Are 4D number plates legal after September 2021?
Emily Ross
Published Jan 20, 2026
For the past few months, a rumour has been circulating that 3D gel and 4D laser cut number plates will be illegal from September 2021 - this is a rumour which is quite simply false!
Will 4D number plates be illegal in 2021?
The new British Standard for retroreflective number plates does not state that number plates with raised characters, including 3D gel and 4D number plates, will not be permitted.
Are 4D plates going to be illegal?
Another issue with so-called '4D' plates is that the characters aren't always built into the structure of the number plate and are instead stuck on with adhesive. This means they can actually fall off over time, leaving the driver with an incomplete, and therefore illegal, plate.
Do I have to change my number plate September 2021?
New number plate standards are also being introduced. From September 2021, plates will be made from a tougher material that is not only more resilient, but also shows up better on ANPR cameras. Two-tone number plates will not be permitted, and only solid black digits will be allowed.
Are 4D plates Legal 2021 UK?
These number plates are illegal in the UK as it makes the individual characters difficult to read and identify. Drivers displaying these plates can expect to be pulled over by the police and fined up to £1,000.
37 related questions foundAre Coloured 4D plates legal?
You cannot have any colour other than white, yellow, or black on a number plate. Some companies have been seen to falsely promote their 4D coloured crystal number plates as road legal, however this is not the case and could result in trouble with the Road Traffic Policing teams!
Are 3D and 4D plates legal?
In a response to a Government petition to stop the ban of 3D/4D number plates [2], the Department for Transport has clarified the position - as long as 3D gel and 4D laser cut letters meet the requirements of the current standard, BSAU 145d, then they are legal and would not need to be changed after September, when the ...
What will be the New Reg in September 2021?
A new style for September 2021 registration number plates
Along with the age identifier changing to 71 on all cars registered on and after September 1 2021, there'll be a new standard for UK number plates.
What is the new number plate in September 2021?
As of September 2021, a new standard of number plates will be introduced, replacing BS145d that is currently in circulation. This is a sturdier, more resilient material able to handle more damage, more bending, abrasion, impact, and thermal change, and will also show up clearer on ANPR cameras on UK roads.
Are 3D number plates legal UK 2021?
A truly 3D/4D plate with gel-coated or laser-cut raised characters is legal as long as the characters are a single shade of black on all faces and the plate complies with all other regulations in terms of font, size and spacing.
Are 4D Neon plates legal DVLA?
Providing they conform to the rules regulating UK number plates, 4D plates are entirely legal to use on your car. For example, the acrylic characters must be presented in black on a white plate at the front of your vehicle and black on a yellow plate at the rear, both manufactured from reflective material.
What is classed as an illegal number plate?
Number plates become illegal if there has been an attempt to rearrange or misrepresent the numbers or letters, such as or using large bolts to secure the plate to the car to make a numbers or letters appear different.
Are 3D number plates legal 2021?
The short answer is YES. You can breathe a sigh of relief. Currently, characters on a number plate can be 3D, so long as: The number plate's material is reflective.
Do Used car prices drop when New Reg comes out?
Do used car prices drop when a new reg comes out? Typically, the answer is yes. The reason is that dealers experience lots of traffic around early March and September, and most buyers are on the lookout for a brand spanking new vehicle.
What's the new number plate 2022?
From today, March 1, 2022, new cars will be registered with a new number plate featuring the “22” registration tag. The new licence plates will also incorporate previous changes announced in 2021, which outlined the requirements needed for the plate to be road legal.
Will there be a 69 plate?
Vehicles first registered from 1st September 2019 through to the end of February 2020 will be on a 69 reg plate.
When's the best time to buy a car?
End of the year, month and model year
In terms of the best time of the year, October, November and December are safe bets. Car dealerships have sales quotas, which typically break down into yearly, quarterly and monthly sales goals. All three goals begin to come together late in the year.
Are 4D number plates legal 2022 UK?
Are 4D number plates legal in the UK? Yes. If the plate meets all other BS AU 145e legal requirements, such as being made from a reflective material with solid-black non-reflective lettering, bearing the name of its supplier and not having a background pattern, then 4D plates with raised lettering are fully legal.
Are 4D number plates good?
The characters are placed by hand and, if made correctly, bond securely to the rest of the plate. 4D number plates have a sharper, more defined look. The lettering and numbering look like building blocks, such is the depth of the raised area. This is because the letters are laser cut from a sheet of acrylic.
Can ANPR read 4D plates?
As a result, our 4D standout plates are 100% legal on UK roads. Later this year the legislation regarding number plates is changing to make certain that they are safe and can be easily read by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
Whats better 3D or 4D number plate?
3D plates are easier and faster to make than 4D plates, which also makes them cheaper. Both plates are made by hand using alignment bars. You can tell the difference between 3D and 4D plates by how raised the letters are and how they look. 4D characters are more raised and more rectangular.
Are 4D Krystal plates legal?
4D plates are fully compliant with regulations and standards (BSAU145e) and are 100% road legal.
Is it illegal to have a dirty number plate?
MOST of us can tolerate a less than pristine car but what you might not know is you could be fined for having a dirty number plate. Motorists who drive around with an un-readable number plate could wind up with hefty penalties.