The Trailer Registration Regulations 2018

Regulation 1

SCHEDULE 1 U.K. COMMENCEMENT

1.  The following provisions come into force on the day after the day on which these Regulations are made— U.K.

(a) regulation 2;

(b) regulation 3;

(c) regulation 4;

(d) regulation 6;

(e) regulation 7 except for paragraph (5);

(f) regulation 8(1) except for sub-paragraph (c);

(g) regulation 11;

(h) regulation 13;

(i) regulation 14 except for the power of the Secretary of State under paragraph (3) to require a registered keeper to destroy or surrender a registration document;

(j) regulation 15;

(k) regulation 18; and

(l) Schedule 3.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 1 para. 1 in force at 21.11.2018, see reg. 1(2)

2.  The following provisions come into force 21 days after the day on which these Regulations are made— U.K.

(a) regulation 8(1)(c) and (2) to (5);

(b) regulation 9;

(c) regulation 10;

(d) regulation 14(3) for all purposes;

(e) regulation 16(3);

(f) regulation 19(1)(b) to (1)(e), (1)(h), (2)(a), (2)(c) to (2)(e) and (2)(g);

(g) regulation 22;

(h) regulation 23;

(i) regulation 25;

(j) regulation 27; and

(k) Schedule 2.

Commencement Information

I2 Sch. 1 para. 2 in force at 21.11.2018, see reg. 1(2)

3.  The following provisions come into force on 28th March 2019— U.K.

(a) regulation 5;

(b) regulation 7(5);

(c) regulation 12;

(d) regulation 16(1), (2) and (4);

(e) regulation 17;

(f) regulation 19(1)(a), (1)(f), (1)(g), (2)(b) and (2)(f);

(g) regulation 20;

(h) regulation 21;

(i) regulation 24; and

(j) regulation 26.

Commencement Information

I3 Sch. 1 para. 3 in force at 21.11.2018, see reg. 1(2)

Regulation 16

SCHEDULE 2 U.K. DISPLAY OF REGISTRATION MARKS

Registration mark - specification U.K.

1.—(1) A registration mark must be displayed as a group consisting of one letter and three numbers followed by a group consisting of four numbers (for example A123 4567) in this layout—

[F1 (2) The registration mark must be displayed—

(a) in the following prescribed font—

or

(b) in a style which is substantially similar to that prescribed font, so that each character is—

(i)

easily distinguishable, and

(ii)

not formed in a way described in sub-paragraph (10), or in a manner which is similar to any of those ways.]

(3) The characters used to display a registration mark must—

(a) be 64 millimetres in height;

(b) have a width of 44 millimetres, except for the character representing the number “1” and letter “I”, which must have a width of 10 millimetres;

(c) have a stroke width of 10 millimetres; and

(d) be separated by 10 millimetres from any other characters within a group.

(4) A group of characters in a registration mark must be separated from another group of characters in the same registration mark by a space of 5 millimetres vertically.

(5) The width of the margin between the top or lateral edges of the registration plate and any part of a character used to display a registration mark on it must be at least 5 millimetres.

(6) The width of the margin between the bottom edge of the registration plate and any part of a character used to display a registration mark on it must be at least 13 millimetres.

(7) The measurements specified in this paragraph must be made—

(a) in the case of a horizontal spacing requirement, between vertical lines passing through the extreme edges of each character or between the lateral edge of the plate and a vertical line passing through the closest extreme edge of a character to that edge; and

(b) in the case of a vertical spacing requirement, between horizontal lines passing through the extreme edges of each group of characters or between the top or bottom edge of the plate and a horizontal line passing through the closest extreme edge of a character to that edge.

(8) The measurements specified in this paragraph are complied with if—

(a) the height of the character is not more than 1 millimetre more or less than the specified height; and

(b) any other dimension of the character or the space in question is not more than 0.5 millimetres more or less than the specified measurement.

[F2 (9) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), a character shall not be treated as being in a style which is not substantially similar to the prescribed font merely by virtue of the fact that it has, or does not have, serifs.

(10) The ways of forming characters referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(b) are their formation—

(a) in italic script;

(b) using a font, other than italic script, in which the characters are not vertical;

(c) using a font in which the curvature or alignment of the lines of the stroke is substantially different from the prescribed font;

(d) using multiple strokes;

(e) using a broken stroke; or

(f) in such a way as to make a character or more than one character appear like a different character or characters.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2 para. 1(2) substituted (1.11.2021) by The Trailer Registration (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1043), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 1(a)

F2 Sch. 2 para. 1(9)(10) inserted (1.11.2021) by The Trailer Registration (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1043), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 1(b)

Commencement Information

I4 Sch. 2 para. 1 in force at 11.12.2018, see Sch. 1 para. 2(k)

Registration plate - specification U.K.

2.—(1) A registration plate must have solid black characters on a white background.

(2) The surface of a registration plate must not comprise or incorporate any design, pattern or texture, or be treated in any way which gives to any part of the plate the appearance of a design, pattern or texture.

(3) A registration plate must not be treated in any other way which—

(a) renders the characters of the registration mark less easily distinguishable to the eye; or

(b) would prevent or impair the making of a true photographic image of the plate through any device.

(4) The corners of a registration plate may be rounded off provided that the requirements of sub-paragraphs (5) and (6) (margins around registration marks) of paragraph 1 are not infringed.

(5) No material, other than a registration mark, may be displayed on a registration plate except for information that identifies the manufacturer of the registration plate.

Commencement Information

I5 Sch. 2 para. 2 in force at 11.12.2018, see Sch. 1 para. 2(k)

Regulation 18

SCHEDULE 3 U.K. AMENDMENTS TO RELEVANT REGULATIONS

1.—(1) The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989(1) are amended as follows. U.K.

(2) In regulation 11(2), after sub-paragraph (sa), insert—

“(sb) reflected light from a registration plate fixed to the rear of a trailer displaying a registration mark assigned to that trailer in accordance with regulations made under section 15 of the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018 (c. 19);”.

(3) In Schedule 15, after paragraph 12, insert—

“13.   In this Schedule, references to a rear registration plate do not include a registration plate fixed to the rear of a trailer displaying a registration mark assigned to that trailer in accordance with regulations made under section 15 of the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018 (c. 19).”.

Commencement Information

I6 Sch. 3 para. 1 in force at 21.11.2018, see Sch. 1 para. 1(l)

2.—(1) The Vehicles Crime (Registration of Registration Plate Suppliers) Regulations 2008(2) are amended as follows. U.K.

(2) In regulation 2(1)—

(a) in the definition of “fixed”, after the words “the 1994 Act”, insert “or section 15(3) of the 2018 Act”; and

(b) in the definition of “registration document”, after the words “the 1994 Act”, insert “or a registration document issued in accordance with regulations made under section 13(1) of the 2018 Act”.

(3) In paragraph 4 of Part 2 of the Schedule—

(a) in sub-paragraph (f), omit “or” at the end; and

(b) after sub-paragraph (g) insert—

“or

(h) a notice of registration issued by the Secretary of State in accordance with regulations made under section 13(1) of the 2018 Act.”.

Commencement Information

I7 Sch. 3 para. 2 in force at 21.11.2018, see Sch. 1 para. 1(l)

(1)

S.I. 1989/1796, amended by S.I. 2001/560; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(2)

S.I. 2008/1715, to which there is an amendment not relevant to these Regulations. The definition of “the 2018 Act” was inserted into the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 (c. 3), section 31(1) (interpretation of provisions relating to plates) by the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018, the Schedule, paragraph 8.