Number Plate Size Guide

This knowledge base article provides a basic number plate size guide to our standard plate components. If you’re looking for details on a legal plates elements, layout or size, check out our What is a Legal Number Plate article. For basic information on testing & standards certification, take a look at the BSAU145e article.

Legal Number Plate Sizes

The guide below shows our main number plate sizes. These make one or two-line number plates and fulfil the requirements on layout and spacing. And still provide enough leeway for manufacturing and printing limitations.

We’ll start by stating there’s no legal number plate size in the UK. Instead the rules state a number plate must have certain elements on it. This means at least a registration and supplier identifier, alongside the BS Standard it was made to. And all the elements have set sizes and spacing clearly defined. So the elements on the number plate are what defines its size.

Plate Elements Count

For example, you are designing a standard number plate to comply with the regulations. You need a 79mm high registration with a 7mm exclusion zone around it, this adds up to 93mm. Next up is the supplier identifier & BS number, which is a minimum 0f 3mm high. So far the height equals 96mm, but there must be 11mm from the Registration to the plate edge. By just using minimum sizes and spaces you have hit a height of 101mm.

And the plate width can be calculated the same way. 7 digits at 50mm wide with 11mm spaces between and a gap of 33mm to the random digits – equals 460mm wide. But manufacturers won’t produce the smallest size, instead they settle on one which fits all elements. And that is where the industry standard oblong of 520x111mm comes from.

Standard Plates

In this section you’ll find the 3 Standard Sizes used on about 99% of vehicles on UK roads. Therefore, offer these to your customers and you’ll be able to keep just about everyone happy. Remember 4×4 plates are often referred to as square, despite being 11×8 inch. And white motorcycle components are also be used to make the new international Trailer Plates.

Note: We offer lipped versions for many of these standard sizes.

Short Plates

Our Short Plates range will satisfy your customers desire for reduced space on their private plates. We’ve combined the 3 to 5 digit size in one plate. And provided a slightly larger size for 6 digit registrations. Yet each one still meets the minimum spacing needed under the 145e regulations.

Harley Davidson Plates

This section shows the size used by Harley Davidson for its renown motorbikes. Which feature a mount for 7¼x4¼ inch or 184 x 108mm number plates. As a result it is perfect for US licence or personal registration number plates.

Import Plates

The layout below show our common Import Plate sizes. This includes sizes commonly used for American, Japanese or East Asian license plates.

Our 305x152mm or 12×6″ components are normally used for American Import Cars. And we offer four size steps for Japanese or East Asian Imports, with 13×6 up to 13×8 inch media available. But remember, to be standards compliant you’ll need to use the Motorcycle font size of 64x44mm and be aware of spacing rules.

Oversized Plates

Here you’ll find our sizes used to make the Oversized Plates you see on luxury cars. We offer 9 size steps within this range, which means over 70 different components. Thus covering plates for the BMW SUV all the way up to the Bentley Continental. And our sizes are a perfect fit for the bodywork styling gaps left by those top marques. Find all our oversized plates media on our np shop.

Shaped Plates

Next are our Shaped Plate Sizes. These make specifically shaped number plates, created to fit on specific car models. In order to produce a shaped plate, you’ll have to print on a large sheet, then laminate it to a pre-cut component. Afterwards the sheet will need trimming down to fit – shop for shaped number plate components.

This Number Plate Size Guide is just a quick overview of our range. Which comes as matched components for making printed plates. And each specific plate construction is certified to prove it passes British Standards.

Find our all plate media on our Number Plates Shop. You’ll need an account to purchase, but then you’ll be able to order on demand. But be aware, we will check you’re buying equal amounts of matched components. This is in accordance with our obligations as your supplier.