Import plates on non import


Nikster199

Nikster199

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Joined
Aug 16, 2014
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hi I'm thinking of getting import plates for my ej9, I did see the other thread about import cars but I'm still not sure if they will be legal. I did try looking on a few other websites but I found a lot of conflicting advice. Would it be worth the £30 or will I just be wasting my time and get in trouble with the police over it?
 
Technically speaking they are not legal, however I'm yet to hear from anyone I PERSONALLY know that they had an issue. Just know that it is one more thing they can do you for if you do something stupid. As for whether they are worth it? Not in my eyes, not even on a EK9 let alone a non-import.... Put the £30 in the tank and go for a drive.
 
oifovo said:
Technically speaking they are not legal, however I'm yet to hear from anyone I PERSONALLY know that they had an issue. Just know that it is one more thing they can do you for if you do something stupid. As for whether they are worth it? Not in my eyes, not even on a EK9 let alone a non-import.... Put the £30 in the tank and go for a drive.
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That's a fair point, I just think the import style plates look neater than the standard ones :)
 
I don't get this import plate obsession people have. It's not a style, it's a plate that import cars have because they don't have the right mounting space for a UK plate. Surely it can't be worth the hassle if you catch the police in a bad mood. I think the issue is the text is smaller than the legal Uk text due to the size of an import plate.
 
nicole_ said:
I don't get this import plate obsession people have. It's not a style, it's a plate that import cars have because they don't have the right mounting space for a UK plate. Surely it can't be worth the hassle if you catch the police in a bad mood. I think the issue is the text is smaller than the legal Uk text due to the size of an import plate.
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The EK9 has plenty of room for an European plate, same for all imported EK's. Its just tabs there that really don't affect space at all.

As for the EG's, the plate is restricted and you can't possibly fit an European plate, so that's the only exception.

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In Ireland, its not illegal to have 'square' plates. There are certain dimensions it has to be, and the font has to be a certain size too.
 
zPandamoniumZz said:
The EK9 has plenty of room for an European plate, same for all imported EK's. Its just tabs there that really don't affect space at all.

As for the EG's, the plate is restricted and you can't possibly fit an European plate, so that's the only exception.

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In Ireland, its not illegal to have 'square' plates. There are certain dimensions it has to be, and the font has to be a certain size too.
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There are more imports than an ek9 and an eg...
they're allowed in the uk in import size as 'many' imports don't have the space and the design of the car itself is to accommodate a jap plate, take the dc5 - a uk plate just wouldn't work on the front, evos have a recess for an import plate etc. UK cars aren't technically 'legally' meant to run them because they don't need to and their the wrong don't size, some imports don't have much choice
 
nicole_ said:
I don't get this import plate obsession people have. It's not a style, it's a plate that import cars have because they don't have the right mounting space for a UK plate. Surely it can't be worth the hassle if you catch the police in a bad mood. I think the issue is the text is smaller than the legal Uk text due to the size of an import plate.
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Haha I know what you me about the obsession I overheard someone ordering import plates in halfords for a Ford Fiesta, but I just think the import plate makes the front look cleaner or even square plates :/
 
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zPandamoniumZz said:
The EK9 has plenty of room for an European plate, same for all imported EK's. Its just tabs there that really don't affect space at all.

As for the EG's, the plate is restricted and you can't possibly fit an European plate, so that's the only exception.

0020025.jpg


In Ireland, its not illegal to have 'square' plates. There are certain dimensions it has to be, and the font has to be a certain size too.
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So are square plates legal in the uk on any car cause a few cars like land rovers have them on the rear?
 
nicole_ said:
There are more imports than an ek9 and an eg...
they're allowed in the uk in import size as 'many' imports don't have the space and the design of the car itself is to accommodate a jap plate, take the dc5 - a uk plate just wouldn't work on the front, evos have a recess for an import plate etc. UK cars aren't technically 'legally' meant to run them because they don't need to and their the wrong don't size, some imports don't have much choice
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Just using them as an example :p I know plenty of cars that can't use Euro size plates, but there's no need to make a whole list like.

You're roughly saying the same thing I said :p

Here's another example...

IMG_4208_copy.jpg
 
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Nikster199 said:
So are square plates legal in the uk on any car cause a few cars like land rovers have them on the rear?
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Depends what Land Rover you're referring to. Some have the spare wheel on the boot, so a square plate is necessary.

As @oifovo already said, no. They're illegal. They can only be used in special cases, as me and @nicole_ have already pointed out.

I know a few lads who run them and they've got on fine. No trouble. Completely up to you.
 
zPandamoniumZz said:
Depends what Land Rover you're referring to. Some have the spare wheel on the boot, so a square plate is necessary.

As @oifovo already said, no. They're illegal. They can only be used in special cases, as me and @nicole_ have already pointed out.

I know a few lads who run them and they've got on fine. No trouble. Completely up to you.
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Yeah I thought so my dads old freelander had a square plate and most newer ones do
Like you said I know most cars that are imported have to run import plates, but I just thought it would be best to check before I wasted money on plates. I know quite a few people running 'pressed' plates on 2002+ euro cars without any problems from police so far (and these plates don't even have any legal markings at the bottom)
 
Nikster199 said:
Yeah I thought so my dads old freelander had a square plate and most newer ones do
Like you said I know most cars that are imported have to run import plates, but I just thought it would be best to check before I wasted money on plates. I know quite a few people running 'pressed' plates on 2002+ euro cars without any problems from police so far (and these plates don't even have any legal markings at the bottom)
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Does the MOT not check? Over here, they're strict about the font rather than the size of the actual plate.
 
Square plates are fine, providing they are of appropriate size! This is the official view of the DVLA on import number plates:

Where a vehicle has been allocated a UK registration number, the number plate must comply with the specification and standards laid out in the Road Vehicles ( Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, as amended. Certain imported vehicles may be permitted to display number plates with smaller characters if the vehicle does not have European Community Vehicle Type Approval and the vehicle's construction/design cannot accommodate standard size number plates.

(source: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showth...Sizes-For-Import-Number-Plates-DVLA-Confirmed)

Also, following paragraph might be of your interest:

Vehicles with illegally displayed number plates may FAIL the MoT test. The police can also issue fixed penalty fines for illegally displayed number plates. Offenders are liable to a MAXIMUM FINE of £1,000 and in some cases the mark may be withdrawn.

(source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/207546/V796.pdf)
 
oifovo said:
Square plates are fine, providing they are of appropriate size! This is the official view of the DVLA on import number plates:

Where a vehicle has been allocated a UK registration number, the number plate must comply with the specification and standards laid out in the Road Vehicles ( Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, as amended. Certain imported vehicles may be permitted to display number plates with smaller characters if the vehicle does not have European Community Vehicle Type Approval and the vehicle's construction/design cannot accommodate standard size number plates.

(source: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showth...Sizes-For-Import-Number-Plates-DVLA-Confirmed)

Also, following paragraph might be of your interest:

Vehicles with illegally displayed number plates may FAIL the MoT test. The police can also issue fixed penalty fines for illegally displayed number plates. Offenders are liable to a MAXIMUM FINE of £1,000 and in some cases the mark may be withdrawn.

(source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/207546/V796.pdf)
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So the big square motorcycle type of plates are fine then? Cause I don't mind the rear one but I think the front will look a lot cleaner with a square/import plate

I did read that yesterday and I was a bit confused, since my car is a 1999 does that mean I don't need they legal markings at the bottom of the plate (like show style plates) or is that just for the plates that came as standard when u get the and all new plates (made after 2001) need the legal markings ?
 

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zPandamoniumZz said:
Does the MOT not check? Over here, they're strict about the font rather than the size of the actual plate.
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They only put them on in November and none of them have had an mot yet although some of them have been pulled a few times cause there cars are lowered but the cops didn't notice the plates. But I know at least 2 of them have a 'friend' that does MOTs
 
All new plates will have the markings regardless of when the car was made I believe. I've just had a set of plates made for our 1998 Vitara after I lost the front plate in the river and they do have markings at the bottom but you really can't see them. You cannot have motorcycle plates as those are smaller, however you can have what's usually referred to as 4X4 plates. The font on those is identical to standard plates but there are two lines instead of one and the plate is hence square. I'm not sure they'd fit particularly well on a Civic, in fact I doubt they'd fit at all at the back.
 
oifovo said:
All new plates will have the markings regardless of when the car was made I believe. I've just had a set of plates made for our 1998 Vitara after I lost the front plate in the river and they do have markings at the bottom but you really can't see them. You cannot have motorcycle plates as those are smaller, however you can have what's usually referred to as 4X4 plates. The font on those is identical to standard plates but there are two lines instead of one and the plate is hence square. I'm not sure they'd fit particularly well on a Civic, in fact I doubt they'd fit at all at the back.
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I just checked the faq on demonplates and they say there plates come with the legal markings a few other sites had the option of non legal show plates that just had the reg.
I'll have to get a tape measure out and check size wise(may make a template out of card to see what it would looks like), like I said I'm not too worried about the rear plate it's just the front plate and the mount I just think it would look neater with a smaller (length wise) plate especially once I get around to putting on my coilovers and get a splitter and grill
 
Get a piece of cardboard, cut out the dimensions of a standard square plate (11'' x 8'' I believe) and see what it's gonna look like.
 
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