JCScooby

If your number plate is sitting inside the windscreen, is it illegal? (or at least to a very pi**ed off copper)

chrisp

They are strict regulations on where to fit numberplates, height from the road and position on the car. I seriously doubt behind a windscreen is legal

stockcar

might as well not be there from a legal point of view.......................

a1oku

highly illegal. strict laws regarding location of,illumination of plates and as we all know the size and font of the letters and numbers.also rules regarding the spacing of letters and the color of the backgrounds depending upon the age of the car and whether its a rear or front plate.beware!!!

SimonGawthorpe

Agree with all the above. Position, illumination etc are all important.

Windscreen is illegal.

Si

MTR

The Citroen SM has the front plate mounted behind a perspex panel in the front bumper. And its legal.
See here http://www.semantics.uk.com/gallery/...per/sm01-s.jpg

And current single decker buses have the rear plate mounted inside the rear of the vehicle behind a glass panel. And these are also legal.

Have a read of this. Part 2 defines the placing and illumination of registration marks.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ads_506805.pdf

The regulations state that as long as the front and rear registration mark can be seen in normal daylight from defined angles and distances then its OK.

Wether you could use this if a case was brought against you, Is your descision.


Cheers
MTR

a1oku

both number plates need to be adequately illuminated at night.of course some vehicles are approved under the vehicle construction regs to have slightly different plates,,,,square plates etc but they must abide by all the other standards and sticking a plate in your front wimdow dont meet the standard.

MTR

a1oku,
The front number plate does not require illuminating at night.
Look at the cars on the road in the UK.
I doubt you will find ANY with 'illuminated' ie with dedicated bulbs for that purpose, front number plates.

The rear plate however, does require illuminating,
quote:

Illumination of marks at night
8. - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), a vehicle shall not be used on a road between sunset and
sunrise unless the registration mark displayed on the REAR of -
(a) the vehicle, or
(b) if the vehicle is drawing a trailer, the trailer or, as the case may be, the rearmost trailer, is illuminated so it is easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having a diagonal length -
(i) in the case of a motor cycle, of 15 metres, and
(ii) in any other case, of 18 metres.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to -
(a) a works truck,
(b) a road roller, or
(c) an agricultural machine.

end of quote.

As for positioning,
Quote:

Placing of marks: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
4. - (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and
agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.
(2) The registration mark of a vehicle to which this regulation applies must be fixed and displayed -
(a) in a vertical position or, where that is not possible, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably possible.
(b) except as provided in paragraph (3), on both the front and back of the vehicle so that in normal daylight the characters are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having a diagonal length of 22 metres except any part of the area lying within 3 metres of the vehicle.

end of quote.

I think a numberplate inside the windscreen will almost certainly comply with the road traffic act ruling above.

If you know some other legal requirement re number plate positioning and illuminating, please enlighten me (pardon the pun).

A statement that 'its illegal' doesn't really convey a great deal.

Is this just your opinion? Where is this 'rule' written down?

I will concede that it would probably create more hassle than its worth, from the Police, to mount the plate as suggested, but it 'probably' isn't illegal.

But i wouldn't want to be the one to be a 'test case'.
I can't afford expensive barristers.

P.S my quotes are from a consulatation draft of the road traffic act 1999.

Cheers
MTR

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

So test the thoery and let us know.

F

MTR

MTR

a1oku

agree about the illumination of front plate....typo!!!have a look at the dept of transport page,very detailed and dvla pages.construction and use regulations are also on line.bottom line is that front plate should be clearly visible in daylight.regs cover the dimensions of plate,what material it can be made from,the background colours and font size,style and colours.dont know what you mean by placing your plate in the front windscreen???i would have thought a jobsworth copper would jump at the chance of pulling you and even if the plate was ok,hed have a good old general sniff around your car!!!

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

I didn't aim the comment at you MTR...

F

MTR

Floyd,
My mistake.
I thought you were of the opinion I approved of the idea of putting the plate inside the screen.
I don't.

But if someone was trying to defend themselves against a charge, then the info I have posted might help.

The one point nobody has yet mentioned, and would be staring them in the face, literally, is that if the plate was mounted inside the car, then it would cover some of the area of the screen swept by the windscreen wipers.
That in itself would make it fail an MOT, and I am pretty sure is illegal.

So you would end up breaking a different law!!!

Cheers
MTR