A few of us on the forum got our plates from here - UK Metal Plates - high quality, road-legal, metal number plates
Where do you get your Pressed-Metal Numberplates from?
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Anyone have aluminum pressed numberplates on their Van?
Please send pics
Any issues with police?
Please send pics
Any issues with police?
As long as they comply with UK regulations no problem at all
My MOT garage advised my pressed plates were not compliant due to the material not being reflective enough. Had to change them.
Personally, I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about...
Personally, I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about...
Edit ////// Google AI suggests he was right, my bad
I bought mine from ukmetalplates.com - who confirm they are Legal:
Are your metal number plates really legal?
We guarantee that our metal number plates are 100% road-legal. They possess the highly debated retro-reflectivity property and therefore can be read clearly by flashing speed cameras. Our plates also contain our DVLA-registered postcode and BS AU 145e mark, although they are applied user laser technology to make them less obtrusive.
Good quality plates, look really smart, no MOT issues to-date - hope not cursed myself for next week's MOT lol!
Much appreciated guys. Pressed plates it is!
Next question.. stick on or bolt on?
Next question.. stick on or bolt on?
Couldn't bring myself to drill them. UK Metal Plates provided sticky pads but I used a roll of Tiger Tape and lots of isopropyl alcohol. Seems to have worked well!
I also used UK Metal Plates (I couldn't bring myself to drill them either!), very well made and fully compliant with the regs - been through a few MOTs with no issues and my tester was super diligent, failing my van for not having a rear view mirror even though I wouldn't be able to see anything!!
Diligent v thick…where’s that line again?!!
From Platemaster website. ……..
These are generally used for style purposes, with lots of road users preferring them over standard UK number plates. But are they legal?
Let's take a look.
DVLA guidelines and pressed number plates law states that the plates must be made of a reflective material, but not made to look reflective after production. The guidelines state that the material used must also be flexible but hard wearing, maintaining their original shape should there be light damage or bending of the plate.
Aluminium, and all other metals that can be used for press number plates in the UK, do not follow these guidelines. They do not maintain their shape if bent, and are not comprised of the necessary material stated in DVLA guidelines.
Pressed number plates are therefore illegal on vehicles registered after March 21st, 2001.
But what about classic, or vintage vehicles? Pre-2021, the rolling tax 40 year exemption rule set out that any vehicle registered on or before 1972 qualified as a vintage vehicle. These vintage vehicles originally came with aluminium registrations which had black backgrounds and white or silver characters, otherwise known as pressed number plates, meaning that pressed number plates were allowed.
This rule has now changed, and since January 1st, 2021, the age of the vehicle must be 1980 or older to qualify for vintage status and therefore be allowed to display metal number plates.
This means that any vehicle registered before 1980 is permitted to display pressed number plates, and this includes vehicles registered prior to 1950, too.
To summarise and answer the question of whether pressed number plates are legal. The answer is: it depends.
If your vehicle was registered before 1980, it is classed as a classic or vintage car which means you can display pressed, black and white or black and silver number plates.
If your vehicle was registered after 1980 however, pressed number plates are not legal in the UK.
What are Pressed Number Plates?
Pressed number plates in the UK are number plates comprised of metal, usually aluminium. They are made up of a different material to the acrylics used on modern vehicles, and have the characters that make up the registration itself raised off the background of the plate.These are generally used for style purposes, with lots of road users preferring them over standard UK number plates. But are they legal?
Let's take a look.
Are Pressed Number Plates Legal in the UK?
Pressed number plates are legal in the UK, but only if the vehicle you're putting them on is of a certain age. Any vehicle registered after March 21st, 2001, must utilise the material of British Standard BS AU 145d. This is set to change in 2021 to British Standard BS AU 145e, a more durable material which will be standard from this day onwards.DVLA guidelines and pressed number plates law states that the plates must be made of a reflective material, but not made to look reflective after production. The guidelines state that the material used must also be flexible but hard wearing, maintaining their original shape should there be light damage or bending of the plate.
Aluminium, and all other metals that can be used for press number plates in the UK, do not follow these guidelines. They do not maintain their shape if bent, and are not comprised of the necessary material stated in DVLA guidelines.
Pressed number plates are therefore illegal on vehicles registered after March 21st, 2001.
But what about classic, or vintage vehicles? Pre-2021, the rolling tax 40 year exemption rule set out that any vehicle registered on or before 1972 qualified as a vintage vehicle. These vintage vehicles originally came with aluminium registrations which had black backgrounds and white or silver characters, otherwise known as pressed number plates, meaning that pressed number plates were allowed.
This rule has now changed, and since January 1st, 2021, the age of the vehicle must be 1980 or older to qualify for vintage status and therefore be allowed to display metal number plates.
This means that any vehicle registered before 1980 is permitted to display pressed number plates, and this includes vehicles registered prior to 1950, too.
To summarise and answer the question of whether pressed number plates are legal. The answer is: it depends.
If your vehicle was registered before 1980, it is classed as a classic or vintage car which means you can display pressed, black and white or black and silver number plates.
If your vehicle was registered after 1980 however, pressed number plates are not legal in the UK.
Thick definitely, and grounds for an appeal. Assuming that the van in question is a commercial.
MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles - 3. Visibility - Guidance - GOV.UK
Field of vision, bonnet catches, condition of the glass, the view to the rear, windscreen wipers and windscreen washer rules and inspection for car and passenger vehicle MOT tests.
From UK Metal Plates
Are your metal number plates really legal?
We guarantee that our metal number plates are 100% road-legal. They possess the highly debated retro-reflectivity property and therefore can be read clearly by flashing speed cameras. Our plates also contain our DVLA-registered postcode and BS AU 145e mark, although they are applied user laser technology to make them less obtrusive.
Seems to suggest their plate material qualifies for BS AU 145e
Are your metal number plates really legal?
We guarantee that our metal number plates are 100% road-legal. They possess the highly debated retro-reflectivity property and therefore can be read clearly by flashing speed cameras. Our plates also contain our DVLA-registered postcode and BS AU 145e mark, although they are applied user laser technology to make them less obtrusive.
Seems to suggest their plate material qualifies for BS AU 145e
Guidelines from DVLA here - Displaying number plates it's all about correct letter spacing and reflective material, nothing about it being illegal for vehicles after March 2021, the article above from Platemaster is not correct - unless it's purely referring to classic black and white plates. My white front and yellow rear pressed metal plates carry the DVLA-registered postcode and BS AU 145e (the requirement since 2021). Spacing, font and reflective material is all 100% legit. You cannot have those tacky carbon or grey letters etc. they must be black and no background patterns on the plates
Just don’t press to hard on the plates when using stickies otherwise you’ll crease them like this plonker did
I finally got round to fitting my personal registration this week after 4 years of ownership, I bought the metal plates when I bought the van, they are BS AU 145d standard, but my understanding is if the plates were purchased before the change to BS AU 145e standard I am ok, but I could be wrong!
I had a bad experience with a private plate years ago, I had a dodgey font so it was self inflicted but I found a set of car keys in a car park next to the car they belonged too around 9ish at night, I picked them up to take them to the police station but saw a radar gun copper on the roadside with his mate in another car park, so I pulled in and explained the situation, got a pat on the back for the keys and a fine for the number plate.
I had a bad experience with a private plate years ago, I had a dodgey font so it was self inflicted but I found a set of car keys in a car park next to the car they belonged too around 9ish at night, I picked them up to take them to the police station but saw a radar gun copper on the roadside with his mate in another car park, so I pulled in and explained the situation, got a pat on the back for the keys and a fine for the number plate.
