Short / Private Number Plates On The Fiesta

[2011fiesta]

Morning all,

Did a quick search on the forum but couldn't see anything on this.

I'm tempted to get a cheap private plate next month, the prefix style ones in the form of ' A1 ABC ' for example.

I want it to have standard legal font, letter size, spacing (+ post code/supplier), but would like the plates to be a little shorter as the licence number will be 2 characters less than my current 60 plate.

I take it as long as the things just mentioned are legal, the length of the plate doesn't matter?

Also if anyone has this already could you post a pic please.

I think the rear will look fine with a shorter plate, but might have to see what the front it like as the plastic bumper has a standard british size plate recess in it and could look... !Removed!. If it did look odd I wouldn't mind having a normal front one and a shorty on the rear.

Any pics / confirmation on this would be great. Thanks

Paul

[Mordey]

Hi Paul, 11mm Margins according to following website. But the Police will have there own views no doubt.

http://www.plates4less.co.uk/number-plates-FAQ/car-registrations-info/car-registrations-legalities.asp

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/176717.aspx

Also Wikepedia says that there is no legal size

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_the_United_Kingdom

[2011fiesta]

Thanks mordey.

So the people on that forum r saying don't get short ones, and Wikipedia is saying theres no legal plate size.

Hmm :-s

[Mark M.K]

Been looking at what the DVLA say about this, and it's not very clear. The DVLA state:

The British Standard for number plates

The British Standard sets out the physical characteristics of the number plate. This includes visibility, strength and reflectivity. The British Standard also requires each number plate to be permanently and legibly marked with the following information:

the British Standard number (currently BS AU 145d);

the name, trade mark or other means of identification of the manufacturer or component supplier; and

the name and postcode of the supplying outlet.

And this:

For vehicles with new or replacement number plates fitted from 1 September 2001, 3-line number plates are no longer permitted (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1 January 1973). In addition, the characters on number plates purchased from 1 September 2001, will need to meet the following specifications.

Character height 79mm

Character width (except the figure 1 or letter I) 50mm

Character stroke 14mm

Space between characters 11mm

Space between groups 33mm

Top, bottom and side margins (minimum) 11mm

Vertical space between groups 19mm

But it don't give any details about the plate size

EDIT:

Found out the UK legal size is 524mm x 112mm for a standard plate or 285mm x 203mm for a square plate

[Preee]

I got my plate from http://www.capeplates.co.uk/

Although 6 letters and quite cheap really , 5 letters will cost you more i paid £265 including £23 for the plates and style i wanted.

Not sure about the size requirements though , but letters can be a problem along with size of them.

When i brought the focus i had to get new plates as the holes were out , which was good as i added Focus Titanium and my first name on the bottom of them

[2011fiesta]

Cheers for the links and info Mark and Paul. Much appreciated.

I'm dissapointed to see the size 524mm x 112mm is worded as "UK legal size". I thought as long as there was a minimum of 11mm between the edge of the plate and the letters/numbers then the length didn't matter.

I only started to think about getting a A1 ABC format number plate so the rear one could be shortened. I'd want to be completely sure it was legal before purchasing as I don't want to be pulled over.

[Preee]

Remember now you can put emblems on both sides of the plate now as well as writing on the bottom and top which will make it appear smaller.

[2011fiesta]

Remember now you can put emblems on both sides of the plate now as well as writing on the bottom and top which will make it appear smaller.

Hmm, no Id want them plain and borderless for a cleaner look. Was even thinking about debadging too if I got a smaller plate, (but then again I quite like the Fiesta brand, and I'm also quite proud to have worked hard and got myself a Titanium lol, so not sure I could remove the spec badge either).

Ohwell, looks like the rear of my car isn't gonna change at all :( lol

[paulworthing]

As I now have a personal plate consisting of 6 characters I was thinking about, for the front plate at least, making it like a motorbikes rear plate with 3 characters over 3 characters. I guess as Alfa Romeo do it it can't be illegal . . . . or can it??

[2011fiesta]

I thought about a 2 line rear plate too as it would be squarer. I think American licence plates look better being a short rectangle rather than long like our British plates.

Be interested to see pics if u did get 3 over 3 rear plates...

[paulworthing]

Not sure I would do it on the rear as the indetation for the plate would make it look odd however one at the front, moved to one side mught work . . .

[HA06ZZA]

Make it short mate looks quility

[2011fiesta]

Heres a pic of a 2 line rear plate just to get an idea of how it looks paul.

(This is an American 2011 Fiesta that called into Pumaspeed while touring Europe from what I remember, hence having 'import' style plates fitted - couple more pics here ).

Is it just me or does the rear plate recease look larger and sharper than our euro's boot lid's. I think ours looks a little more rounded and shallower.

I still like the shorter 1 line idea.

[Chutney]

Heres a pic of a 2 line rear plate just to get an idea of how it looks paul.

(This is an American 2011 Fiesta that called into Pumaspeed while touring Europe from what I remember, hence having 'import' style plates fitted - couple more pics here ).

Is it just me or does the rear plate recease look larger and sharper than our euro's boot lid's. I think ours looks a little more rounded and shallower.

I still like the shorter 1 line idea.

Crikey that is just round the corner from me... Rarely does Wakey ever get photographed / spoken about.

[cyb]

Paul - I have a small plate on both the front and rear of my car with a 6 digit plate. I'll take some pictures and give you the size hopefully later to-day as I don't have any pictures of my car on here other than with the full sized plate. There is/was somewhere on the dvla site minimum dimensions for the plate (not the numbers etc) which i used and have never been stopped by the police.

[orcomma]

if you look at some jags and rover 75s they have plates sized to fit the weirdly shaped indentation for the registration number (non rectangle), so i reckon its legal. just my 2p tho..

[2011fiesta]

Paul - I have a small plate on both the front and rear of my car with a 6 digit plate. I'll take some pictures and give you the size hopefully later to-day as I don't have any pictures of my car on here other than with the full sized plate. There is/was somewhere on the dvla site minimum dimensions for the plate (not the numbers etc) which i used and have never been stopped by the police.

That'd be great cyb - thanks

[2011fiesta]

if you look at some jags and rover 75s they have plates sized to fit the weirdly shaped indentation for the registration number (non rectangle), so i reckon its legal. just my 2p tho..

The thing is they're usually larger than standard plates so I can't see that being an issue mate.

[cyb]

Paul, my plate is 38cm wide and I sized it to the regs that ‘were’ on the .gov site. As long as you have at least 11mm at each side and the letter spaces are at UK specs you should be ok.

But you might have a problem getting a plate made at this size (I did) so just make sure who ever makes your plate keeps the makers info centred and them trim off the edges with a sharp hacksaw, etc (I would recommend covering the plate in gaffer tape or simile so if you slip you don’t scratch the plate) then use a file to round off the edges.

Photo below of the front of my fez and I have the same size on the back. To show you I have been using plates this size for a while I owned the Astra for 3 years before buying the fez and have never has any problems with the police etc.

[2011fiesta]

YES! That is exactly what I had in mind, a short plate but still with legal margins around the characters.

I did see some short plates for 5 character licence numbers on eBay but I don't think they left legal sized margins at either side or top and bottom.

I'll probably do what you did and get normal plates with centred supplier details then cut them myself.

Thank you very much for the pics, it looks good. Don't suppose you could take a snap of the rear one, just next time you're at the boot with your phone to hand.....

Cheers Cyb, you've been a great help. :D

Paul

[cyb]

Don't suppose you could take a snap of the rear one, just next time you're at the boot with your phone to hand.....

:D

Paul

I took a picture just didn't want to use it as the car is mingin' (and I only cleaned it sunday :( )

so look quick before I remove it from my PB account :D ...

[HA06ZZA]

Where can I find a thicker one for the back such as the ones on range rovers

[2011fiesta]

Seen it. Thank you. Looks good. Is your rear plate not screwed on using those screw hole things?

[cyb]

Seen it. Thank you. Looks good. Is your rear plate not screwed on using those screw hole things?

nope, industrial strength double sided adhesive :)

[2011fiesta]

nope, industrial strength double sided adhesive :)

ahh.

Where can I find a thicker one for the back such as the ones on range rovers

Try here Harrison - http://www.demonplates.com/platebuilder.php - Click on the plate size tab, then " + MODEL SPECIFIC CAR PLATES ". (By clicking on each one you can see the size & shape of the plate).