Standard Number Plates

The standard number plate size in the UK is 520 x 111mm.

The only cars exempt from these rules are the state vehicles used by the monarch. State Royal Review Vehicles are not required to have British standard number plates, or number plates of any description.

So, unless you are King Charles himself, here are the regulations that determine a standard number plate:

Standard Plates after 1973 (but before 2021)

• Solid black numbers and letters
• Made of reflective material
• Solid white background on the front number plate
• Solid yellow background on the back number plate

Standard Plates from September 2021

While the rules above still apply,  more regulations have been added through the New British Standard number plates via the 145e statutory instrument/law. These are aimed to define the stipulations for standard number plates regarding strength, reflectivity and visibility. Plates issued after 2021 must follow the following rules:

• No two-tone effect can be used, only solid black digits
• The centre bottom must display the standard plate supplier’s details
• Manufacturer’s mark in the bottom right corner
• Adequate spacing around the registration for readability (see our Guide to UK Number Plate Spacing for more information)
• An optional border may be used
• Optional flag can be displayed on the left

If you have any questions concerning the new regulations or getting a private number plate, please do not hesitate to contact us.