The LAW!!
4. In this Part the following expressions shall have the following meanings—
“diagonal length”, in relation to a relevant area, means the length of a line drawn diagonally across the square enclosing the area (so that the extent of the relevant area is thereby delimited);
“relevant area”, in relation to a registration plate, means the area contained in a square described on the ground—
(a)
in front of the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the front of the vehicle, and
(b)
behind the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the rear of the vehicle,
where one corner of the square is immediately below the middle of the plate and the diagonal of the square from that corner is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
“relevant type-approval directive” means—
(a)
in the case of a motor cycle, motor tricycle or quadricycle—
(i)
Council Directive 93/94/EEC(1) (as amended by Commission Directive 99/26/EC(2)) as regards the space to be provided for fixing of the rear registration plate, and
(ii)
Council Directive 93/92/EEC(3) as regards the rear registration plate lamp;
(b)
in the case of any other vehicle or a trailer—
(i)
Council Directive 70/222/EEC(4) as regards the space to be provided for fixing of the rear registration plate, and
(ii)
Council Directive 76/760/EEC(5) (as amended by Commission Directive 97/31/EC(6)) as regards the rear registration plate lamp.
Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
5. (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.
(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of—
(a)the vehicle, or
(b)where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or
(c)where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer.
(3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).
(4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).
(5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a)vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and
(b)in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).
(6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(a)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,
(b)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,
(c)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.
Fixing of front registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date
6. (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (5), a registration plate must be fixed on the front of the vehicle in the manner required by paragraph (3).
(3) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—
(a)vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable,
(b)in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (4).
(4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—
(a)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,
(b)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,
(c)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.
