The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001

International distinguishing signs and other material U.K.

[F1 16.— (1) No material other than a registration mark and material complying with the requirements of any of the relevant standards mentioned in Schedule 2 may be displayed on a registration plate.

(2) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, a registration plate may not be combined with any other plate or a device of any kind.

(3) The letters “GB” may be displayed on a plate or other device in accordance with the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered [F2 , provided the plate or other device was originally fixed to the vehicle, and complied with the Annex, before IP completion day].

(4) Subject to paragraphs (5) to (8), there may be displayed on a plate or other device an arrangement of letters corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (9) and an emblem corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (10).

[F3 (4A) Subject to paragraph (4B), an eligible vehicle may display a plate or device which is green in colour.

(4B) The plate or other device referred to in paragraph (4A) must be—

(a) made from retroreflective material;

(b) colour Pantone 7481c or a colour match that is as close as possible to this colour;

(c) no less than forty millimetres and no more than fifty millimetres in width.

(4C) No other vehicle may display a plate or other device which is green in colour.

(4D) Subject to paragraphs (5) to (8) there may be displayed on a plate or other device referred to in (4A) an arrangement of letters corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (9) and an emblem corresponding with one of the sub-paragraphs of paragraph (10).]

(5) The [F4 plate or other device, ] arrangement of letters and emblem referred to in paragraph (4) [F4 , (4A), (4B) and (4D)]—

(a) must be displayed to the left of the registration plate;

(b) must not encroach into the margin,

and for this purpose the expression “margin” is to have the same meaning as in regulations 14(9) and 14A(2)(f).

(6) The emblem referred to in paragraph (4) must be positioned above the arrangement of letters referred to in that paragraph.

(7) Neither the arrangement of letters referred to in paragraph (4), nor the emblem referred to in that paragraph, must be more than fifty millimetres wide.

(8) Paragraph (4) does not apply—

(a) if the letters “GB” are displayed in accordance with paragraph (3); or

(b) if the relevant vehicle is recorded in the part of the register relating to Northern Ireland.

(9) The arrangements of letters referred to in paragraph (4) are—

(a) “United Kingdom” or “UNITED KINGDOM”;

(b) “UK”;

(c) “Great Britain” or “GREAT BRITAIN”;

(d) “GB”;

(e) “England” or “ENGLAND”;

(f) “Eng” or “ENG”;

(g) “Scotland” or “SCOTLAND”;

(h) “Sco” or “SCO”;

(i) “Wales” or “WALES”;

(j) “Cymru” or “CYMRU”;

(k) “Cym” or “CYM”.

(10) The emblems referred to in paragraph (4) are—

(a) an image of the Union flag;

(b) an image of the Cross of Saint George, as depicted on the flag of England;

(c) an image of the Cross of Saint Andrew (the Saltire), as depicted on the flag of Scotland;

(d) an image of the Red Dragon of Wales, as depicted on the flag of Wales.]

[F5 (11) In this regulation—

(a) an “eligible vehicle” means a vehicle to which these regulations apply and which cannot produce any tailpipe emissions;

(b) where the eligible vehicle is towing a trailer, paragraphs (4A), (4B), and (4D) may also apply to the plate or other device fixed to that trailer.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Reg. 16 substituted (27.4.2009) by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/811), regs. 1, 4

F2 Words in reg. 16(3) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1363), regs. 1(3), 4

F3 Reg. 16(4A)-(4D) inserted (8.12.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1276), regs. 1, 4(a)

F4 Words in reg. 16(5) inserted (8.12.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1276), regs. 1, 4(b)

F5 Reg. 16(11) inserted (8.12.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1276), regs. 1, 4(c)