Just been tugged by the plod

[Nodz]

I was on my way home tonight from a mates and noticed the police in my mirror following me. I thought nothing of it as its the route they use to go to the local high rise flats. Anyways I pull off to go home and pull up and they follow and pull up as well and one gets out. A bit bemused I asked if everything was ok and he said he was about to stop me about my number plates as they are illegal.

Now my plates have the St George on them with ENG underneath and have 3D font of the correct height, width and spacing between groups of characters.

Bemused still I asked why and he said it was the 3D font. I pointed out to him it was legal and is stated as being so on the DVLA and VOSA websites and his response was "well they haven't told us", I did get my phone out and said I'd have a quick look as I was under the understanding they are but Sod's law I didn't have reception (he also didnt mind me trying). He asked where I got the plates but I honestly can't remember as they have been on the car for over 2years but I said halfords still sell them like it, to which he said they have for show use only on them to which I replied that  wasn't the case as a mate had bought some recently and they put the BS marks on with the 3D font. He said that he wasn't going to do me for them and it was only a warning to which I said fair enough, I'm not trying to argue the toss but I only have them on as I had made sure that such a font was legal. It basically got left with him saying to me to go and research as to whether they are legal or not as a traffic cop would've gave me a fixed penalty.

So basically is there any MOT testers or plod on here that can clarify as it seems that the DVLA doesn't state anything about 3D being legal anymore where as VOSA do in the MOT guide and in various other publications.

[Deako]

Deserved the pull. They are illegal.

Not the 3D lettering of course.

[Top Cat]

I would have told him to take off the 3D glasses and it would look ok.  

Sorry couldn't resist, and I have no clue on the legality either.    

[Nodz]

Deserved the pull. They are illegal.

Not the 3D lettering of course.

What the St Georges cross and ENG bit? That is also on the DVLA site as being legal now. All the UK countries flags and country codes are legal in the UK but GB is still required to be displayed when abroad

[Nodz]

I would have told him to take off the 3D glasses and it would look ok.  

Sorry couldn't resist, and I have no clue on the legality either.    

Lol, he was wearing glasses so I doubt that would've gone down well.

[RedRobin]

.
I can't help you with the details of your plate's legality but I think that the Police guy was very good in the way he handled you and that your attitude helped a lot towards a satisfactory outcome. I know that TC was joking but if you had said anything like that, he would have been justified in throwing the book at you, IMO.

[GTI-Pirelli]

From what I can see:

Following the DVLA guidelines: http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067666.pdf

9 National flags on number plates

You may, if you wish, display a GB national flag with letters on the number plate at the extreme left of the plate. The flags you can choose from are:
- Union Flag,
- the Cross of St George,
- the Scottish Saltire,
- the Red Dragon of Wales

The letters you can choose from are:
- Great Britain or GB;
- United Kingdom or UK;
- ENGLAND or England or ENG or Eng;
- SCOTLAND or Scotland or SCO or Sco;
- CYMRU or Cymru or CYM or Cym;
- WALES or Wales

So it looks like your flag and "ENG" are fine.

Nothing about the specifics of the font, but Halfords still sell; Standard, 3D, Highline & Carbon. They claim they are all legal.

[Saintsteve]

Pic of your plate so we can see the font in question??

[Nodz]

.
I can't help you with the details of your plate's legality but I think that the Police guy was very good in the way he handled you and that your attitude helped a lot towards a satisfactory outcome. I know that TC was joking but if you had said anything like that, he would have been justified in throwing the book at you, IMO.

TBH I don't see any point in giving them attitude as it doesn't help anyone and your more likely to get done. It just irritated me in the fact of when I pointed out various government bodies that state they are legal I got a response of "well they never told us" and that I was to go and research whether they was legal or not. I know there is alot of laws and legislation that they have to try and remember so it is difficult to remember them all but in this instance when my number pate is easily readable from over 20m (VOSA MOT guide regs) why tug me. I could understand if they was unreadable/italics/background pics etc, but if its something they are unsure on like this why not leaved it and look it up later is not life threatening/dangerous/unreadable.

[Nodz]

Pic of your plate so we can see the font in question??

These are the only 2 I have where I haven't blanked them out but not the best pics I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow:

[MC71]

Couple of bits of info for you...

Click here

Click here

As I understand it, your 3D style S reg (1998) plates are legal, (probably)... 

 There is only one font that is now legal unless your plate is older than 1.9.2001 (I think) and then it has to be similar ie The letters have to be black and the correct size, spaced correctly etc. my private plate is a P reg (1996) so if I understand it correctly I can have 3D font legally as long as its the same size, colour blah blah blah.

I have several sets of different plates and forgot to change over my 3D font style plates to the normal ones before the MOT and no problem at all. I always carry 2 sets, one normal, one other set.

[Nodz]

Cheers MC, I did see them but there's a VOSA one I can't get to load on here but loads on my phone that says 3D is allowed along with carbon as long as 20m away it looks mainly black and is readable but I cannot find it.

As to the years I believe its the year either the reg plate was fitted to the car, so after 2001 it needs to comply to new regs or if the car was registered after 2001 any number plate fitted to it requires to confirm to the new regs

I think I may get a cheap set of plates made up to carry in the boot.. but saying that they've been on for over 2 years and never been tugged and ANPR cameras read them fine

[jonnym]

3D 'style' plates are legal so long as they conform to the correct font which they look like they do. I take you have the BS number and name of the producer/postcode as well? The ENG/flag is a permitted variant so no issues on that front.

Can't find the exact legislation atm (I will find it though) but worth a print - https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/rules-number-plates
"Characters on a number plate can be 3D. "

As for the 'well they haven't told us" remark - that's not acceptable. How can you deal with offences when you don't even know the law. I've had the same experience as I run pressed, fully road legal plates. Got an apology out of it, especially after being told i'm also 'boy racer' but annoys me. It's no excuse.

One last point - although the MOT regs are pretty spot on with plates now, there was a period when legal plates were being failed and vice versa, so be wary of relying too much on the MOT manual - although it is an excellent read!

There is only one font that is now legal unless your plate is older than 1.9.2001 (I think) and then it has to be similar ie The letters have to be black and the correct size, spaced correctly etc. my private plate is a P reg (1996) so if I understand it correctly I can have 3D font legally as long as its the same size, colour blah blah blah.

If you mean because you have have 1996 plates, you can run as per the 1996 regs, you can't unfortunately. As you have physically placed the plates after 2001, the new regulations are the ones that govern your plates! I have a similar age private plate.....if you we could, i'd be running a black and silver  

I think I may get a cheap set of plates made up to carry in the boot.. but saying that they've been on for over 2 years and never been tugged and ANPR cameras read them fine

Obviously up to you but if your plates are legal then leave them on. I know it's time/effort if you get stopped, but I don't carry spares in my car as I know i'm 100%. If I am given a FPN, I contest it, have my day in court and win - that's if it even gets that far!

[andyR43]

Taken from www.craigsplates.com :-

Road Legal Number Plates
There are only two fonts permitted on road legal number plates - standard (plain legal) and 3D font. Personalisation, non-standard images, or honeycomb backing are no longer legal. The spacing of the numbers and letters in your registration must match that printed in your V5C logbook (registration document). If you are unsure of the current legal requirements for road legal plates then visit the DVLA website. If you are looking to place your order through our plate-maker, it will only show legal options. If you want something smarter than standard acrylic plates, why not consider die pressed aluminium?

With a private/unusual plate I always print the rules and regulations and carry them in the glove box to save having to pop down to the police station the following day. 

[RedRobin]

These are the only 2 I have where I haven't blanked them out but not the best pics I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow:

....Crikey! I can't much wrong with those except possibly in close-up detail. At least not enough to pull you. We all see very obviously illegal plates nearly everyday which need a pull.