Are 4D Number Plates Legal in the UK?

4D Number Plates are 100% legal in the UK. DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) state that number plates can “have 3D (raised) characters”. The Governments categorisation of 3D plates also include 4D plates as this is just the name used in the industry to differentiate the two products.

What Are 4D Number Plates?

4D laser cut number plates are made from acrylic. The name 4D plates was given to this style of number plate to differentiate from 3D plates which are made with gel resin.

4D number plates have a solid black finish compared to 3D number plates which have a shiny gloss black finish. At Numero Plates we sell 4D plates and 3D plates which are manufactured in the UK.

Are 4D Plates Being Banned?

As of 1 September 2021 a new British Standard (BS AU 145e) became mandatory which means that number plates manufactured after this date must comply with these new standards. All characters on UK registration plates must be black with no other effects or colours.

So the short answer is no, 4D plates are not being banned. However, number plates fixed to vehicles after 1 September 2021 that do not comply with the new British Standard and have any effects (like carbon or glitter) and or colours other than black will not be road legal. At Numero Plates we only supply 100% road legal 4D registration plates.

I heard 4D Number Plates Are No Longer Legal after September 2021?

This was simply just a rumour which was blown out of proportion which led to the commencement of a petition to “stop the ban of 4D and 3D registration plates” which was never going to happen in the first place. Shortly after the petition started, the department of transport clarified their position with a response to the petition.

4D plates are not illegal as of 2021. 4D number plates are still 100% road legal as long as 4D plates fixed to vehicles after 1 September 2021 comply with the new British Standard (BS AU 145e) which means that all characters on the number plate must be black with no effects or additional colours.

Are Neon 4D plates legal?

No, neon 4D plates are not legal. All number plate characters must be black to comply with the new British Standard (BS AU 145e).
This means that carbon number plates, glitter number plates, sparkly number plates, crystal number plates and neon 4D plates are not road legal.

Do you have to declare 4D number plates?

Insurance companies have strict requirements when it comes to letting them know about modifications to your vehicle, this is so that that the insurance company can keep a record of parts that need to be replaced in the event of a claim.

If you purchase a private registration plate and change the registration of your car, you have to let your insurance company know.

In many instances, you will not need to declare or let your insurance company know that you’ve fitted 3D or 4D number plates to your vehicle. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to this question because the requirements of each insurance company will vary from one provider to another. It’s always best to double check, just in case, and get a direct answer from your specific car insurance provider.

Do 4D Plates Pass an MOT?

4D plates are fully road legal as long as all characters on the number plate are black and there are no spaces in between characters. 4D registration plates manufactured after 1 September 2021 that comply with the new British Standard (BS AU 145e) will pass an MOT test.

TLDR:

4D number plates are legal even after 1 September 2021 as long as plates manufactured before this date adhere to British Standard (BS AU 145d) and plates manufactured after this date adhere to the new British Standard (BS AU 145e).

Where Can I Buy 4D Number Plates?

If you’re looking to buy fully road legal 4D number plates, you can trust Numero Plates who are a Registered Number Plate Supplier in the UK and only supply 100% road legal number plates.

We offer free standard delivery on all number plate orders which takes 2-4 business days or alternatively, we offer next day delivery for only £2.49 (which we don’t make a profit on).

If you have any questions, feel free to refer to our FAQ section or contact us via email – if you’re in a hurry and need an answer to your question as soon as possible, give us a call.

All Numero Plates number plates are fully road legal and you can count on us to deliver number plates manufactured in the UK to the upmost quality which comply with the current British Standard.