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The regs have changed again, this includes "Show Plates" as of 1st November 2008, Scotland and NI bring the whole of the UK to the same standard. If anyone supplies you with Non Compliant plates, they are breaking the law.
It is already an offence for motorists to display non-compliant number plates on their vehicles.
From 1 November 2008 it will become an offence to supply number plates that do not conform with the Road Vehicles
(Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 and the British Standard. This offence will apply throughout the UK and carries a maximum penalty of £2500 and/or suspension from the register for up to 5 years.
The offence only applies to plates with a vehicle registration mark (VRM) issued by DVLA/DVA, it does not apply to plates without a VRM. For example, it will still be possible for car dealers to make plates showing the model of a car for use on a car in a showroom. These plates are not number plates in law and are outside the scope of the offence.
It will be illegal to supply plates with the VRM mis-spaced to look like the name of an individual, non standard font/colour or with a slogan or message printed on them.
The MOT regs will probably be sorted out soon, so more plates will become RFR. We have had a spate of Police tickets issued to people with Non Compliant plates ( we have to check the new plates are Compliant and stamp the ticket for the owner to take back to the Police Staion) so it looks like a crack down is taking place.