# Car Number plate fallen off car. Is it illegal to drive ?!!



## willa

My Car Numberplate has falled off the back. Well either fallen off,or it's been stolen !!

Can't order new one till tomorrow . 

The front numberplate is still on, so is it illegal to drive my car ? Gotta get to work tomorrow morning !!


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## Guest

it is illegal yes
but play dumb say u hadnt noticed it must have fallen off as you were driving
and say you will get it ordered today


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## willa

The numberplate on the front is still there though ...?


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## Nonnie

It is illegal ( i watch Traffic Cops religiously ).

But just incase you don't trust my TV based education:



> All registration marks including marks purchased through DVLA's sales scheme must be displayed in accordance with The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 (obtainable from Her Majesty's Stationery Office).
> 
> Rules for the display of number plates are set out in law, briefly these are: -
> 
> A number plate must be displayed at the front and rear of motor vehicles (with some exceptions).
> Number Plates must be easy to read and meet the British Standard.
> Lettering should be black on a white plate at the front and a yellow at the rear.
> The background surface should be reflex-reflecting but the characters must not.
> There are separate requirements for traditional number plates displayed on vehicles constructed before 1 January 1973.
> Lettering and spacing must be of a set size. They must conform to one of the groups shown at:- Number plates fitted after 1 September 2001 or Number plates fitted before 1 September 2001.
> Number Plate Law
> 
> The law states that,
> You must not alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers
> Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC must not be displayed as A242A BC).
> 
> Offences may result in any or all of the following:
> A fine of up to £1,000
> The registration mark may be WITHDRAWN
> The vehicle may FAIL the MOT test
> 
> Full details of the requirements are included in The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001


EDIT: Source - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/contents/made


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## Guest

willa said:


> The numberplate on the front is still there though ...?


still illegal u have to have both on the car and fixed appropriately im afraid


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## CanIgoHome

willa said:


> My Car Numberplate has falled off the back. Well either fallen off,or it's been stolen !!
> 
> Can't order new one till tomorrow .
> 
> The front numberplate is still on, so is it illegal to drive my car ? Gotta get to work tomorrow morning !!


Why can't you get one today halfords is open til 5pm??
if not until tomorrow you can not drive the car
and if you think its been stolen report it to the police because it covers you back if someone use it to go speeding with it


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## jenny22

write one on a bit of card very clearly so it is very clear and if you are stopped explain that you have one on order and that it has been stolen. I would have thought that any reasonable noddy box would have been ok with that. At least that is what I would do, I suppose it depends on where you live.

jenn


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## willa

All sorted.got new plate at Halfords . Can u believe it though,got home & realised the numberplate was wrong ! 
Thankgod i got back 30secs before they shut !


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## Guest

willa said:


> All sorted.got new plate at Halfords . Can u believe it though,got home & realised the numberplate was wrong !
> Thankgod i got back 30secs before they shut !


wow didn't realise they could make number plates that quick. Glad you are sorted


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## willa

Buster's Mummy said:


> wow didn't realise they could make number plates that quick. Glad you are sorted


Yeah it took 10 minutes . Cost £13, thought it'd cost way more !

So anyone needing new numberplates go to Hallfords. They are fantastic & very quick


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## Cranmer

Its only illegal if you get caught anyway


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## skyblue

now inform the DVLA that your number plate went AWOL


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## Honey Bee

Very glad you got a new plate but I would definitely imform the Police that the original went missing just in case there is a problem. If it has been stolen sounds suspiciously like it could be used to run through speed camera's as they tend to take pics of the back plate. (unless you live near me where our lovely average speed cameras take pics of the front!)


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## bullet

I remember the time my car fell off the number plate too


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## Cranmer

Honey Bee said:


> Very glad you got a new plate but I would definitely imform the Police that the original went missing just in case there is a problem. If it has been stolen sounds suspiciously like it could be used to run through speed camera's as they tend to take pics of the back plate. (unless you live near me where our lovely average speed cameras take pics of the front!)


Im guessing you're near the A127 or the new ones on the A13?

General rule, Gatso camera takes from the back, Truvelo camera from the front or the back, average speed cameras from the front. DS2 Cameras, i dont know - but i think either.

Those average speed cameras are a pain though!


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## willa

I reported it to the local police station. Ironically the Train Station where it was proably stolen is next door to the Police Station !

Anyway it's now on their system as being 'stolen'. Got a crime reference number,just in case something happens.
They logged into my car details & nothing bad came up. So hopefully a theif hasn't got their hands on it ! The Station has CCTV,but not sure if that's taking it too far ?

Can u imagine what crimes they could use it for  Will be keeping a close watch on the post from now on !!


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## Tink82

willa said:


> I reported it to the local police station. Ironically the Train Station where it was proably stolen is next door to the Police Station !
> 
> Anyway it's now on their system as being 'stolen'. Got a crime reference number,just in case something happens.
> They logged into my car details & nothing bad came up. So hopefully a theif hasn't got their hands on it ! The Station has CCTV,but not sure if that's taking it too far ?
> 
> Can u imagine what crimes they could use it for  Will be keeping a close watch on the post from now on !!


The reg wont match the make/model of the car it's stuck to on PNC so don't panic, having reported it lost/stolen, they will know it's not you... unless it's a double bluff


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## willa

Tink82 said:


> The reg wont match the make/model of the car it's stuck to on PNC so don't panic, having reported it lost/stolen, they will know it's not you... *unless it's a double bluff*


What ??

The police officer said it's most likely to be used to steal petrol. They go fill up their car & drive away without paying


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## bewitched

willa said:


> What ??
> 
> The police officer said it's most likely to be used to steal petrol. They go fill up their car & drive away without paying


Yep, I work in a petrol station and they do this a lot. Some even go to the extent of stealing a plate of a car that is the same make and model that they are using


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## Tink82

willa said:


> What ??
> 
> The police officer said it's most likely to be used to steal petrol. They go fill up their car & drive away without paying


yeah, and when the reg is chacked, it won't match the car it's stuck to if you know what I mean?


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## newfiesmum

willa said:


> The numberplate on the front is still there though ...?


The back one is the most important, actually, as that is the one that can be seen in the dark and that is the one that the speed cameras photograph. It is also illegal to have that back one so dirty that it cannot be identified.

Though not specifically legal, you may get away with a large cardboard sign in the back windscreen with the number written on in large marker pen. I am not advising it, though, just suggesting. It seems to be done a lot on towed vehicles, like little trailers.


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## pinkspider

This sort of thing is rife and has been increasing steadily over the last few years.

We see it a lot when it comes to classic cars - plates are stolen and if easily accessible the VIN (vehicle identification number) is also written down or the plate removed from the car...

...the vehicle's ID is then cloned and either put onto another similar vehicle which has no current ID (lost, forgotten or stolen over the years) or it's sold on to organised crime gangs etc.

I had a car once who's ID had been 'stolen' in the mid-90s and was running around on a nearly new Land Rover Defender. It all came to light when I tried to re-register the vehicle (been off the road for a long time and had the old style logbook) for a current V5 and got told it wasn't possible as it already existed elsewhere. Nice. Got it sorted in the end though.

But yes, long story short, contacting the Police and DVLA is the best thing to be doing. Also, consider contacting VOSA as they are generally more help with these issues than the DVLA are.


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## TheWalrus1975

Cranmer said:


> Im guessing you're near the A127 or the new ones on the A13?
> 
> General rule, Gatso camera takes from the back, Truvelo camera from the front or the back, average speed cameras from the front. DS2 Cameras, i dont know - but i think either.
> 
> Those average speed cameras are a pain though!


You seem to know alot about speed cameras. I am friends with a bobby, and he swears blind that the vultures (average speed cameras) can be out witted by making sure you are in a different lane each time you pass through one. In other words if you enter the first camera in lane 1, if you pass the 2nd in lane 2, and then move into lane 3 they will not get you, as the software cannot cross reference the 3 lanes.

I don't have the guts to try it though as I already have 6 points


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## owieprone

Speed Cameras... a brief summary of the different types...

"Protection against SPECS. Here's a little known loophole... "a prosecution can only be valid if you stay in the same lane". The cameras are not always easy to spot... so if you happen to be travelling through roadworks make sure you change lanes at least once. SPECS cameras work out the vehicles average speed by calculating the time it took to drive between two camera positions. However, under Home Office rules... speeding prosecutions are ONLY valid if a driver is filmed in the SAME lane... from the start to the finish of each section of road covered by the cameras. According to the manufacturers of the SPECS cameras... the devices were approved by the Home Office in 1999... passing strict tests for use in one lane at a time. However... there was not enough time or finances to extend Home Office approval tests to cover the cameras' use over two or three lanes at a time... and, strangely, since then nothing has changed! So the message is... if you're going through roadwork's or you see a SPECS system... if at all possible change to a different lane. Or, even better still... stick to the speed limit!"

apparently.

however, as most specs are at roadworks, even if there's naeone about i always do the limit cos more often than not there's also an unmarked.. and they hate people who speed through roadworks.. most of the time they don't care ifyou speed when the road is clear.

also.. it doesn't add MINUTES to your trip, it's usually seconds, neither are worth a fine or points imo.
case in point. somewhere this side of kent to oxford, husband 70mph, me 50mph (refurbed engine)...difference in time? ~20 minutes but only cos i stopped at the shop to get a few things for team, which takes 10 to 15 mins ish).


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## Guest

owieprone said:


> Speed Cameras... a brief summary of the different types...
> 
> "Protection against SPECS. Here's a little known loophole... "a prosecution can only be valid if you stay in the same lane". The cameras are not always easy to spot... so if you happen to be travelling through roadworks make sure you change lanes at least once. SPECS cameras work out the vehicles average speed by calculating the time it took to drive between two camera positions. However, under Home Office rules... speeding prosecutions are ONLY valid if a driver is filmed in the SAME lane... from the start to the finish of each section of road covered by the cameras. According to the manufacturers of the SPECS cameras... the devices were approved by the Home Office in 1999... passing strict tests for use in one lane at a time. However... there was not enough time or finances to extend Home Office approval tests to cover the cameras' use over two or three lanes at a time... and, strangely, since then nothing has changed! So the message is... if you're going through roadwork's or you see a SPECS system... if at all possible change to a different lane. Or, even better still... stick to the speed limit!"
> 
> apparently.
> 
> however, as most specs are at roadworks, even if there's naeone about i always do the limit cos more often than not there's also an unmarked.. and they hate people who speed through roadworks.. most of the time they don't care ifyou speed when the road is clear.
> 
> also.. it doesn't add MINUTES to your trip, it's usually seconds, neither are worth a fine or points imo.
> case in point. somewhere this side of kent to oxford, husband 70mph, me 50mph (refurbed engine)...difference in time? ~20 minutes but only cos i stopped at the shop to get a few things for team, which takes 10 to 15 mins ish).


Thanks for that, i did not know any of that!!

Not saying that i am going to go round speeding now of course


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## owieprone

same here, if it is true it's a completely useless system and considering how much it costs to install in the first place should be updated to run properly.

although i do think specs are the way to go for single lane traffic, instead of static cameras, vans, chicanes and BLOODY SLEEPING POLICEMEN (the traffic calmer not the actual people.. tho having said that....), specially around oxfordshire like the 50 on the a34 for instance.. i always do 50 cos some poor sods live right next to the road.. you couldn't pay me to live there.. and it only adds seconds to anyones journey.


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## Guest

owieprone said:


> same here, if it is true it's a completely useless system and considering how much it costs to install in the first place should be updated to run properly.
> 
> although i do think specs are the way to go for single lane traffic, instead of static cameras, vans, chicanes and BLOODY SLEEPING POLICEMEN (the traffic calmer not the actual people.. tho having said that....), specially around oxfordshire like the 50 on the a34 for instance.. i always do 50 cos some poor sods live right next to the road.. you couldn't pay me to live there.. and it only adds seconds to anyones journey.


Saying that i thought i got caught last saturday, i was following someone and i lost them so started to panic and speed up, i know there is a camera there always has been but i just did not realise for that split second my speed, but will have to ask hubby what sort of camera it was as i was facing it so if it is one of the ones that only does the back i should be ok. :scared:


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