Are 3D Gel Number Plates Legal?

06 Jan

With 3D Number Plates gaining more traction than ever, have you found yourself wondering or googling, ‘are 3D Number Plates Legal in the UK?’ This article delves in to the world of Custom Numbers Plates. It will highlight the legalities of 3D Plates, shedding some light on the rules, regulations and considerations that drivers should be aware of.

This blog post will highlight all information regarding the common question, Are 3D Plates Legal in the UK?

With the recent increase of Private Plate popularity, and over 6 Million Personalised Plates distributed by the DVLA in recent years. Thousands of motorists have turned to DWDPLATES to add a personal touch to their recently purchased Private Number Plate or even to introduce a new style to their existing Private Registrations. The attraction of 3D Number Plates is a common one, emphasising the dimensional appearance surpassing that of a standard number plate.

What is a 3D Number Plate?

As we’ve previously discussed in our What Is The Difference Between 3D Plates And 4D Number Plates? blog post, 3D Plates are an impactful and new way of improving your vehicles standard 2D Flat Plates. 3D Number Plates are manufactured and created by applying an industrially recognized, long-lasting resin on top of 3D Gel Plate Letters. 3D Plates have a distinctive raised character profile utilizing the BNMA recognized Charles Wright font. If you’re wondering what 3D letters are manufactured with, they are made from Polyurethane Resin which is a thermoplastic polymer. All of the above, leaves an extruded and durable 3D Character which is more durable than a standard plate, this character typically extrudes by around 3MM depending on the manufacturer. Here is a summarized list of what a 3D Plate can entail.

High Quality Gel Characters – Available in Glitter, Carbon, Galaxy or Black Finishes
High durability and increased aesthetics
Available in an MOT Friendly & Legal Format or Show Plate Format
Available in different sizes, such as 18 Inch, 16 Inch & 13 Inch Plates.
Available in different shades, such as tinted options.

3D Numbers are also commonly available in Show plate format. These designs are not road legal but are used for promotions, shows, and events. DWDPLATES always make it super clear which options are permitted so that you do not run into legality issues down the line.

3D Number Plates – Are They Road Legal?

In short, to avoid any confusion, 3D Plates are 100% Road Legal and MOT Friendly, as long as they’re compliant with rules from the DVLA.

During 2021, the DVLA released new information and updated rules regarding 3D Plates, and all custom plate styles. In order to avoid confusion between motorists, the DVLA created clear, and concise outlines that improve road safety, avoid illegal number plate activities and provide guidance to UK drivers and motorists. Regulations have since helped the industry growth, with the industry now at a soaring worth of £2 billion in the UK alone.

DWDPLATES are a DVLA registered manufacturer, maker, and distributer of all custom number plates, whether it’s a 3D no plate, a 4D no plate or even a 2D standard plate. We have studied these regulations for hours, and have dealt with plates for years. Here is a list of regulations and rules a number plate must follow in order to adhere to the DVLA rules:

The conditions a plate must meet in order to be road legal are:

Be made from a reflective material – for the purpose of road safety.
Black display characters on a white background (Front Plate)
Black display characters on a yellow background (Rear Plate)
Not have a background pattern – so as not to distort the readability of your plate.
Be marked to show who supplied the number plate – to assist with thefts and sourcing queries.
Be marked with a British Standard Number – this is ‘BS AU 145e’ for plates fitted after 1-SEP-2021
The characters must not be removable or reflective. If the plates are made after 1-SEP-2021 they must also be a single shade of black.

Your Number Plates Can:

Have 3D (raised characters)
Have a Short Acrylic/Backing i.e. 13 Inch, 16 Inch
Display certain flags, symbols and identifiers
Display a green sticker if you have a zero-emissions vehicle

In addition to the release of new standards and regulations in September 2021, DVLA also released more rules to clear up any confusion, in March 2022. These amendments and updates to the number plate industry, further reflect on legal requirements but also have been released to ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and safer on our UK roads.

These rules mean that all custom number plates, including 3D and 4D designs, must be:

Additionally toughened and durable to ensure they can withstand accidents, whether small or large.
Only single in colour, as two tones have been proven to cause issues when dealing with ANPR cameras and different conditions.

It’s important to note that even once all of the above conditions are followed, number plates must also display a location identifier, and a regulation code. The current up to date regulation code is BS AU 145e, and the previous regulation code is BS AU 145d. If, and only when the above conditions are met, your number plates are fully road legal and MOT compliant in the UK. Always ensure you are shopping with a trusted and registered company such as DWDPLATES.

Will a 3D Plates or 4D Number Plates Pass an MOT?

As a DVLA registered Number Plate manufacturer, DWDPLATES can confirm, yes. Custom 3D Plates or 4D Plates will indeed pass an MOT. Ministry of Transport checks or MOT’s are designed to ensure UK vehicles are road-worthy and safe to drive, so it’s important to ensure that you are on the right side of the law. Number Plates can cause a failed MOT in the following conditions:

The number is not secured, and is not durable in a way that it can become loose in the event of an accident or during normal driving conditions
Characters on the number plate are either missing or illegible due to dirt, modifications or any other reasons, in accordance with the rules by the DVLA
The wrong registration details are showing, or incorrect letters are displayed.

It is entirely your responsibility to carry out due dilligence when it comes to your vehicles number plates. If your number plate is deemed and found to be illegal or not road worthy, not only are you liable to receive a fine of up to £1000, but your vehicle will also fail its MOT meaning it will not be road worthy or allowed to be used at all until the issue has been resolved.

In Summary:

3D Custom Number Plates are 100% Road Legal & MOT Compliant (If manufactured correctly)
3D No Plates can feature customizations such as custom sizing, and custom characters
3D Number Plates will pass an MOT as long as they’re purchased from a trusted DVLA registered company
Always carry out due dilligence as it’s your responsibility to display legal number plates.