The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001

UK Statutory Instrument 2001 No. 561 — creates 1 criminal offence.

1offences created

0recorded in force

0revoked

Made: 26 February 2001
In force from: 21 March 2001
Extent: Not stated
Subject: Road traffic and vehicles
Made under: Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These Regulations revoke and replace regulations 17 to 22 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971 and regulations 18 to 23 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973 and instruments amending those regulations by making new provision in respect of the fixing and lighting of registration plates on vehicles and for the format of registration marks. The principal changes from the revoked provisions are: a The introduction of a mandatory requirement for the use of registration plates conforming to British Standard specification BS AU 145d or an equivalent standard laid down by an EEA State (in this note called “the mandatory plates”) on all vehicles first registered on or after 1st September 2001 and on other vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1973 if an existing plate is replaced. (See regulation 10 and Schedule 2.) b Provision making it lawful (where it would hitherto have been unlawful) for rear plates to be fixed in the space provided on vehicles constructed in accordance with the requirements of relevant EC type-approval directives and to be lit in a manner provided for in those directives. These Regulations implement those directives to that extent. (See regulations 5 and 9.) c Provision for the introduction of a new registration mark format. (See regulation 13 and Schedule 3 Parts 1 and 2.) d The introduction of new mandatory character sizes and a mandatory standard character font (“the prescribed font”) for registration marks on vehicles first registered on or after 1st September 2001 and on other vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1973 if an existing plate is replaced. (See regulations 14 and 15(1), Schedule 3 (Part 3) and Schedule 4.) e As regards registration marks on other vehicles, the prohibition both of fonts which are not substantially the same as the prescribed font and of layouts which make a mark relatively difficult to read or which disguise one character as another or part of another. (See regulation 15(2) and (3).) f The prohibition of plates fitted or treated in such a manner as to obscure or disguise the mark or make it difficult or impossible to photograph. (See regulation 11.) g The making of provision for the display of the international distinguishing sign of the United Kingdom adjacent to the registration mark in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No. 2411/98 (a copy of which can be obtained from the Stationery Office). (See regulation 16.) h The exemption of small invalid vehicles and pedestrian-controlled vehicles from the requirement to carry registration marks and provision permitting “classic” vehicles to use old-style plates indefinitely. (See regulations 3 and 18 and regulations 10 to 14 passim.) The Regulations make the use of mandatory plates containing characters of the specified size in the prescribed font (with or without the international distinguishing sign) optional on vehicles either currently registered or first registered before 1st September 2001 with effect from 21st March 2001. (See regulation 17.) A draft of these Regulations has been communicated to the European Commission in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 98/34/EC (a directive of the European Parliament and Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations; OJ No. L204, 21.7.98, p. 37). The Regulations have been made in conjunction with the Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/560). A combined Regulatory Impact Assessment for the two instruments has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Road Safety Division of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Zone 2/09 Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR (telephone number 020 7944 2452) or viewed on the DETR website www.detr.gov.uk. A copy has been placed in the library of both Houses of Parliament.

Offences created by this instrument

Paragraph (1) does not apply to a regulation the breach of which would constitute an offence under section 42(1) of… regulation 19(2) · Status not determined · Strict liability

What Parliament said about it

Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Road Vehicles (Display Of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 Lords · Lords Chamber · 30 March 2001
Road Traffic Commons · Commons Chamber · 24 April 2001 · The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Mr. Keith Hill)
Our debate has been fascinating, and all too brief. It has been an evening of passion, even atavism—and it was not entirely predictable that the subject of vehicle number plates could provoke that. I shall deal with several key issues. First, however, I shall try to put the subject in perspective. I doubt whether any hon. Member, with the possible exception of that well-known libertarian the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth), would disagree that it is important for law enforcement and road safety that number plates should be clearly legible to the naked eye and to enforcement cameras.…
Road Traffic (Si, 2001, No 561) Commons · Commons Chamber · 25 April 2001
That the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 (S.I., 2001, No. 561), dated 26th February 2001, a copy of which was laid before the House on 28th February, be revoked.
Vehicle Registration Marks Bill Lords · Lords Chamber · 28 June 2007 · Lord Bassam of Brighton
I welcome the evident desire of the noble Lord, Lord Brougham and Vaux, to ensure that the manufacture, distribution and fitting of number plates are as secure as possible. This subject was previously raised during the passage of the Bill. I share the noble Lord’s views about the importance of number plate security, and I am sure all noble Lords do. Number plates are the primary means of identifying vehicles used on the road. It is therefore paramount that plates are fitted to the correct vehicle. Unfortunately, and as we know, dishonest individuals abuse the vehicle registration system by…
Regional Flags: Driving Licences and Number Plates Commons · Westminster Hall · 19 April 2017 · Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Nuttall. I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Scott Mann) on initiating the debate. In the light of the Prime Minister’s decision to invoke article 50 last month, and ahead of the general election in June, it is right that we discuss in this place the many and varied ramifications of leaving the European Union, from the big issues right down to what some might see as the finer detail about the symbols that appear on our driving licences and number plates. Detail it may be, but it is important nevertheless,…

How Parliament handled it

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