5 Common Misconceptions About Personalised Number Plates

When it comes to personalised number plates, we usually see a lot of common already-debunked myths being thrown around. Understanding what is and what isn’t allowed when it comes to personal number plates can be tricky, so we’re here to separate the fact from the fiction. Here are the five most common misconceptions people have about private plates.

You can space them out however you want

Contrary to popular belief, you can’t just space out the numbers and letters on the plate however you wish. All plates, whether they’re personalised or not, have to follow a standard DVLA format, a format which you can easily find on the DVLA website. Empty spaces are legally mandated and cannot be moved or omitted. So, if you’re thinking about getting a personalised number plate, consider the plate as is and don’t think you can rearrange it afterwards.

You can use your own images

The more perceptive of you might have noticed that some plates on the road have a flag on the left side. A lot of people think that this is a customization option and you can have virtually any picture you want in its position. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Again, this is regulated by the DVLA and there are only a certain number of pictures allowed on the left side of the plate, such as a Union Flag, Euro Flag, Red Dragon of Wales, Cross of St George, and Cross of St Andrew.

You can add your own slogan at the bottom

Again, just another myth stirred up by common misconception. The reason why dealership plates come with their name stamped out at the bottom is not for advertising, but for a legal reasons. If there’s anything wrong with the number plate the supplier of said plate has to be held accountable, and marking dealer plates with their brand on the bottom is an easy way to determine who’s at fault.

You don’t have to use standard sizes and colours

If you can’t even omit empty spaces do you really think they’re going to allow people to change the font size and colours? Of course not. Now, technically speaking, you can change the size and shape of the acrylic number plate itself depending on the type and model of the vehicle you’re attaching it to, but not the content inside the plate. You can’t for example get a red background plate to match your Ferrari, or change the font color to green to suit your Lamborghini.

You can change the font

The DVLA has strict rules when it comes to the font used. Characters must be 50mmx79mm, they have to be 14mm thick, spaces must be 11mm, spaces in the format have to be 33mm, and the margins top/bottom should equal 11mm. Even if you pay thousands of dollars for the most unique-looking number plate, you can’t step out of these basic boundaries set for all license plates.