Private Plates

[sotal]

I know you are not supposed to move the letters around on a private plate but I also know that people do move them.

basically I have seen a plate I want which is in the format X12 XXX and like that it is an awful plate! But if I make it X 12XXX it is a perfect plate!

Am I likely to get done if I move the numbers across. It's only changing the spacing after all.

Any thoughts or suggestions??

[Flat Pack]

My dad got done for changing T200 ODM to T200O DM

[MarkMcQ]

I know you are not supposed to move the letters around on a private plate but I also know that people do move them.

basically I have seen a plate I want which is in the format X12 XXX and like that it is an awful plate! But if I make it X 12XXX it is a perfect plate!

Am I likely to get done if I move the numbers across. It's only changing the spacing after all.

Any thoughts or suggestions??

I had a look on the DVLA site and they say:

"Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC must not be displayed as A242A BC)"

Says doing so can result in a £1k fine, the possibility of the regisration mark being withdrawn and it can also be an MOT failure.

[sotal]

So is that a don't bother then??

The MOT Failure part isn't hard to get round - just needs a spare set of plates. HAs nayone on here got their plate moved round?? Has anyone had a fine - is it a lot?

Is it comparable to doing other things to your car like de-cat pipes? Or is it worse as cops can see it?

[jay dh]

it can depend on where u live

i had J11 YDH as J11Y DH, in essex, the police didnt care, in dorset, they care a lot. i didnt get a fine, just a 7 day wonder to fix it and provide proof from an MOT centre, cost me £10. they also note it on the police database

[Crisis]

Yeh some places are hot on it some dont care. I know someone and she moved some letters around, just had to again provide proof it had been fixed within 7 days. No fine or anything.

[Kev Mc]

The thing is, you'll be breaking a minor law, but a law nonetheless, as long as it's clear to read you shouldn't have any problems. If you don't give the police any other reason to pull you they'll be more interested in catching proper criminals so you should be fine, I'd probably do it if I were you.

[cmarshall]

Its not worth it, all you need is a petty police officer who cant catch a real criminal (like all of them) who go for easy targets to make themselves feel better

[Red Yaris 54]

Why do you really want to change the standard plate spacing?

[JustJJ]

swapping plates over is easy.. lots of ways to do it... heavy duty velcro... a couple of screws etc..

but yeah... it depends on whether the police are bothered or not...

[Flat Pack]

The thing is, you'll be breaking a minor law, but a law nonetheless, as long as it's clear to read you shouldn't have any problems. If you don't give the police any other reason to pull you they'll be more interested in catching proper criminals so you should be fine, I'd probably do it if I were you.

In an ideal world that'd be the case, but sadly there seems to be an element of the Police service that's more concerned about making its figures look good than actually dealing with crime. Couple that with an increasing dependance on automated enforcement that needs to be able to recognise number plates by itself and I think you'd be asking for trouble.

As I said, my dad got done for this. He was parked in a motorway services at the time and the cops were sitting by his car waiting for him to come back. You'd have thought they'd have more important things to do, but I guess they were just getting near the end of their shift and needed an easy pull to reach their target figures or something.

[sotal]

Why do you really want to change the standard plate spacing?

I've got a stupid surname. If I split the last three last letters off then it makes an incorrectly spelt not very nice word! However if all 5 letters are together it makes my surname. So I could have my first initial followed by my surname and I could also get my wifes first initial followed by our surname

[Special Red]

Why do you really want to change the standard plate spacing?

I've got a stupid surname. If I split the last three last letters off then it makes an incorrectly spelt not very nice word! However if all 5 letters are together it makes my surname. So I could have my first initial followed by my surname and I could also get my wifes first initial followed by our surname

Im lost mate!! As far as Im concerned that spells nothing or are all the 'x's just for an example?

Whats your surname as Im very intrigued!!

[Robie]

It may seem petty but police will pull people who break minor laws because said people are more likely to commit worse offences like have tax disks out of date and no insurance.

So they will pull you to check your car out and have a snoop round. If they find nothing out of the ordinary they will issue you with a producer to save face!

[Kev Mc]

Well, I haven't had any problems with mine yet & mine are far from legal as far as the design goes, it's easy to read though so I've been left alone. I know Christine or Paul from here got pulled not so long ago though. At the end of the day you only need 1 policeman in a really bad mood & they'll pull any1 for whatever they can, I haven't encountered any yet though.

[Charlies Angel]

Silly bint left it logged in again.......

-Karma

[Karma Supra]

Most people get away with it fine.... but you only need one traffic plod on a bad day..... and you could lose the plate AND get a fine.....

I have had people try and pull me /fail my mot on my number plate spacing.... unfortunately from them that IS the correct spacing for my No. plate :D

[PaulT]

I've got a stupid surname. If I split the last three last letters off then it makes an incorrectly spelt not very nice word! However if all 5 letters are together it makes my surname. So I could have my first initial followed by my surname and I could also get my wifes first initial followed by our surname

If you had given me that excuse after I had pulled you over, it would be six months in the slammer no questions asked

Thing is, if you want your name on your car then get a sticker. Personalised number plates are a bit unnecessary really. A nice car is a nice car regardless of the number plates.

Paul.

[Karma Supra]

This may be true... but when I had a soarer with "2000 CB" on it 7 years ago... no one had a clue what a soarer was, and with a smart no. plate, that also happened to hide the fact that it was a '92.... it made it one very flash bit of kit indeed

It now finishes off the supra a treat, and confirms any suspition that I am an enthusiat who prides himself in an old car, as opposed to some random punter that is stuck with an old car because he can't afford anything better!!!

Nearly all of our cars have prvate plates... its one "mod" you can do toa car that can be passed onto any other car you get, and you will get your money back on it or make on it if you ever decide to sell it!!!!

[jay dh]

on the other hand, i have been trying to sell mine for a year and no response. if the plate isnt generic, then its hard to find a buyer which is my situation

[Boro Sera]

Why not legally change your name to match the plate you have. ??

You wouldn't need to change spacing or anything.....and it's only 15 quid.

[Roytoner]

Well, I haven't had any problems with mine yet & mine are far from legal as far as the design goes, it's easy to read though so I've been left alone. I know Christine or Paul from here got pulled not so long ago though. At the end of the day you only need 1 policeman in a really bad mood & they'll pull any1 for whatever they can, I haven't encountered any yet though.

The nice Policeman showed me a still picture in his car, with STOP in the bottom corner, said the digits was to close, & give me a fixed penalty fine of £30 while he was writing it out another car flashed up with STOP coming towards us, so she got one too.

The fine I could live with, what hurt the most was when he asked if the TRD Badge on the back meant it was DIESEL.. :censor:

[Demonic Angel]

I saw one the other day.... P 110LLY

Well, I assume it was meant to be P110 LLY, guessed their name was P Holly! They'd conveniently placed the screw between the two 1's as well to make it look like a H!

Surely though, if you're got by a speed camera it wont be able to decifer your plate? Or are they still done by someone sitting at a computer screen writing down registrations into an Excel spreadsheet?

[sotal]

Cheers for the replies guys...

Why do you really want to change the standard plate spacing?

I've got a stupid surname. If I split the last three last letters off then it makes an incorrectly spelt not very nice word! However if all 5 letters are together it makes my surname. So I could have my first initial followed by my surname and I could also get my wifes first initial followed by our surname

Im lost mate!! As far as Im concerned that spells nothing or are all the 'x's just for an example?

Whats your surname as Im very intrigued!!

Yes the X's are for example. You have to be a gold member to know my surname ;)

Why not legally change your name to match the plate you have. ??

You wouldn't need to change spacing or anything.....and it's only 15 quid.

I don't fancy being called Mr BJB

Well, I haven't had any problems with mine yet & mine are far from legal as far as the design goes, it's easy to read though so I've been left alone. I know Christine or Paul from here got pulled not so long ago though. At the end of the day you only need 1 policeman in a really bad mood & they'll pull any1 for whatever they can, I haven't encountered any yet though.

The nice Policeman showed me a still picture in his car, with STOP in the bottom corner, said the digits was to close, & give me a fixed penalty fine of £30 while he was writing it out another car flashed up with STOP coming towards us, so she got one too.

The fine I could live with, what hurt the most was when he asked if the TRD Badge on the back meant it was DIESEL.. :censor:

Have you got the plate illegal now or have you got it correct? Did they say what would happen if you got caught again?

[chris202]

i got pulled for mine and all i did was move the letters and numbers a bit closer together :( thought it was quite funny when the cop didnt know what kinda car it was though...

cop - "what kinda car is it "

moi- "toyota"

cop - "toyota what "

moi- "you dont know , are you a traffic cop? "

cop- "WHAT MODEL IS IT"

moi- "supra"

...he he.....