135 replies to this topic

[2009poolesparky]

lol ive done this on all the minis ive had over the years, never been pulled for it but then thats just pot luck i guess, i think they look much better i think they only get you because they are not reflective, maybe someone makes a plastic black and silver set that is also reflective??

[Dan]

  It's not just the reflective properties, they are completely illegal.  Font, spacing, size, border, material, colour and reflective quality are all defined in the legal standard.

 

 

 I always thought it was from 'M' plates onwards and when I bought my early '73 Innocenti it had, and still has, black & white plates. Even though I now know it's from 1st Jan '73 that reflective plates are needed I've never bothered changing them

 

​  The law changed within the last few years.  There used to be all sorts of different dates and laws which didn't line up with each other because they were from different origins.  You are right in that until recently you could display black and silvers up to a certain reg date, but also there were other odd things.  There was a list of specific models of car that were allowed a body mounted plate such as the E-type and Lotus 7 (Mini was not on the list incidentally!).  There was a list of specific models that were allowed internally lit plates.  There was a list of models that were allowed 3-line plates such as Land Rovers.  There were different dates permitted for rivet on ally letters, stick on plastic ones and one-piece plates.  All sorts of rubbish that was almost impossible to keep track of.  A couple of years ago they swept it all away and adjusted all the dates to line up with the historic registration, so maybe soon they will advance the black and silver plates on to 1974 too, but it might take some time.  All the other permissions are now basically given free range across all models as long as they are historic I think, but internally lit plates became illegal outright and you will find it almost impossible to get someone to make you a 3 line number plate!  Also on non-historic cars any new plates fitted must be to the current standard, 3D letters (actually they might have relaxed the rule on one type of these I think), pressed ally, anything else is banned.

 

 I've been slated in another thread somewhere fir this very reason, because some young member dug up a very old thread where I had pointed out some laws which were current when I wrote them out.  By the time the new member got involved in the thread the law had changed and he was too wound up to accept that things change, he just thought the laws he knew about had always been the case.  Things change, so as I said they might advance the date again now the historic date is moving but nothing has changed yet.

 

 Incidentally Cooperman, since the plates on your Inno were legal at the time they were fitted, you technically only have to change them to reflective ones if they break and need to be replaced I believe.

Edited by Dan, 11 January 2014 - 11:56 AM.

[Kmonski]

I'm also lucky regarding not being caught. I drive a 96 mini. Even had a police officer compliment my car in sainsbury car park the other week!

[Jayme 1275]

I run 1 on only the front of mine, I stuck it to an old plate I had lying around. 

 

1 sticky in the middle and two on the edges, run 2 big cable ties between them and then cable tied it to the plate mounted on the car. 

 

its mounted high enough to the bumper that you cant see how ive done it and means you can switch between Normal plates and black/silver plate. 

 

Over the summer I use my mini almost as a daily, Have been stopped at police checkpoints to check tax and mot and nothing has been said. 

 

Im also very careful as where i live has the strictest traffic branch i know of. I once got finned for number plates when drivng my mums car because the font was 3mm to small, have also been stopped for R plates back in the day (Bit like P plates i think) for not having them mounted the correct way although they where clearly visible from far behind. 

 

If im going lapping around the town late at night on weekends i just clip the cable ties and take it for just to save any problems, the rest of the time i leave them on. 

[minimissions]

I have never had any problems with these either, I think if maybe if you had a x plate cooper sport or something like then it looks more obvious but again got mates who run black plates and never been stopped. More likely to get away with a car that has the old style plates on tho that is maybe a few years off...
my old 1990 G plate mini saying that went through an mot with black and silver plates on so think like above its all about luck.... bottom line it is an offence so beware

[stevearch0]

Morning all,

I am fully aware about the legalities of displaying black and silver plates, but I just couldn't help myself. Looks far better than them modern types imo
Let's hope plod leaves me alone

Attached Files

•  DSC_0043.jpg   42.27K   40 downloads
•  DSC_0047.jpg   47.97K   53 downloads

[Cooperman]

AIUI black and white plates are legal on cars manufactured, not necessarily registered, before 1st Jan 1973.

However, it is unlikely any car with an L suffix and with black/white plates will be stopped as it would be difficult for the manufacture date to be accurately established.

My Inno was imported in 1979 with a declared manufacture date of early 1973 (could have been late '72) and was issued with a 'L' suffix. It had black/white plates on when I bought it and I just removed the white numbers on the bonnet & fitted new ones and made up a new stick-on plate for the replacement boot lid using the original black square plastic panel.

However, the person who bought it from me fitted reflective plates, presumably just to be careful.

[leaky]

Might be worth updating this now the law on black and silver plates have changed

[ukcooper]

Love black silver plates had them on 2 years or so now and never been pulled.



Going for these next after the mot in may. Think I might get pulled more using these , legal (I think)but tinted .

Edited by ukcooper, 03 April 2016 - 12:23 PM.

[ukcooper]

Read both link's or highlights below - Wrote on the 23rd march 2016

https://www.gov.uk/d...plates/overview
https://insidedvla.b...-number-plates/

Overview
 
cars registered on or after 1st Jan 1975 cannot display a black and silver number plate.
 
vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1975 can display

Number plates (also known as licence plates) should show your vehicle registration number correctly.
You can’t rearrange letters or numbers, or alter them so that they’re hard to read.

You could be fined up to £1,000 and your car will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.

Vehicles constructed 40 or more years ago are exempt from vehicle tax. The 40 year exemption date rolls forward automatically each year on 1 April.


What’s the story with black and silver number plates? DVLA digital comms team, 17 November 2015

The first registration number, one letter and one number (A1), was issued following the Motor Car Act 1903. Since then all vehicles have had to be registered and display a registration number.

We need to identify vehicles for road traffic enforcement and road safety. By law , you must display the registration number correctly.

A vehicle number plate will show the age of a vehicle. You can’t make the vehicle appear younger than it is, even if you buy a personalised vehicle registration number,

Vehicles that can display black and silver plates

Since April 2015 vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1975 can display the older style plates. You must:
##have applied to DVLA, and
##be registered within the ‘historic vehicles’ tax class.

This allows your vehicle to retain its authenticity and be in keeping with its age.

Vehicles constructed 40 or more years ago are exempt from vehicle tax.

The 40 year exemption date rolls forward automatically each year on 1 April.


Rearranging letters or numbers, or altering them so they’re hard to read

You can’t rearrange the letters or numbers - take a look at leaflet
INF104: ‘Vehicle registration numbers and number plates’ – it tells you what font height and size measurements are legal.

If you’re eligible to display a black and silver number plate

find your nearest number plate supplier – they’ll make up your number plate to the required standard.

Towing a trailer

Your trailer must display the same number plate as the car you’re towing it with. If you’re towing more than one trailer,
the number plate must be fixed to the trailer at the back.


Flags and national identifying letters

You can display one of the following flags with identifying letters on the left-hand side of the number plate:
Union Flag
Cross of St George
Cross of St Andrew - also known as the Saltire
Red Dragon of Wales

The letters, or national identifiers, you can have are:
GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
WALES or Wales


You’ll still need a GB sticker when travelling in Europe if you display one of these national flags and identifiers.

The flag must be above the identifier. You can’t have the flag or letters on the number plate margin, and neither can be more than 50 millimetres wide.

Euro symbol

If you display the Euro symbol and Great Britain (GB) national identifier on your number plate, then you won’t need a separate GB sticker when travelling within the European Union.

The Euro symbol must:
be a minimum height of 98mm
have a width between 40 and 50mm
have a reflective blue background with 12 reflecting yellow stars at the top
show the member state (GB) in reflecting white or yellow

Edited by ukcooper, 27 March 2016 - 08:01 PM.

[New game mini]

I have black and silvers on my 86 and I've not yet had any problems. I understand it's the law overall but I would hope that 1. Most police would have bigger fish to fry and 2. It's fairly obvious why I want to run with black and silver plates, it doesn't look odd or sus like it would on a 2013 fiesta or something and it's reasonably in keeping with car. It's not hurting anyone and the reg no. Is clearly visible. Of course the law is the law and it can't be one rule for one, one rule for another but I'd like to think there would be some kind of understanding if I was ever pulled over/seen.

[leaky]

Like anything you can stick them on what ever but you run the risk of getting pulled, at least now year by year more cars will legally be able to use them as mini do suit them,

[johnR]

I'm considering getting black plates with white plastic lettering on my '89 Mk 1 cooper s lookalike. I did think about getting an early plate - B or C suffix, but you can't get much cheaper than £300 and as it still has Mk 3 doors it seemed pointless.
Most Police Officers (I used to be one) take a reasonable view that it really doesn't matter what type of plate you have as long as it can be read clearly.
The exception to this can be traffic depts. who tend to take trivia a lot more seriously but most of them appreciate a nice looking car so as long as you're not driving like a plonker there's a good chance they'll let it slip if there's no other offences being committed.
presumably the VDRS scheme still operates where you can rectify a minor fault, have it stamped and no fine.
However, as has been said before you take a risk if you don't comply with the legislation.
JohnR

[ukcooper]

http://www.theminifo...2-numberplates/

[paulk 7364]

Nice plates where do you get them from and how much ?

Love black silver plates had them on 2 years or so now and never been pulled.



Going for these next after the mot in may. Think I might get pulled more using these , legal (I think)but tinted .