Are Acrylic Number Plates Legal?

With more and more number plate styles being released in the plate industry, it can be a confusing and overwhelming experience for first time buyers in the UK. Rest assured, here at DWDPLATES our priority is customer service, and you can be sure that we will provide you with the information you need. At the end of reading this blog, you will be a number plate expert! Acrylic Number Plates may seem like a confusing concept, for someone who has no knowledge on the facts around number plates in the UK.

In this blog, we will answer the question ‘Are Acrylic Number Plates Legal?’

In short, yes. Acrylic Number Plates are fully road legal and MOT compliant, as long as they’re manufactured correctly!

What Are Acrylic Number Plates?

Acrylic Plates, also known as 4D 3MM Number Plates, refer to a special type of custom number plate which features a special acrylic material, which is used to extrude number plate characters by a minimum of 3MM. Acrylic is a form of plastic, and it is also used in 3D Gel Number Plates and 5D Gel Plates. Acrylic Plates are in fact similar to 3D Plates in the way that they are manufactured. However, 4D Number Plates are manufactured using Sheet Acrylic. Here at DWDPLATES, we use Laser Cutters to extract required letters form this Acrylic.

Acrylic Lettering is used in number plates for the following reasons:

• Increased Visual Appeal
• Increased Durability and Strength
• Cheap & Easy Car Modification

4D Acrylic or Acrylic Number Plates can come in many styles, here are a few examples:

• 4D 3MM
• 4D 6MM
• 4D Gel
• 4D Glitter Gel
• 4D Gel Carbon
• 4D Krystal

Are Acrylic Plates illegal?

No, acrylic plates are not illegal, as long as they are manufactured by a trusted and registered number plate maker, like DWDPLATES. However, Show Plates or Off Road Plates are in fact illegal. Moreover, if plates are manufactured by a seller who is not DVLA registered, the plates are in fact illegal. These are the only instances where Acrylic Plates become illegal.

The stipulations of the number plate rulings are as follows…

The number plates on your vehicle must:

• Be marked with a British Standard number — this is ‘BS AU 145e’ for plates fitted after 1 September 2021
• Display black characters on a white background (front plate).
• Be made from a reflective material.
• Not have a background pattern
• Display black characters on a yellow background (rear plate).
• Be marked to show who supplied the number plate

If you are found to be displaying illegal number plates on any sort of vehicle on UK roads, you will be liable for fines. It’s the vehicle owner, and drivers responsibility to ensure that a vehicle is in road legal state. It’s important to be mindful that regulations can change at any given time. Although plate regulations may change, more often than not, if you have a plate that was manufactured and road legal at the time, it will remain road legal. Always be sure to check the latest guidance regarding number plating if you are going to invest in a new one. For example, the DVLA have recently updated their V750 Certificate of Entitlement and V778 Retention Documents, more on this can be found here.

What Are The Key Differences Between Acrylic Plates and 3D Gel Plates?

• Material: 3D Number Plates are manufactured from Polyurethane Resin which is a thermoplastic polymer, whereas 4D Plates or Acrylic Plates are manufactured using Sheet Acrylic, which is cut using top of the range laser cutters.
• Visual: 3D Number Plates are typically 3MM in depth and have rounded edges, with a gel like soft finish. Acrylic Plates come standard with 3MM depth, but are more of a hard cut, with sharper edges and a more bold look.
• Manufacturing: With both of these plate styles, DWDPLATES manufacture these by hand, in house. Characters are placed manually by our highly trained team, leaving you with an elite and elevated finish.
• Cost: In the interest of cutting costs, DWDPLATES have set the prices of both plates styles to start from £45 for a set, with free self adhesive sticky pads

Below, the difference between the plate styles are shown, there is no style that is better than the other! Plates highlight your personality, and are therefore based off opinion and preference!

4D Acrylic Number Plate

3D Gel Custom Number Plates

When purchasing a number plate, you will be asked for legal documentation to prove your identity and your rights to use a registration. If you are not asked, this should be a red flag and you should immediately avoid this seller. If you are found to be driving with illegal number plates, you can find yourself in trouble with a hefty fine to pay! Here is a list of the documents you may be asked to provide.

How Do I Order Acrylic Plates?

DWDPLATES make the process of ordering a number plate easy and seamless, the process is as follows:

1. Head to the DWDPLATES website.
2. Browse our various number plate styles, such as 3D Gel Plates & 5D Gel Plates. Select the plate style you want in our shop section.
3. Enter Your Registration in the box provided, your number plate will be manufactured to this exact specification.
4. Once selected, you are able to choose custom options, such as tinting, custom sizing and even legality options.
5. Select preferred optional accessories such as our Number Plate Key Rings and Number Plate Sticky Pads.
6. Check out using our trusted and secure payment methods. We offer PayPal, Credit Card, Debit Card & even Klarna!

In Summary:

• Acrylic Plates, also known as 4D Plates, are a popular style of custom number plates.
• Acrylic Plates are fully road legal & MOT compliant, as long as they are manufactured correctly.
• Both plate styles, 3D Gel and Acrylic, can be purchased directly from DWDPLATES.
• Although they seem similar, 3D Plates and 4D Plates are in fact very different, and it’s completely down to preference!