Black and silver number plates

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Luxobarge
Posts: 1898
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Black and silver number plates

#1 Post by Luxobarge » Tue Mar 02, 2021 11:13 am

I'm a member of a local vintage car club, and their magazine recently had a note about the use of black-and-silver (or white) number plates that folk on here might find useful. It's a note direct from the DVLA and reads:

Statement from the FBHVC Published: 10/12/2020
Information directly from DVLA concerning black and silver number plates effective from 1st January 2021


This note is to tell you about important changes being introduced on 1st January 2021 that affect the ability of vehicles registered in the historic tax class to display the old style pre-1973 black and silver number plates. Following the change in definition of a historic vehicle for tax exemption purposes in 2015, and issue was identified in the regulatory requirements for the valid display of a black and silver number plate. This resulted in an unintended consequence where any vehicle over 40 years old and registered in the historic tax class would be permitted to display an old style black and silver number plate. This was despite the law previously requiring all vehicles first registered after 1st January 1973 to only display the yellow and white number plates with black characters.
As this was never the intention, we have sought to rectify this through a legal correction which will shortly be implemented. The change seeks to prevent any vehicle constructed after 1st January 1980 from the ability to display the black and silver number plate despite being recorded in the DVLA's historic tax class. Those vehicles with a construction date prior to 1 January 1980 will continue to be able to legally display black and silver number plates to avoid any undue costs of replacement.
Your members may also wish to note that from 1st January it will no longer be permissible to fix a new number plate displaying a Euro sumbol. Number plates already fixed to vehicles are unaffected. We will also be introducing a new British Standard for number plates produced from 1st September 2021 which will mean all current style number plates that are first fixed to a vehicle from that date must meet the technical requirements contained in that standard.
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There you go - makes life a bit easier for thoes of us who worry about such things eh? Historically my 1974-built RWA MG Midget has technically been illegal, as I have black-and-silver plates on it, but nice to know that I'm not a criminal any more!
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: Black and silver number plates

#2 Post by GHT » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:07 pm

That is an interesting take on legislation. It made me wonder about cherished number plates. My wife's Golf is 22 years old, or is it 23? The reason that I can never remember is because the DVLA sold off a tranche of 1983 number plates, the most popular being A14 (A one for)and then the three letters, usually the persons initials unless they have a three letter name like Kim or Sue.

What then if a cherished number plate comes off a car that was scrapped pre-1980, must the plates be reflector style with black characters? I would assume so.

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Luxobarge
Posts: 1898
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Black and silver number plates

#3 Post by Luxobarge » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:35 pm

I think it's all to do with the date of first registration of the car, irrespective of whether it's had a number change or not since then, so I think you'll find that the rules apply equally to "cherished" numbers as to original numbers. My opinion, not fact, but I should very much think that's the case.
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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