Short plates and ‘shaped’ plates are an uncommon but often overlooked style of number plate design that compliment your car. While over 90% of the vehicles on UK roads display the standard oblong (measuring 520 mm x 111 mm), there are many other sizes and shapes available.
If you’re considering short or custom-sized 4D plates for your vehicle, it’s important to know the regulations surrounding them. While they can add a unique look to your car, not all custom plates are road legal in the UK.
Sports cars and supercars often display plates that are laser cut to the exact size, shape, and dimensions of the vehicles mounting points and plate recesses.
What are short plates?
The majority of vehicles in the world can display a standard UK oblong, but some may have mountings that only allow certain sizes and shapes to fit. This is especially true for more exotic cars or high-end vehicles.
Short plates are exactly as the name suggests – number plates that are shorter than usual. While there is no standardised size that defines a ‘short’ plate, it typically refers to a plate that has a reduced width that is only just wide enough to fit the registration marks. Common sizes include 18”, 16”, and 14” plates. The height is usually the same as a standard UK oblong: 111 mm.
Custom sizes and ‘shaped’ plates
Like short plates, number plates can also be shaped to the vehicle. Many cars have recessed or shaped mounting points on the tailgate. By measuring the curves and dimensions of these mounting points, we can create number plates that fit into them perfectly – thus creating a ‘shaped’ plate.
Vehicles that commonly display shaped plates include the Range Rover, Jaguar, and older Rover models.
Other variants of shaped plates exist, such as hex plates or six sided plates. These are more commonly found on sports cars and high-performance vehicles.
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What do the rules say about short plates?
Number plates are regulated by the provisions in The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. The rules require certain margins, colours, and physical properties to be present for all number plates. Broadly speaking, the following rules must be met by all number plates:
- Be made of a reflective material.
- Display a yellow plate on the back of the vehicle.
- Display a white plate on the front of the vehicle.
- Display characters that are a single shade of black – no effects or patterns, and
- Each character must be 79 mm (H) x 50 mm (W) in size, and
- Each character must have a gap of 11 mm between them, and a gap of 33 mm between character groups.
- Have a margin of 11 mm around the outside of the registration marks.
Provided the above rules are met, there is nothing in any of the provisions of The Road Vehicles Regulations that stops you displaying a short or shaped plate.
Further Reading
You may also be interested in: Showing Documents When Buying Number Plates
Why would I want to buy short plates?
Whether you’re driving an old van or a brand-new sports car, you can add a touch of style to your vehicle by adding a number plate with a unique size or shape. What you choose is up to you, but as a guide here are some suggestions:
- Regular vehicles may benefit from shaped plates that are crafted to fit the recesses and dimensions of the mounting points on your vehicle.
- Higher-end vehicles such as Jaguars and Range Rovers may prefer the oversized oblongs or curved oblongs to fit the larger mounts.
- Vans and trucks may be complimented with large or oversized oblongs or plates cut to the exact dimensions of the mounts.
- Sports cars and supercars often display custom-sized plates such as hex plates, or plates laser cut to the exact size, shape, and dimensions of the mounting points.
Can I customise anything else?
While the regulations are quite strict, there is still room for personalisation of your plates. The rules mentioned above cannot be broken, but there are other ways to add some flair to your plates. For example, borders of any colour are permitted. Borders can be 1 to 5 mm in thickness and can be displayed in any colour (as long as that colour is not reflective) around the outside of the plate.
Furthermore, a range of flags is available which can also be partially customised. Any flag of the United Kingdom may be displayed on your number plates – and we have a range of flags that have been artistically created just for the purpose of added style. Flags can display a country code as well, including:
- UK or United Kingdom
- GB or Great Britain
- Cym, Cymru, or Wales
- Sco or Scotland
The character style can also per customised with a variety of types, including any of the following road legal variations:
- 4D laser in 3 mm thickness
- 4D laser in 5 mm thickness
- Gel
- Printed
4D plates in custom sizes and shapes can be extremely appealing.
Further Reading
You may also be interested in: Ultimate Guide To 4D Number Plates Infographic
Summary
Both of these plate variants are road legal and compliant to the regulations and rules and can safely be affixed to your car without worry. While the majority of vehicles in the UK display the standard oblong measuring 520 mm x 111 mm, the same majority of vehicles can actually accommodate a custom plate.
The rules for displaying number plates allow for quite a bit of customisation and flair and are not contravened by displaying these types of plates.
Short plates and ‘shaped’ plates are an easy and affordable way to add a touch of style to your vehicle. They be crafted to fit the exact shape, size, and dimensions of your vehicle and are installed exactly as a regular plate would be.
Have a look at your own vehicles and you’ll probably notice the tailgate has a recess or shaped contours that can be filled with a custom size plate.