Displaying number plates
Overview
Number plates (also known as licence plates) must show your registration number correctly. You cannot rearrange letters or numbers, or alter them so that they’re hard to read.
You could be fined up to £1,000 and your vehicle will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
The current vehicle registration number format was introduced in 2001. It consists of:
- 2 letters (these refer to the region in the country where your vehicle was first registered)
- 2 numbers (these tell you when it was issued)
- 3 letters chosen at random
You can get theft-resistant number plates - these make it harder for someone to remove them from your vehicle quickly and reuse them. Ask your local car dealer or registered number plate supplier for more information.
You can also get personalised number plates.