NUMBER PLATE
SPACING
RULES & LAW
SAME DAY
DISPATCH
SAME DAY DISPATCH
& EXPRESS
DELIVERY
5
Out of
5 Stars
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Great service and plates arrived on time. Plates exactly as advertised. Would highly recommend.
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Absolutely brilliant! Colourful, different, stands out with my personal plate & legal. The ordering service couldn’t have been easier.
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I’ve ordered at least 4 times over the years from Car Plates Direct. I can not fault the easy of ordering, quality and turnaround time. Will always order only through them. Highly recommended company
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Ordered a set of plates, came exactly how I ordered in good clean condition with the personalisation I ordered. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Car Plates Direct for a fast friendly service. Thank you
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Exactly what I ordered. Good quality product, very professional and courteous service and a quick delivery. Highly recommended company.
HIGH QUALITY PLATES
4D Plates
3D Gel Plates
Standard Plates
One of the most common questions we get asked is whether you can adjust the spacing on your number plates to make your registration look different. The short answer is no – altering the spacing on number plates is illegal in the UK and can result in fines, MOT failures and even having your vehicle taken off the road.
What Does the Law Say?
UK number plates must comply with BS AU 145e regulations, which specify exact character dimensions and spacing:
- Characters must be 79mm tall (64mm for motorcycles).
- Character width must be 50mm (except for 1 and I).
- Stroke width must be 14mm.
- Space between characters: 11mm.
- Space between groups: 33mm.
- Minimum 11mm margin around the plate edge.
Why Do People Want to Alter Spacing?
Some drivers adjust the spacing on their plates to make their registration appear to spell a name or word. For example, spacing “M45 TER” differently to make it look like “MASTER”. Whilst this might seem harmless, it is a criminal offence under the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 and the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001.
What Happens If You Get Caught?
- Fixed penalty notice – Up to £1,000 fine.
- MOT failure – Your vehicle will fail its MOT if plates are incorrectly spaced.
- Plate confiscation – Police can remove illegal plates on the spot.
- Registration revoked – In serious cases, the DVLA can withdraw your registration entirely.
The Legal Way to Personalise Your Plates
If you want your number plates to stand out, there are plenty of legal options. Upgrading to 3D gel, 4D or 5D plates gives your registration a premium look without breaking any rules. You can also add legal extras like borders, national flags and dealer badges through our plate builder.
Order Correctly Spaced Plates
All plates from Car Plates Direct are manufactured with the exact spacing required by BS AU 145e. Use the plate builder above to design your plates – guaranteed correctly formatted and fully road-legal.
Ready to Build Your Perfect Plates?
Design your number plates in minutes. Choose your style, enter your registration and order with confidence from a DVLA-registered supplier.
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