The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001

PART IIIREGISTRATION MARKS

Interpretation of Part III

12.—(1) In this Part and in Schedule 3, the following expressions shall have the following meanings—

(a)“diagram” means a diagram shown in Part 2 of Schedule 3 and a reference to a numbered diagram is a reference to the diagram identified by that number in that part of that Schedule,

(b)“Table A” means the table in Part 1 of Schedule 3,

(c)“Table B” means the table in Part 3 of Schedule 3,

(d)a reference to “relevant character height” is a reference to the height of the characters in the registration mark shown at the head of column (2), (3) or (4) of Table B as the case may be.

(2) Any provision as to measurement contained in this Part or in Schedule 3 shall be taken to be complied with—

(a)in the case of a provision prescribing character height, if the height of the character is not more than 1 millimetre more or less than the measurement prescribed herein, and

(b)in the case of a provision prescribing any other dimension, if the dimension of the character or the space in question is not more than 0.5 millimetres more or less than the measurement prescribed herein.

(3) For the purpose of any provision contained in this Part or in Schedule 3 as to the spacing between characters or between groups of characters or as to the width of a margin the measurement shall be made—

(a)in the case of a horizontal spacing requirement, between vertical lines passing through the extreme edges of each character or group of characters or between a vertical line passing through the extreme edge of a character and the lateral edge of the plate (as the case may be), 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 a horizontal line passing through the extreme edge of a group of characters and the top or bottom edge of the plate (as the case may be).

Layout of marks

13.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a registration mark of a description specified in column (1) of Table A must be laid out on the registration plate in conformity with one of the diagrams specified in relation to that description in column (2) of Table A.

(2) A mark displayed on a motor cycle may not be laid out in conformity with diagram 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a or 9a.

(3) A mark may not be laid out in conformity with diagram 2c, 3c, 4b or 7b if it is displayed on—

(a)a registration plate fixed to a vehicle first registered on or after 1st September 2001, or

(b)a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973).

Size and spacing of characters

14.—(1) Except in the cases mentioned in paragraphs (2) and (3), each character in a registration mark must be 79 millimetres high.

(2) In the case of a registration mark displayed on a vehicle first registered before 1st September 2001, a character in a registration mark may be 89 millimetres high unless—

(a)the vehicle was first registered on or after 1st January 1973 and the mark is displayed on a new registration plate fixed to the vehicle to replace a plate previously fixed thereto, or

(b)the vehicle is a motor cycle, motor tricycle, quadricycle, agricultural machine, works truck or road roller.

(3) In the case of a registration mark fixed on a motor cycle, motor tricycle, quadricycle, agricultural machine, works truck or road roller, each character of the mark may be 64 millimetres high.

(4) The width of each character of a mark other than the letter “I” and the figure “1” must be—

(a)in the case of a mark displayed—

(i)on a registration plate fixed to a vehicle first registered on or after 1st September 2001, or

(ii)on a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973),

that shown in line 1 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height,

(b)in any other case, that shown in line 2 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(5) The width of every part of the stroke forming a character in a mark must be that shown in line 3 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(6) Except in a case to which paragraph (11) applies, the spacing between any two characters within a group must be that shown in line 4 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(7) The horizontal spacing between groups of characters in a mark must be that shown in line 5 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(8) The vertical spacing between groups of characters must be that shown in line 6 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(9) The width of a margin between the mark and the top, bottom and lateral edges of the registration plate must be not less than that shown in line 7 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height.

(10) Paragraph (11) applies where—

(a)one or both of the characters is “I” or “1”,

(b)those characters are either 79 millimetres or 89 millimetres high,

(c)the mark is displayed on a vehicle first registered before 1st September 2001,

(d)the registration plate displaying the mark was fixed to the vehicle before 1st September 2001 or, if that is not the case, the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973 and,

(e)the plate is made of cast or pressed metal with raised characters.

(11) Where this paragraph applies the spacing between—

(b)two characters one of which is “I” or “1” must be within the limits shown in line 8 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height, and

(c)two characters both of which are “I” or “1” must be within the limits shown in line 9 of Table B in relation to the relevant character height,

but where one or more characters in a group is “I” or “1” all the characters within that group must be evenly spaced.

Style of characters

15.—(1) In the case of a registration mark displayed—

(a)on a registration plate fixed to a vehicle first registered on or after 1st September 2001, or

(b)on a new registration plate fixed to a vehicle on or after 1st September 2001 to replace a plate previously fixed thereto (except where the vehicle was first registered before 1st January 1973),

each of the characters of the mark must be in the prescribed font.

(2) Except in a case to which paragraph (1) applies, each of the characters of the registration mark must either be in the prescribed font or in a style which is substantially similar to the prescribed font so that the character is easily distinguishable and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of those requirements, characters must not be formed in any way described in paragraph (4) or in a manner which is similar to any of those ways.

(3) For the purposes of 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.

(4) The ways of forming characters referred to in paragraph (2) 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,

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