Do you have an Imported Car with smaller Jap style Number Plates?? if so read on.

Caution it's a Very long story but If bored already or fall asleep easy then go straight to "BUT" from there it just long.

Department of Transport Regulation 14 governs the standards for UK Vehicle Number plates. Regulation 14A was a concession for Imported Vehicles that the standard long thin UK Plates didn't fit.

I always kept a print out from DVLA web site to show the Regulation 14A to Police who want to give me a fixed Penalty under Regulation 14 I had given my only copy to someone at Trax so went to get another copy off the DVLA web site. Well Reg. 14 is but not Reg. 14A!!!!!
See here http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/leaflets/v796.pdf

I spoke to the DVLA who said the site was recently updated and converted the form V796 into PDF format. I explained but only shows Reg 14 and not 14A as on the previous Form. I was then asked to contact DOT and request the Regulation 14A from them, which I did and have received it, not a problem you would think.

BUT

As I had asked for the form V796 to be amended to include Reg.14A as it was originally. The DVLA rang me back saying V796 form would not be amended to include 14A and the only way to get Reg.14A was by contacting the DOT. I kept pushing the person for an answer "WHY?" They finally said because 14A is no longer required because UK Plates will fit all Imports. So I asked "Will 14A soon be dropped from the regulations" the reply was "not yet" so "Evo" "Jap" style Plates may soon be illegal.

I have made a complaint to DOT basically saying hiding a regulation is not being open and honest. It also probably contravenes the Freedom Of Information Act section 16 and or Government Statutory codes of practice sections 45 & 46.

If you would like a copy of the Regulation 14A that is hid in a filing cabinet by the back stairs at the DOT please E-mail vehicles.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk with subject title Regulation 14A. If nobody Emails and requests Reg 14A the next stop for it is the Bin

Told you it was long!

Tony

 

Done

 

just changed the plates on my classic from import size to normal uk and they fit fine so i can see where the dvla are coming from. however i can sympathise as on some early import models of skyline etc, the uk plates do not fit as easily / well.

 

As you say more likely to effect Evo's and Skylines LOL

Agreed Standardizing Plates is really all about Police ANPR system, used to catch W*nkers without TAX and Insurance, which is a good thing

Tony

 

are they going to make land rover / genreal uk spec 4x4 and motorbikes change their square plates to the normal car type plates though? can't see that happening. guess evo's and general imports can always switch to those.

probably another money spinning thing by the government. but if it aids in stopping car crime and crime in general, as this anpr appears to be doing, then i'm all for it. watched a few traffic cop programmes lately and they seem to stop someone for no tax and end up with a nicking for all sorts of things.

 

Don't know what you're worrying about Tony - you're either normally going too fast for the recognition to kick in, or you're trying to run over coppers in the road

Dan

 

.

Dan LOL haven't had a Copper jump infront of me since Obviously they're learning RUN

Tony

 

Are Square plates illegal on the front then ?

I have a square on the Rear but was thinking of getting sqaure for the front also.

 

Also done.

 

Is this the reg that says you can have square plates if it inteferes with the performance of the car?? I know there is one stating that somewhere for the imports with FMIC's

 

You may have a 'square' registration plate if your imported vehicle has a non-standard apeture. It has nothing to do with performance; but you were kidding about that werent you...?

 

So thats a no then to a square plate on the front,no strange apetures here im afraid...... Booooooooo booooooooo

 

But..... If you have retained the original Japanese number plate carriers then that counts as non-standard.....

Simon

 

Bugger, the guy who i bought it off removed these, damn !!!!!!

 

After a lot of digging around on the Dept of Transport site, I think I've found the link to HMSO and then onto http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022687.htm

Print your own off, or order a printed one for £1.75 from HMSO.

 

that's my e-mail sent too

 

Well done Thats very handy but will assume will be deleted or amended

BTW GC8 is correct unable to fit UK, cosmetic or Performance issues are not applicable
Tony

 

Not wanting to start the conspiracy theories going, but if you look here http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...506867-02.hcsp and read the bit “Diagrams of the standard permitted numberplate layouts and requirements are shown in Appendix 7.”

Err it now only goes up to Appendix 6 as part 7 appears to have disappeared.

 

Odd that

 

Nearly 3am in the morning. Don't you go to bed Tony?

 

Got my email reply....

A quick search and I found...CLICKY

 

Also got mine, bit different to yours tho !

Thank you for your email.

The Road Vehicles ( Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) regulations 2002 SI no. 2687 came into force in November 2002.

These amendment regulations introduce a new regulation 14A, making special provision in relation to the size and spacing of characters in the registration mark of some imported vehicles. These regulations also include the display of motorcycle sizes number plates on imported vehicles. The provision only applies to vehicles imported into the UK which do not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval, and are so constructed, that the area available for the fixing of the registration plate precludes the display on the plate of a registration mark in conformity with the requirements of regulation 14.

Also contained is an amendment to regulation 3, to prohibit the use of a number plate on which the background is patterned or textured, or gives that appearance.

Where a vehicle has been allocated a UK registration mark, the number plate must comply with the specification and standards laid out in the Road Vehicles ( Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, as amended. Certain imported vehicles may be permitted to display numberplates with smaller characters if:

the vehicle does not have European Community Vehicle Type Approval and

the vehicle's construction/design cannot accommodate standard size numberplates

The dimensions for the smaller sized plate are:

each character in the registration mark must be 64mm high

the width of each character of the mark, other than the letter 'I' and the figure '1' must be 44mm

the width of every part of the stroke forming a character in a mark must be 10mm

the spacing between any two characters within a group must be 10mm

the vertical spacing between groups of characters must be 5mm

the width of a margin between the mark and the top and lateral sides of the numberplate must be not less than 5mm

the space between the bottom of the mark and the bottom of the plate must be not less than 13mm, but within that space, the space between the bottom of the mark and the top of the name and postcode of the person the plate was supplied must be not less than 5mm.

I hope that this information has clarified matters for you.

Regards

David S Evans
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring

 

So do these alterration to Reg14A make the Plate made Prior the ammendments illegal??
As the was no mention of "Groups" or Name of Plate supplier in original Regs for Imports.

Tony

 

Its usual practice for plates that werre legal when manufactured to remain so. Replacements must conform to current legislation though. That said, plates that were perfectly legal before the '01 regulations came into force still seem to attract the Police's attention, despite being perfectly legal.....