Hi folks.
I would like to re-site my rear plate to the bootlid, facing back of course not up. I was looking into the law and could not find much except this.
https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/overview
What interested me here is the reference to an MOT fail for an incorrectly displayed plate. I see tens of illegal plates every day rising to hundreds in the tourist season - those who most flout this law seem to be able to afford to.
The police seem to take no action against offenders.
However, having seen a few threads of late covering invalidated insurance due to technical infringements this seems like another - illegal plate=invalidated MOT=invalidated insurance.
Can anyone help with legal details regarding plate position ie height from ground etc.?
No prize but guesses as to what might fit in the freed space? Go on entertain yourselves. It isn`t a machine gun - that will be roof mounted.

Diffuser from a Focus ST.

I'm sure as long as you are displaying a correct plate on the rear of the vehicle a foot in elevation shouldn't matter. However, how will you illuminate it without it looking a bit poo?

You might have a hard time arguing that the non-vertical back of the boot is a more suitable place than the place constructed for it... but IANAL, so you pays your money and you takes your choice!

Brilliant. Thanks Neil, I thought you might have an answer.
I did mean the vertical section of the boot - so I think I will do it.
I confess I quite enjoy confrontations with the police anyway!

As for illumination. I think a custom made surround (in cfc most likely) with discreet illumination might look okay. The plate would be the same size as the front. Silly of me to have sourced original number plate lamps and then not use them I suppose. Me all over.

Not a diffuser and probably done before.
I`ll give you a clue - i`m quite into GTA5/online.

The M.O.T. Inspection
Information Method of Inspection Reason for Rejection Registration plate lamps are required to illuminate the rear registration plate. Some vehicles may have these lamps fitted behind the number plate.

Where more than one rear registration plate lamp is fitted, any one inoperative lamp is a Reason for Rejection. Registration Plate Lamps.
Check......
1. Turn on the position lamps and check that registration plate lamp(s):
a. illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps
b. are fitted
c. are secure
d. are working
e. are correctly positioned
f. does not show white light to the rear.

Fail condition(s)
1. A rear registration plate lamp:
a. does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps
b. not fitted
c. insecure
d. with any lamp not working
e. not illuminating the rear registration plate
f. shows white light directly to the rear.




Check that there is a registration plate at both the front and the rear of the vehicle, and check each one for security and condition.
2. On vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 1973, check:the colour of the characters and background that the registration plates are fixed vertically, or as close to vertical as is reasonably practical.


Fail:-
1. A registration plate:
a. missing or incorrect
b. so insecure that it is likely to fall off
c. letter or figure missing or incomplete
d. faded, dirty, delaminated, deteriorated or obscured, (for example by a towbar) so that it is likely to be misread or is not easily legible by a person standing approximately 20 metres to the front/rear of the vehicle e. background overprinted or shadowed with text e.g. vehicle manufacturer name.
2.
a. a front registration plate does not have black characters on a white background
b. a rear registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background
c. a registration plate not fixed vertically, or as close to vertical as is reasonably practical.

Vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1973 may have registration plates displaying white, grey or silver characters on a black background.

Three-dimensional characters are permitted to use grey edging in order to achieve the 3D effect on any age of vehicle.

3. On vehicles first registered on or after 1 September 2001, check that the registration plates do not display a honeycomb or similar effect background.
Fail:-.
a. A registration plate obviously displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background. Cont’d Cont’d 6.3





And the other law..



The 2001 statutory Instrument did not come into force until 21st March 2001 and was (generally) not a retrospective enactment.

Which basically means (unless your Coupe was lucky enough to be registered after 21/03/2001) that it is in fact the following statutes that apply. Or parts thereof.




The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971

The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1972

The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1975

The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1984



By and large the 2001 Statute is all the same except new font style and size.
And also the vantage point (viewing distance) for being able to legibly see the number plate is slightly altered (because the font size changed).

An interesting point to observe is that the vantage point is taken as being viewed by 'an ordinary person' (5'10" ?) at that distance so you could probably legally position your number plates down in a deep recess making it only visible at that one precise distance !.

Wow.
Brilliant post. Thank-you.
I think I can make my alteration and be within the law.
I doubt many coppers know what a Coupe is supposed to look like and I suspect they would be finding fault elsewhere.