Featured Articles
Do you need to display front number plates in the UK?
UK drivers may be breaking the law by removing their number plates. Could they face fines of up to £1000? Our FOI requests reveal number plate crime statistics.
Welcome to our Blog! Stay informed with the latest private plate and motoring news. Our interesting articles reflect our dedication to great value and honesty, so we're always covering the latest relevant topics. It's not all serious though - we also post fun games and quizzes!
Stay tuned for regular expert insights into cars, important DVLA updates, and number plate laws.
All Articles
Do you need to display front number plates in the UK?
This and other important questions answered as UK Number Plate Crime Is on the rise!
UK drivers may be breaking the law by removing their number plates. Could they face fines of up to £1000? Our FOI requests reveal number plate crime statistics.
Valentine's Guide: Find the Perfect Partner Plate?
Looking for a great Valentine's day gift? It's never too late to go searching for a Partner Plate, as we offer Gift Presentation Certificates as great last-minute Valentine's gifts. If you're feeling brave, you can head straight to our Smart Search and start exploring all on your own: https://www.plates4less.co.uk/
Of course, we've got some special Valentine's Day tips for you in this article, too! And, don't forget to check out the Valentine's Guide in our Gift Hub.
VRM Swansea Launches Plates4Business hub featuring the Ultimate Number Plate Guide for Business
At Plates4Less, we've been working with businesses since 1997. As a result, we've become experts in helping companies find the right private number plates and now, we're passing that expertise on to you!
Number Plate Scams on the rise online - Please Beware
We recently featured in the Daily Express, providing advice on number plate scams to their readers. Since this information is proving to be so crucial, we also wanted to make sure that our readers are aware of the risks involved with buying or selling private number plates on Social Media sites.
Private Number Plate Competition Winner, Summer 2023!
We are thrilled to announce the winner of our Summer Number Plate Contest 2023 - Jon Davies with the registration number SD04 JFD. We chose our winner based on their reasons for wanting a personalised plate and we loved Jon's answer. To get to know our winner a bit better, we interviewed him about his plate, and we've included some of his responses here.
Number Plate Cloning On the Rise
We recently put out a press release on the issue of number plate cloning, a crime which makes victims of innocent motorists. With the London ULEZ zone expanding, cloning is unfortunately on the rise, stressing out motorists who are being sent ULEZ charges and speeding fines for offences they have not committed.
Are your UK number plates legal?
In the United Kingdom, displaying number plates on your vehicle is a legal requirement. The purpose of the number plate is to identify the vehicle and its owner, and to help enforce road traffic laws.
Every day we have clients ask us if they can mis-space or alter their number plates to their liking and wish to further customise their Private Plates so that they have more meaning to them.
We wanted to put together this handy guide of answers to the most-asked questions on this subject to help you understand the do's and don'ts when it comes to displaying a vehicle number plate on the UK roads.
Devilishly Good Number Plates for Halloween
At the end of last year, vehicle registration mark DEV 1L managed to fetch over £300,000 at auction, qualifying as one of the UK's top 20 most expensive plates. (We wrote about the top 10 expensive sellers).
Can I sell my number plate?
There will probably be no interest in your physical number plates, but if you own a personalised registration mark OR have an interesting registration mark that came on a vehicle then it is very likely that you'll be able to sell it, should you be able to find a buyer.
Changes to the Highway Code in January 2022
In order to ensure we all stay safe on the roads, The Highway Code often needs to change so as to better protect those deemed most vulnerable, such as pedestrians, horse-riders, and cyclists. With this in mind, some major new changes came into effect from 29 th January, 2022.
Have you named your car?
We've all called our car a name or two when it won't start, but have you given it a proper name? Well apparently 1 in 6 of us have, with those aged between 35 and 54 the most likely to have done so.
This statistic comes from a recent survey carried out by the DVLA*, which also revealed some of the most popular and the most unusual.
Live and Let Buy Premium 007 Bond Cars in Auction
James Bond is as synonymous with style and sophistication as he is with action and espionage; his tailor kits him out well, Q ensures he has the most cutting-edge gadgets, and there's always a very fine car or two for him to use on his mission. Whether it's a classy Aston Martin, a sporty supercar, or a more robust off-roader, Bond never fails to use his licence to thrill, driving the action from one film to the next.
The Iconic Cars and Plates of 007 Bond.
Bond (James Bond) has driven many cars in his career. From a missile-launching Aston Martin to a fully submersible Lotus Esprit or a change-to-a-plane AMC Matador, Bond's vehicles always come with a license to thrill, so fasten your seatbelts and prepare yourself for some of Bond's best drives...
Road trip! The best roads in Britain
If you happened to read our article on road-trip movies it might be that you've been inspired to go on one yourself. Or maybe it's the lockdown cabin-fever setting in that's inspired you. Tricky to do at the moment, of course, what with Brexit and COVID restrictions bringing their own complications when it comes to travel, but thanks to today's technology you can still go virtually anywhere. Emphasis on the virtually.
You Know His Name Associating the Best with Bond
He's known by his surname, likes his martinis shaken (not stirred), and travels all around the world on Her Majesty's Service. He also tends to dress well, drives the best cars, and is never short of romantic attention. He is 007. He is Bond… James Bond.
How to plan a road trip
If you read our article on films you might have been inspired to go on one yourself. Tricky to do under the current lockdown rules, of course, with hitting the road reserved for essential travel, but you could always start planning for when this is all over, seeing the sights you always told yourself you'd see, or finally visiting friends and family you've not seen for a while.
Road Trip Number Plate Flicks
Thanks to the coronavirus, most of us are self-isolating and refraining from travel that isn't absolutely necessary. But don't worry; just because you're stuck indoors doesn't mean you can't go on a road trip, there are plenty of films that'll take you on just such a journey, many of them available on streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video. Such as these…
Will green plates get the go ahead?
With so many parts of our country currently exceeding the legal limits of toxic air pollution, it's obvious we have a serious pollution problem in the UK. One contributing factor to this is the large number of vehicles on our roads, with the average car emitting somewhere between 4 and 6 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Northumbria Police Clamp Down on Illegal Private Plates
Northumbria police have recently posted on their website that there is a crackdown on illegally modified private plates and that they are leading the charge on the problem. A team of 15 hand-picked Special Constables have been assembled to join their Sergeant in stopping vehicles with illegal private plates.
The cost of COVID living keeping your present vehicle during a recession
There are a but a few large purchases we make in life. One is a home. You might spend a lot on a wedding or an expensive holiday treat. Another often-high expense is your vehicle. (or vehicles, if you are fortunate enough to have more than one) New ones simply don't come cheap!
You Can Now Change the Address on your Logbook Online
The DVLA has now launched a new online service for changing the address details on your V5 Registration Document (also known as a logbook). This should significantly reduce the time it takes, meaning you could receive your updated logbook in just 5 days.
Game On! Best games for isolated motorists
Calling all isolated motorists… Stuck indoors, trapped in isolation, while avoiding unnecessary travel? We know the feeling. That's why we'll be sharing a series of articles thematically linked to cars and driving – including how to drive from the comfort and safety of your own home!
Attack of the Clones Episode II A New Hope
In a recent article we told you about one of our customers, Mr 'Jones' (real name withheld for safety), who found himself the victim of number plate cloning, receiving several fines as the result of someone else's motoring offences. Well, we're pleased to say he was able to prove his innocence and is now the proud owner of a new private registration mark.
Attack of the Clones Number Plate Theft and Vehicle Cloning
These days, Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology (or ANPR) is everywhere. In fact, there are more than 8500 such cameras around the UK, able to capture up to 35 million registrations per day. It is used to help combat crime, and to issue fines to those guilty of motoring offences. However, as a result of this new technology a new crime has emerged number plate theft and vehicle cloning.
Illegal number plates are on our roads, but does it bother you?
You may have recently seen (and even played!) our number plate game to see if you could spot an illegal number plate. Many vehicles these days are displaying illegal personal number plates, so we challenged people to test their knowledge, identifying from amongst a number of real UK number plates those that were legal and those that were not.
Is Brexit the primary reason for the decline of the UK motor industry?
At Plates4Less, we're always keen to keep up to date with the motor industry. Lately, many of the news articles we've been seeing have focused on closures and job losses and reduced investments, with opinions varying as to whether the looming threat of Brexit is at fault, or if other factors within the industry are to blame.
DVLA report £2 billion made from private number plates!
In the time the DVLA has been providing personalised registrations it has put a staggering £2 billion in the coffers of the Treasury. Last year alone, an impressive £116 million went to the Treasury as a result of the sale of personal registrations.
Can you be tracked by your number plate?
These days, the importance placed on data protection means many of us can rest easy regarding the handling of our personal information, while CCTV and other technologies help to make us feel safe. But as anyone who's had a speeding ticket can testify, cameras and databases can identify who and where we are
Thinking of buying a Private Number Plate? Here's what you really need to know
Most people are unaware of Transfer Rules Age Restrictions, and we understand that other websites can sometimes be unclear about the legal transfer rules (or not even mention them), so that's why Plates4Less have developed a new tool that can check whether the private registration number plate you want, is suitable for the intended vehicle!