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How to Choose the Best Replacement Number Plates Business for You

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

Car License Plate

Whether it is a motorcycle that we zip around town on to run random errands or a mighty SUV that we take on family trips into the country they all have one thing in common: they are registered in a national database by means of their vehicle number plates. These number plates uniquely identify your vehicle. But what happens when you need to get the license plates replaced? How do you choose the right business to handle the job for you?Before we go into the actual choosing of the replacement number plate makers, you need to be informed that in the case that your

plates have been stolen the first thing you might actually want to do is report it to the police. You shouldn’t drag your feet on this one,

considering the fact that the only reason someone would want to steal your number plates is to do some mischief using them as cover. The mischief may be something as relatively innocent as getting out of paying a parking ticket to a more sinister and serious crime which we will leave to your imagination. It would be pretty hard for you to explain how a car, that looks like yours (the thieves always make sure to nick the plates off of cars that look like theirs) and has your number plates on it, isn’t actually the real thing when faced with pictorial evidence

and/or witness testimony. So, go to the police – first and immediately.

To start choosing the best replacement number plates business for you:

Start your online search of all the license plate makers in the UK. You can look for only those that are in your area, but why limit your choices? Besides, today there are businesses that can ship your plates to you wherever in the country you may be. Once you have a list of suitable businesses, search further for reviews that they have received from their clients. Just adding “review” or “reviews” in front or after the business’ names should give you a decent number of search results. Go through the results, and the more you do so, the better a feeling you will have about whether or not you want to deal with them.
Once you have further narrowed down your choices find out their accreditations and affiliations. To begin with, any replacement number plates business in the country needs to be accredited by the DVLA. A professional business will take it further by being a member of organizations that represent their profession and will be proud to show it.
Next, when you start dealing with the business of choice they should be more than happy to be transparent with the paperwork. Try to avoid any shady deals – it might cost you a lot.
Finally, it is the price. It needs to be said, although you know it well: choose the lowest price.

Tags: car number plates, number plates, replacement number plates
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Number Plates Replacement – Because someone is Out There to Get You!

Monday, November 26th, 2012

UK Car Number Plate

There was a time when people could trust others when it came to their license plates. Sadly, those times are long gone. It is now a common thing, all over the UK, to hear a firsthand story of how car number plates have been stolen. And although this is a very serious crime, there are the odd drivers that do not know how serious of an issue it is to have ones number plates stolen.Well, to show the seriousness of it all, let us have a look at a probe into cases of stolen number plates that occurred in the North. The results show that in the last six years alone there have been around 4500 number plates stolen from cars, with almost half of these plates being stolen over the last two and a half years alone – indicating that the crime is actually getting worse. Further proof can be seen in the fact that in April of 2012, 17 cars’ number plates were stolen in Consett in, get this, just two hours!

The main reasons that people would want to steal your car’s license plates would be due to many reasons. To name a few:

- The first and obvious reason would be to commit a crime with the victims’ number plates in plain sight. This would throw off the police and make their enquiries a little harder as the witnesses or the cameras that caught the numbers would have seen or shown a number that was stolen.

- Some thieves steal license plates so that they can zoom around the cities recklessly and do whatever they want. The speed cameras that would capture them would show a car with the stolen plates and looked exactly like the original owner’s car. This is known as ‘car cloning’ and all bills that are incurred on the license plate (e.g. road tax) would be charged to the original owner.

Now, whatever the reason may be, you know you do not want to be caught in a nightmare situation like this. So, what are you expected to do before the theft happens to you?

There are theft resistant number plates on sale. You can have them installed and know that it will take a while longer to remove them thus discouraging any thief looking for a quick getaway. The negative aspect of these plates is that they can still be stolen (albeit after more than 3 minutes) and they cost you a lot more than the normal number plates.

As to what you can do after the theft has occurred is to report it immediately to the police who will record your number. Any expenses that are incurred on that license plate will not be your responsibility. Next, you can go and get yourself cheap replacement number plates and then have your car transferred to the new license number.

Tags: cheap number plates, number plates thieves, replacement number plates, stolen number plates, theft of number plates
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How to Go About Getting Your Replacement Number Plates

Friday, November 23rd, 2012

There are a number of reasons why you might suddenly up and need new replacement number plates for your vehicle. And there are a number of ways that you can go on to deal with the problem. But one thing that can’t be forgotten is that no matter how you go about it, you should always stick to the law.

UK Rear License Plate

Therefore, before we look at the process of going about getting your number plates, let us take a brief look at the legal

aspects that need to be adhered to:- The first, and most important, thing is that you will need to go to a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) authorized number plates dealer, if you opt to not go to the DVLA itself, that is. The name of the supplier needs to be printed or embossed at the bottom of each number plate so it can be traced back.

- Your license plates need to adhere to strict lettering, sizing and spacing formats.

- The colors of the plates have rules too: the front plates should be in black lettering on a white background, while the rear ones should be in black lettering but on yellow backgrounds. They need to be made of reflective materials so that they can be seen at night or in poor lighting.

- The background of the number plates should be plain with no patterns on them.

- You will need to display your number plates clearly so that all characters and digits are clearly seen. Also, you should never add things, like screws or stickers, in places that could make the numbers or alphabets look like something they are not. (Example, placed between two 1’s or two I’s – they could be mistaken for H’s).

Having license plates that do not adhere to one or another of these rules could lead to you being fined a whopping £1,000.

What to Take

You will need to confirm your identity when you go to get your replacement identity plates. So, make sure that you bring an ID document that can serve the purpose. Examples could be:

• Your driving license, your passport or any identity card with your picture on it

• Your utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the past 6 months

You will also need a document that proves you are the owner of the license plate. Examples could be:

• The vehicle’s registration certificate or certificate of entitlement to the number

• Temporary registration certificate

• In case you are doing the job for someone else you will need the appropriate letter of authority from them.

Once you’ve got these points settled you are ready to get your replacement number plates in a matter of hours. You can even just go home and wait for them to be sent to you.

Tags: replacement car number plates, replacement number plates
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Car Safety For The Future

Friday, June 17th, 2011

Car safety has come a long way from the early ABS Systems to the latest crumble zones, airbags and stability control. In a recent visit to the Bosch proving ground, Germany, we had first hand experience of the car safety systems. The latest systems on offer are lane departure warning and collision mitigating braking systems which may become common features in the near future, less accidents and fewer replacement number plates. And the next stage of safety may be to allow self drive of cars in heavy traffic which may also become reality in future.

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Number Plates Fuel Thefts

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Number plates are being used to conceal the identity of fuel thieves. This criminal activity is rife throughout the UK with almost every county effected. The theft of the number plates themselves is more inconvenient for the victims. Mercifully replacement number plates are relatively inexpensive.

So why are criminals stealing number plates as opposed to buying them. The government made the process of buying number plates without a claim to the registration number difficult a few years ago. Legislation passed through parliament has restricted the outlets that can supply car number plates and also made it unlawful to supply number plates without recording legal documents to prove the purchaser has a claim to the registration number.

It’s highly contentious as to the effectiveness of this legislation what is plain to see is there has been a spate of thefts of car number plates and this has no sign of abating. With fuel costs escalating and trips to the forecourt costing nearly as much as a families weekly grocery bill there will no doubt be more thefts of number plates.

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Shaped Car Number Plates

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Car number plates generally are of a standard size, 520mm x 111mm. Some vehicles however have different sized number plates. The rear number plate on many four wheel drive vehicles such as a Land Rover Freelander or a Discovery are square. Imported vehicles from Japan and America can have various sized number plates both front and rear.

Range Rovers have a larger number plate at the rear with a standard one at the front. Whereas a Range Rover Sport tend to have a contoured number plate to the rear. The display of a vehicles number plate is dictated in law. The style, size and distance between characters is defined there is also a minimum margin around the registration number.

Aston Martin, Jaguars are amongst some other vehicles that use none standard sized car number plates. When replacing oversized or shaped, contoured number plates it is recommended that a similar sized and style of car number plates are used.

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Mis Spaced Number Plates

Friday, April 15th, 2011

You sometimes see mis-spaced number plates on the roads when your out and about. Occasionally we get asked to mis space or mis represent a vehicle registration number. The problem is there is a very strict format that needs to be adhered too when displaying a vehicle registration number. The reason that number plates have to be displayed in prescribed format is that there are legal requirements that need to be met.

Legal number plates have to have characters displayed at a height of 79mm, With the exception of 1 & I the width of each character should be 50mm. Each character should have 11mm between them and the gap in the registration number between character groups should be 33mm. These rules are laid down in law and apply to number plates purchased on or after 1st September 2001.

If number plates are not displayed as detailed above they aren’t legal number plates. The implication of having none compliant number plates is you are more likely to get stopped by the police who’s job it is to enforce the laws’s in relation to number plates. The police have powers to fine offenders up to £1000 and can in extreme cases withdraw the vehicle registration number. Generally the police will issue a warning in the first instance for mis-spaced number plates, that’s not a guarantee!

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Replacement Car Number Plates

Friday, April 8th, 2011

There are a myriad of reasons why you may need replacement car number plates. It could be that you old ones are looking a bit faded and are spoiling the overall appearance of the car, Maybe the front number plate is cracked or the laminate is starting to split. Replacing car number plates is a simple and inexpensive task that can make a real difference.

Sadly all too often people are replacing their car number plates because they have become a victim of crime. There has been an increase over the last few years of car number plates being stolen. Obviously car number plates are of no value to anyone other than its rightful owner.

All to often the car number plates are stolen to be used in other criminal activities. More often than not these crimes would be regarded as low level offenses such as: Speeding, Illegal Parking, Forecourt Fuel Theft, Congestion tax dodging etc. However there have been instances of more serious crime such as Kidnap where stolen car number plates have been used.

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Car Number Plates MOT Requirements

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

We often get asked if car number plates are checked as part of the MOT test. For vehicles first registered in the UK they will need an annual MOT inspections, once the car is three years old. For vehicles imported into the UK the MOT test is due annually commencing three years after the date of manufacture.

More stringent rules regarding car number plates were introduced in October 2007. The rules state that number plates must be present, secure and show the correct registration number. The right colour, character font and size must be used on the car number plates and display only acceptable international flags or symbols.

Any modification to the number plates which have the effect of changing the appearance or legibility of any of the characters so that the vehicle’s true identity is less easily established will also be unacceptable.
Plates fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2001 (51 reg onwards) are also required to display the British standard reference BS AU145d and the name and postcode of the car number plates supplier.

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Number Plates Crackdown

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Police are clamping down on motorists who don’t clearly display their number plates. Penalties include fines and even having the car registration number withdrawn for persistent offenders.

There are strict rules concerning the display of vehicle number plates in the United Kingdom. The legislation passed in recent years dictates the fonts, regional flag badges and materials that can be used in manufacturing new and replacement number plates.

In addition to the components used to build number plates the law also stipulates the size of letters or number characters and the space between each character and block of characters. It is the responsibility of Police forces and the Ministry of Transport Testing Stations to ensure that number plates are properly displayed.

Only suppliers registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, DVLA, can legally supply number plates. Proof of identity and entitlement to the vehicle registration number has to be produced when obtaining replacement number plates.

Tags: build number plates, car number plates, legal number plates, replacement number plates
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