Road legal
Road legal number plates
A road-legal plate has to meet a clear set of UK rules covering the standard, font, spacing, colours and markings. Order in road-legal mode and we make every plate to those rules, with your documents checked first.
The rules
What makes a plate road legal
To be road legal in the UK, a number plate must meet the British Standard BS AU 145e. This covers how the plate performs for reflectivity, durability and resistance to wear, and it is the standard required on plates fitted to vehicles used on public roads.
The characters must use the mandatory Charles Wright font in the correct size, and they must be displayed with the correct spacing. Altered or non-standard spacing that changes how the registration reads is not permitted and can fail an MOT or attract a fine.
Characters must be solid black on a retroreflective background: white at the front of the vehicle and yellow at the rear. The plate must also show the supplier's name and postcode and the British Standard mark.
Road-legal requirements
- Made to BS AU 145e
- Mandatory Charles Wright font
- Correct character size and spacing
- Solid black characters, no shading
- White front, yellow rear reflective background
- Supplier name, postcode and standard mark
Why it matters
Font, spacing and colour
These details are what an MOT tester and ANPR cameras rely on, so getting them right keeps your vehicle clearly legal.
Only the mandatory Charles Wright character style is permitted. Stylised, italic or narrowed fonts are not road legal.
Characters must keep the official spacing. Moving letters to make a registration look like a word or name is not allowed.
Solid black characters on a reflective white front and yellow rear. No background patterns, tints or coloured characters.
Before we print
Documents and supplier checks
- Proof of identity, such as a driving licence or passport
- Proof of entitlement to the registration, such as a V5C or new keeper slip
- Documents reviewed before production starts
- Plates shipped with free UK delivery
See the full list on the documents required page.
Road-legal plates FAQ
How do I know my plate will be road legal?
When you select road-legal mode in the builder, the plate is made to BS AU 145e with the correct Charles Wright font, character size, legal spacing, reflective colours and the required supplier and standard markings, so it is built to pass an MOT.
Is custom spacing allowed?
No. The registration must be displayed with the official character spacing. Misrepresenting a registration by altering spacing is not road legal and can lead to a fine and the plate failing an MOT.
Are 3D and 4D plates road legal?
Raised finishes can be road legal provided the characters are a single solid shade of black and the plate still meets BS AU 145e and spacing rules. Shaded or two-tone effects are not road legal. See BS AU 145e for more.
What documents do you need from me?
We need proof of identity and proof of entitlement to the registration, for example a driving licence or passport plus a V5C, V5C/2 or new keeper slip. These are listed on the documents required page.
Build a fully road-legal plate
Order in road-legal mode and we make every plate to BS AU 145e, with documents checked before production and free UK delivery.