Registration: YOUR REG
Front Plate: Standard Oblong (20.4" X 4.3")
Rear Plate: Standard Oblong (20.4" X 4.3")
Flag: No flag
Border: No Border
Border Style: Markings Inside Border
Border Colour: Black
Character Type: Printed
3D number plates are a recent addition to the automotive world, offering a distinctive, cost-effective, and fashionable way to display your vehicle's registration number. Unlike standard printed plates, 3D plates have raised characters which gives them their unique 3D aesthetic. They are crafted from high-quality acrylic, making them not only visually striking but also highly durable and weather resistant.
Both 3D and gel number plates offer a raised effect, but there are some key differences. 3D plates (AKA 4D plates) are laser-cut using black acrylic for the characters, which gives them a sharp and defined high gloss look. On the other hand, gel plates refer to plates with characters made of gel resin, or doming resin (the same stuff gel badges and stickers are made of). Both styles are modern and sleek, but the 3D variant offer a more premium and distinctive look.
Both 3D and gel plates are in full compliance with the British standard (BS AU 145e) and the laws in place for displaying number plates.
If you're looking for gel number plates, we have those available as well. Alternatively, if you're just looking for some replacement number plates, we have you covered there too.
One of the most common questions we receive is whether 3D plates are road legal. The answer is a resounding "yes" – they are 100% road legal and comply with DVLA rules. This includes the font size, colour, and character spacing. At SurePlates, all our 3D reg plates are produced in line with the rules & regulations, ensuring you remain compliant with the law.
Opting to install a set of 3D reg plates on your car can enhance the aesthetics and style of your car and showcase a little individuality. Beyond aesthetics, they are also highly durable and easy to maintain, and fully comply with DVLA regulations. At SurePlates, we offer high-quality, affordable plates with a wide range of customisation options, making us the perfect choice for your 3D plate needs.
Build your 3D registration plates now. Use our plate builder above to create a unique and personalised plate to suit your style and your car.
At SurePlates, we provide a range of 3D license plates to match your tastes and preferences. Whether you're looking for the regular 3mm style, or want the thicker 5mm digits, we have you covered. 3D characters can also be combined with gel to create 4D gel number plates. You can also choose from a variety of customisations including border and flag options for a truly unique plate.
Customisation is a central part of our plate builder and 3D plate listings. We offer a broad range of options and configurations to make your plates truly unique. Choose from various font styles, border colours & thicknesses, flags, and various other options to match your vehicle and personal style. Our user-friendly plate builder lets you design your plates exactly how you want them, while ensuring they remain within the regulatory limits, providing you with unique and personalised plates.
The production process straight forward, but meticulous. First a reflective backing film is applied to an adhesive-backed acrylic plate. The characters are cut from acrylic using a laser cutter with a high degree of accuracy (typically one-tenth of a millimetre) and are fixed to the plates using a jig to ensure precise alignment and spacing. The result is a durable plate that meets the regulatory standards that has a true 3D raised effect.
Maintenance is straight forward and hands-off. Due to the high-quality materials used in the construction of your 3D reg plates, all you really need to do is keep them clean. To keep them looking their best, regular cleaning with warm soapy water is recommended. You can pressure wash your 3D digits as well, just don't hold a high-powered pressure washer on your 3D digits for too long. They are also very resistant to weathering and temperature changes as well, so won't break or crack when going from hot to cold.
It is best to avoid using harsh chemicals such as isopropyl alcohol when cleaning your plates as these can damage the surface.
While our 3D plates are a premium product, they don't have to be expensive. At SurePlates, we are committed to providing the highest quality plates at reasonable prices. We do this by producing all our own characters and plates in-house, eliminating the middleman and passing on the savings to you. We don't buy anything in – we make it all in-house. This allows our customers to enjoy the style of a 3D plate without the hefty price tag offered by so many other suppliers.
3D plates are still growing in popularity, and we expect this trend to continue. As more people look to personalise their vehicles inside and out, these premium plate styles can offer a unique and stylish solution. We'll be introducing a 3D show plate builder to our website in the near future for even more personalisation and customisation options.
We currently offer the standard UK oblong, 4x4 square, and oversized oblong.
Orders placed before 3 pm are despatched the same day (Mon-Fri). Delivery depends on which shipping method you use on checkout. Typical delivery is 1-2 working days.
Number plates are regulated so customisation is limited. Our number plate maker will allow you to customise all the available options as much as they can be customised and personalised.
There is a document check in-line with regulations. Proof of registration and identity are required with your purchase.
In-line with regulations, the spacing or your registration number must comply with the legal requirements. We will automatically space your registration to road legal requirements.
Carbon fonts are no longer road legal as of September 2021. As such, they are no longer available to buy.
To-scale size reference for standard oblong, oversized oblong, and square plates.
These can be combined with gel to make 4D gel plates
Number plates are regulated by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001.
This statutory instrument isn’t very long, and the regulations for the characters aren’t very detailed either. The rules simply say the characters must be black.
Where the registration mark is displayed on the front of the vehicle, it must have black characters on a white background.
Where the registration mark is displayed on the back of the vehicle, it must have black characters on a yellow background.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/schedule/2/made
In the above regulations, compliance with the current British standard is required. The British standard is a specification for the technical requirements of a number plate. Things like how reflective they should be, luminance levels for characters, resistance to bending/heat/cold, etc. Mostly boring stuff.
However, the wording of the standard is equally simple when it comes to characters. Section 5.2 Characters says:
The complete surface of each registration character shall be one shade of black
BS AU 145e:2018 5.2 Characters, 5.2.2
There are some other requirements for characters. These include the following:
Provided a typical set of 3D plates complies with these other rules, the answer seems straight forward.
3D plates meet the regulations, and are therefore road legal.
ANPR means Automatic Number Plate Recognition. An ANPR system combines a camera with software to ‘automatically’ read your number plate and do something with the data.
Any camera can become an ANPR camera, and ANPR systems are not standardised.
Most cameras used in public ANPR systems (such as speed cameras or bus lane cameras) have both daytime and night time (infrared) modes for 24/7 monitoring.
Companies & organisations are free to implement their own ANPR systems or use readily available ones, so it’s difficult to get a clear understanding of why some may not be reading 3D digits.
Car park cameras are sometimes mounted at severe angles, which could in theory make it more difficult to read a number if the software is calibrated for printed digits.
We have conducted our own extensive testing using off-the-shelf ANPR software with standard, basic cameras and found 3D number plates to be as readable as standard printed plates. We’re going to publish these results soon.
