Plates On Imports?

[ToraToraTora]

What's the legal position on 330x150, 2 row plates? Usually on Jap imports. They do not conform to the legal requirements. Do the Police just tollerate or are they specifically covered elsewhere?

[chas2008]

a lot of imprted vehicles use 'square/oblong 2 row ' plates especially on the rear, as a body shop when we have to replace these we use Land rover plates, fronts we cant get anyone to make them so we end up putting UK spec ones on.
As regards the plod i think they turn a blind eye until they have a bad day or get bored then they will get stopped having said that though they are possibly an MOT failure.

[Hopkirk]

Why do you say they do not conform to legal requirements?

You can have your plate with all the numbers and letters in a line, or in two rows.

[FredPuli43]

Motor bike plates are commonly in two rows. Are they illegal, or am I missing something in the OP ?

[Hopkirk]

This website only sells legal plates, so if you go to the drop down menus for front and rear plates, you will see what you can have.

http://www.platesbypost.co.uk/number-plates-makerx.php?utm_expid=9265240-0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.platesbypost.co.uk%2F

[ToraToraTora]

The 2 row ones on imports are different dimensions with smaller lettering. I do have a jap import sports car and it passed the MOT recently.

I am well aware of what is legal, I am curious as to why the ones on Jap imports seem to be tollerated, I wondered perhaps if there was some sortsub clause that allowed them

[ToraToraTora]

The standard 2 row is 284x203, the import one is 330x165 and the letters are smaller.

[ToraToraTora]

Hopkirk, that site, like all the others, sells any plates. Most of the options are illegal to have on the vehicle, they have a disclaimer saying they are for "show purposes" only. The 330x165 plate is even labelled "small Jap import". Dunno where the mystique surrounding plates comes from you can buy any plate for any number online.

[chas2008]

its not the size of the plates thats an issue its the font size.
Just found this-

Number plates with smaller characters are only permitted on imported vehicles, and then only if they do not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval and their construction/design cannot accommodate standard size number plates.[1]

[Hopkirk]

Actually the website I put the link to does not sell show plates, it only sells street legal ones.

[ToraToraTora]

whatever they call it hopkirk, most of those are not street legal.

[ToraToraTora]

oddly enough they actually have a section for "legal" which sort of implies that those not in that section are not thus.

[Hopkirk]

Put your reading glasses on and read the website.

They only sell street legal plates.

As you say, Japanese imports appear on their list, so there is the answer to your original question.

[Hopkirk]

Apologies, I'm a bit hot.