enter the registration you want valuing along with your basic contact details, and our specialist team will assess its value and get back to you.

Once you know what your plate is worth, with the assistance of our free valuation, you can try to sell it either on your own or with us. An advantage of selling through us is that our site sees plenty of traffic from those in the market for a number plate. This means that you might have many more interested buyers checking out your reg if you decide to sell through us than advertising yourself.

After we find a buyer for you, we’ll be in touch with their offer. We’ll handle the whole transaction, from agreeing the price to filling out any paperwork needed to complete the transfer of ownership. We’ll also make sure the funds from the sale arrive in good time in your bank account. Rest assured, we’ll be in touch at every step of the sale from beginning to end, making New Reg the first place to go when you’re looking to sell your number plate.

Number plates are something that many vehicle owners take interest in as a way to personalise their car. You’re likely very familiar with the usual acrylic plates with black characters on top of white and yellow backgrounds, and even the black and silver number plates of some classic cars – some of which are smaller due to shorter registration numbers. Some drivers aren’t content with these standard plates, and pursue customisation options to make their car unique.

Many will get personalised number plates, or private number plates, but others will look for different forms of customisation. This is where problems can arise, as various forms of registration plate customisation are actually illegal, and if you’re caught with incorrectly displayed plates, you could receive a large fine.

Tinted plates are darkened registration plates that many drivers find visually appealing. You may well have seen them around – they’re commonly found alongside other vehicle modifications such as custom bodywork. Popularity and attractiveness aside though, are tinted plates road legal UK number plates?

Tinted number plates – are they legal?

Up until the 1st of September 2021, the question of whether any kind of tinted number plate was legal on UK roads was actually a bit of a grey area. The issue with tinted number plates comes from the fact that the tint itself can make the numbers hard to read, particularly in situations of low light.

This results in the vehicle becoming harder to identify, for both people and speed cameras – and as you can imagine, some people use this to their advantage, which can be dangerous.

As we mentioned though, the questionable legality of tinted number plates has now been cleared up by legislation, as the British Standard BS AU 145e was introduced in September 2021. Information found on GOV.UK clearly states the rules for UK number plates. Here’s a brief rundown:

The law on UK number plates

First and foremost, it’s crucial that number plates are made out of a reflective material. The front plate needs have a white background, and the rear plate needs to have a yellow background. The backgrounds should not be patterned in any way.

Both plates are required to display black characters. These black characters need to be one single shade of black – if they were fitted after September 1st 2021 – and the characters themselves cannot be reflective or removable. It’s also essential that the plates are marked with a British Standard number, and also a British Standard number.

As written on GOV.UK, your registration number must be correctly shown, and can’t be altered to make the letters and numbers harder to read. The characters also can not be rearranged. Anyone caught driving with ‘incorrectly displayed plates’ could receive a fine of up to £1000, and the vehicle will also fail its MOT. Going by these rules, a tinted number plate would count as being incorrectly displayed, and as such, tinted plates are not considered road legal.

To add to this, number plates that are covered in layers of mud, or are obscured in any other way, also count as being incorrectly displayed. Previously issued number plates which make use of 3D characters – which are legal as long as they follow the rules stated above – are also at risk of becoming obscured by dirt, as it can get caked in the corners of the raised characters. Be sure to remember that these rules also apply to private number plates and DVLA personalised registrations!

Tinted number plates – illegal sellers

One common way irresponsible drivers are able to acquire tinted number plates – which they then go on to illegally use on the road – is through dubious manufacturers. These manufacturers sell plates with with illegal colours, tints, and so on, all the while claiming they’re being sold as ‘show plates’.

While this may make the transaction technically legal, it’s safe to say that these manufacturers know what they’re doing – that being providing illegal plates to drivers who intend to break the law.

The concept of ‘show plates’ is, however, worth mentioning, especially if you find the look of tinted number plates to be appealing.

What are show plates?

If you like the way tinted number plates look on a vehicle, show plates definitely might be of interest to you. While it’s absolutely illegal to use tinted plates on the road, show plates – which are number plates that are for display purposes only – are allowed to be tinted, and customised in a lot of other ways, to your heart’s content.

Show plates are a fantastic way to customise your vehicle if you want to display it, for something as simple as photography, or even for things like events and exhibitions. The great thing about show plates is that the sky is the limit in regards to their customisation – you’re free to use any colour, font, and tint that you want, and that includes backgrounds with patterns or other kinds of artwork. The level of customisation is much higher than that of a personalised or private plate.

Show plates are really the only way to go if you have any interest in tinted plates, or any other form of number plate customisation. But always remember to only use them for display – as we keep mentioning, all kinds of tinted or darkened number plates are not legally permitted to be used on the road.

Don’t worry if you still have questions about custom number plates and the laws surrounding them. Our knowledgeable professionals here at New Reg can help you out with any plate related questions you may have, whether that’s about customisation or the law. Be sure to contact us if you need any advice about the legality of your vehicle’s number plates!

Darkened Number plates

While short number plates aren’t illegal, they must still follow all the guidelines for registrations in the UK, including the size and shape of the characters themselves.

The first number plates issued in the United Kingdom back in 1904 were far shorter than the current seven-character format. From A1 and S1 – some of the index numbers issued in the first run – many original registrations only featured two characters. For several reasons, shorter registrations are more sought-after. While not issued as standard by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), they are auctioned off periodically and sold as personalised plates right here at New Reg.

While having a smaller quantity of letters and numbers on your plate can be prestigious, shorter registrations don’t look at their best on a standard sized plate. Even well-centred on the compulsory white and yellow plates for front and back, short registrations leave a lot of empty space on either side of the index marks. For this reason, many drivers with a short private plate number opt to have their number plates shortened to suit their specific size of reg.

What can be done with short number plates?

It’s not only a vanity plate number that can be shown-off with a short plate. Having a smaller-sized registration plate can uncover more of your car, allowing you to fully appreciate it. Short number plates can even be cut with diagonal sides, so they take up even less real estate on your vehicle. Professional plate makers can use state-of-the-art laser cutting technology to shape your plate to match shapes in the car’s design, so it’s a perfect fit that never spoils the aesthetic value of a vehicle.

The benefits of new laser cutting technology allow for a greater level of customisation, ideal for creating short number plates. Tidying up a plate by trimming off all unnecessary material can make for a more attractive display. There are strict rules regarding the alphanumeric characters on plates that insist that registrations must always have a fixed height to a great extent. However, the unused space widthwise can be reduced for a more compact product.

Are short number plates illegal?

No, short plates are simply older registrations that have been purchased and reassigned to a new car. When it comes to physically shortening a number plate, this also isn’t illegal providing the process is managed by plate specialist like New Reg to ensure it keeps to the code. Failure to display a legal number plate can result in failed MOT tests as well as fines of up to £1,000 from traffic police if caught on the road.

At New Reg, we’ll ensure your number plate has the exact measurement of spacing required by the DVLA standards, making them perfectly legal to use on your car. Precisely how small your number plate can be will depend on the length of how many characters are contained in your registration. This is because there are very specific measurements for the numbers and letters on plates. Not only for the width and height of the alphanumeric characters displayed but also for the spaces in between and the distance to the plate edge, sometimes referred to as ‘margins’.

Short plates for short registrations

Short plates are very well suited to shorter registrations. These cherished plate numbers are highly prized, not only because they come from an older time and are considered classics. They are also literally ‘timeless’ as unlike the modern plates issued today, they contain no age indicator. Those wishing to keep how old their vehicle is private often opt for this older style of registration. Regardless of how short the plate number is, the UK law states that every registration must always contain at least one letter and one number to be legal.

Front Number plates

In the UK, front number plate requirements are that it is illegal to drive without a front number plate, as both front and rear plates are required by law for vehicle identification and compliance with DVLA regulations.

Many drivers are enthusiastic about their number plates – or registration plates – as they view their customization as a way to inject some personality, and show off their individuality, when it comes to their vehicle.

We’ve all seen the standard acrylic plates – the ones featuring white and yellow backgrounds, with black characters on top. You might have also seen older, black and silver number plates of some classic cars, which, due to shorter registration numbers, are often smaller than usual. Vehicle owners may look for a way to alter their plates if they find the standard look to be on the boring side.

Drivers who want something different may opt for a personalised registration to make their car stand out a little more. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for drivers to go too far with their custom and personalised number plates – which can be a cause of legal issues.

One particular style of personalised number plate you might be aware of is a darkened, or tinted number plate. Quite often, these darkened number plates will be sported by cars with various other customised aspects, such as tires or bodywork. Clearly drivers find these plates to be aesthetically pleasing – but are darkened or tinted number plates legal on UK roads?

The legality of darkened number plates

Darkened, tinted number plates – also known as smoked plates – used to be somewhat of a grey area in regards to whether or not they are road legal. A darkened number plate can cause problems as the tint makes them unclear, and less readable. This problem is made worse at night, or in any other circumstance where the lighting is poor.

Additionally, darkened number plates have even been used by irresponsible drivers to bypass speed cameras and traps, as again, their dark tint means cameras have a harder time reading the numbers.

Since September 1st 2021, however, this grey area is no more. At this point in time, the new British Standard BS AU 145e was introduced for UK number plates – shining a light on the laws surrounding darkened and tinted plates.

What the law says

As stated on GOV.UK, your vehicle’s number plates need to be made from a reflective material. They must display black characters on a white background for the front plate, and a yellow background for the rear plate. These characters can’t be removable or reflective, and must also be a single shade of black if they were fitted after September 1st 2021. The plate’s background cannot be patterned.

Each plate must also be marked to show who the supplier of the plate was, and needs to be marked with a British Standard number. For a number or registration plate that was fitted after September 1st 2021, this would be BS AU 145e.

Considering that any kind of darkening or tint applied to your vehicle’s number plates would go against this legislation, it’s safe to say that darkened plates are not road legal number plates. GOV.UK also states that your number plates need to show the registration number correctly, meaning the letters and numbers can’t be rearranged or changed to make them less easily read. If you drive with ‘incorrectly displayed plates’, you could receive up to a £1000 fine, and in addition, your vehicle won’t pass its MOT.

It’s worth bearing in mind that if you have a DVLA personalised registrations, or a private number plate, these rules still apply. Also, if your number plates are being obscured by dirt, or anything else that isn’t specifically design related, that still counts as being displayed incorrectly.

This is especially important to consider for people whose number plates have raised, 3D characters, as mud can build up between and in the corners of the characters. Aside from that, plates that have previously been made with 3D characters are legal as long as they abide by the rules – although new 3D or hi-line plates are no longer legal.

Avoid illegal number plate manufacturers

Various illegal manufacturers exist, making money by way of selling number plates featuring illegal tints, colours, fonts, and spacing. They get around the law by insisting they’re being sold as ‘show plates’ – that is, plates that aren’t intended to be used on the road, instead being just for show at an event for example.

However, this comes across as wilful ignorance on the manufacturers part. With them being readily available, drivers easily purchase these number plates and then go on to use them on the road. This is, as we keep emphasizing, illegal. Using them as show plates, however, is perfectly acceptable.

Using darkened show plates

Show plates are number or registration plates that are display only. This means that while show plates are not road legal, it’s fine to use them in other situations, such as at a car exhibit or event, or even if you just want to take some pictures of your vehicle.

If you’re at all interested in darkened plates, be sure to only ever use them as show plates. The same goes for any unconventional number plate design – show plates are a great way of expressing creativity and individuality in a format that is safe.

When it comes to show plates, anything is possible – they’re far more customisable than any private plate. There’s no limit to tints, colours, fonts, characters, and so on. Artwork and patterns are also fine to use on show plates, so by all means, go wild. Just remember – show plates are absolutely NOT road legal!

If you’re in need of some advice on what aspects of number plate customisation are legal, be sure to contact us here at New Reg. Our professional team of experts will be able to provide all the support you need to ensure your vehicle’s number plates are allowed on the road.

Aluminium number plates

UK aluminium number plates are durable, lightweight, and offer a classic, premium finish, but they must meet DVLA standards to be legally used on the road.

Motorists looking to show off their latest purchase of a personalised registration might be tempted to illuminate them with coloured lights. However, while this might look impressive on the road, it’s worth bearing in mind that this could result in a failed MOT test or a fine if you’re caught breaking the law by authorities. But is the use of blue number plate lights actually illegal?

Well, as a rule, blue lights are not permitted anywhere on standard vehicles in the UK as they are reserved instead for use by vehicles operated by the emergency services.

Are LED number plate lights legal?

Many new models of cars use LED lights to illuminate the registration plate, allowing it to be more easily read by the authorities and other motorists. However, ensuring the plate is well lit and legible isn’t the same as using LED lights for decorative purposes or to add style to a private plate.

Blue lights aren’t allowed to be used on standard road using vehicles as they’re employed by emergency vehicles. In order to avoid confusion, blue lights are to only be used by the likes of fire and rescue, police and ambulance services.

The rules governing lights on vehicles also state that blue flashing lights, or lighting that resembles such, must only be used by emergency vehicles. Even then, flashing lights should only be used during a state of emergency, or to indicate the vehicle’s presence or to warn of the presence of a road hazard.

Ambulances and vehicles with a medical doctor can also display flashing green and white lights when they are involved in a medical emergency.

The regulations governing number plates state they should only be illuminated by white lights at the front and red at the back of the car, and that they shouldn’t be positioned in any way that might distract other drivers. The exception to the coloured-light placement are reversing and indicator lights.

The blue and other coloured lights used by the emergency services are not only to make their presence known, but to ease their passage through traffic. On seeing the blue light flashing, other motorists are expected to give way and facilitate their journey.

Show plates

If you’ve been reading up on registrations, you may have come across the term ‘show plates’. As the name suggests, these are number plates created for display on vehicles when not used on UK roads. Whether they’re showing them off at home or at an event, or just taking photographs, drivers sometimes purchase show plates for their cars. As they aren’t being driven on the road, plates used by these vehicles are not subject to the compulsory regulations that govern registrations.

If you’d like to see what your personalised reg looks like lit up, this could be an ideal option to try out some number plate lights. Not only can LEDs of all colours be used on show plates, but you can use any font you wish and even add decorative patterns and personal motifs.

Colours legally used on number plates

Modern number plates used by cars in the UK must feature black characters on a white field at the front of the vehicle and black characters on a yellow background at the back. However, if you’re looking to add a touch of colour to your number plate you have the option to add one of the UK’s national flags. Drivers can choose from the red white and blue of the Union Jack, the red and white of the St. George’s Cross, the navy blue and white of the St. Andrew’s Cross of Scotland, or a red Welsh dragon standing on a field of green.

Whether an aluminium plate is legal for you to use on your car will depend on several factors, including when your vehicle was first registered and how old it is.

Pressed aluminium number plates

Aluminium number plates, sometimes known as “pressed plates”, are a style of registration featuring alphanumeric characters raised from the background. Unlike modern 3D-style plates – where the characters appear raised using a two-tone effect – the letters and digits on these pressed metal number plates are raised by the manufacturing process of pressing.

Aluminium plates and the law

There’s no doubt they look impressive, but are aluminium number plates legal? Aluminium-pressed number plates can make more of an impression on the road than the ubiquitous white and yellow acrylic registrations issued and used today. These stylish plates were once the standard issue type of registrations for cars to carry, but from March 2001, new guidelines were issued detailing how number plates must be displayed.

While these rules do not specifically say that a plate cannot be made of metal and must be manufactured from acrylic, they do state qualities not typical to aluminium. The British Standard (BS AU 145d) states number plates on UK cars must be crafted from reflective material and stipulates that the reflective treatment can’t be added to a plate that is made from material that isn’t inherently reflective. Pressed plates made from aluminium wouldn’t meet the approved standard.

Additionally, another standard laid down by the guidelines demands that the material a number plate is made of must have the capacity to retake its original shape if it’s bent. Metal number plates don’t have the flexibility to achieve this.

Due to these two requirements, pressed aluminium number plates are typically rendered illegal for modern vehicles. There may be options for thinner more flexible aluminium that is made reflectively available, but only purchase your registrations from number plate specialists like New Reg to be confident your car is road legal.

When is an aluminium number plate legal for your car?

Cars registered in the UK in 1972 and before were originally issued with pressed aluminium plates. Subsequently, this means that cars that fit into this category are considered ‘classic cars’ and can still use aluminium number plates today. It’s worth remembering though, that although they can be crafted from aluminium, they must still conform to all UK regulations for number plates at the time they were issued.

To ensure vehicles using these traditional silver and black aluminium number plates can still have their registrations read easily during day and night, the plates are treated, rendering them retroactively reflective.

Vehicles from before the 1950s can use white and black painted aluminium plates. This style of registration features a marginally different size for its letters.

Cast aluminium number plates are an even older style of registration. These plates can legally be carried if your vehicle was registered during or prior to the 1930s. These metal registrations were manufactured using molten aluminium. The characters of the registration were moulded into the same cast, producing a complete plate.

Classic cars with pressed plates

Cars that are over 40 years of age, and have not been substantially modified, are deemed ‘classic’ by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and because of this are given several perks. Among these benefits are no longer being required to undertake an annual MOT test, although the car must still be able to operate in a condition deemed roadworthy. They are also no longer required to pay road tax.

These classic cars also enjoy another benefit – they are legally entitled to display pressed metal plates with white or silver characters on a black background instead of the acrylic plates in white and yellow issued today. This exemption rule for cars older than 40 years annually continues each year on April 1.

UK Short Number plates

UK short number plates are designed to fit smaller or custom plate spaces, typically on imported or modified vehicles, but they must still comply with DVLA standards for character size, spacing, and reflectivity.