New Regulations on personal plates to be introduced 2026

[Ross the Scottish exile]

I saw this article on another forum I was reading and it looks like there’s to be a an update and introduction of new regulations on personal number plates.

 

This looks to be aimed at those plates where numbers are misrepresented to spell a word, and number and letter spacing.

 

“Any registration that needs illegal misrepresentation to try to mean anything will be utterly worthless from late 2026 onwards although it is being enforced by some police authorities now.

To finally stop the absolute explosion in illegally displayed plates, huge changes are happening in 2026, both to enforcement and to penalties.

1. Enforcement 

The massive difference between previously and from 2026 onwards, is that being rolled out across the UK is a brand new breed of  UHD fixed ANPR cameras, digitally linked to DVLA. Current mobile speed camera vans will also be equipped with these cameras in due course.

These cameras can identify any registration mark illegal manipulation and will automatically issue the registered keeper by post with the traffic offence basic fine.( currently £100) they will also note that offence on the vehicles DVLA record.

These new UHD cameras are so accurate that they can even pick up on illegal fonts.

Repeated illegal display offences render you liable to the DVLA seizing back the registration mark. 
2. Penalties

The government is currently proposing a range of amendments to regulations under the Road traffic Act. Amongst those are 3 specifically to combat the illegal display of vehicle registrations :-

1. Minimum fine to rise from £100 to £250. (max to remain at £1000).

2.Change to the offence category to “endorsable” So in future you will receive 3 penalty points on your licence as well as the fine every time you pass one of these cameras or mobile units, or any police officer stops you.

3. Give police the power to seize, at their discretion, for repeat offences.

 

The consultation finishes in early May and these Police, Council and MP recommended changes will become law with the implementation being later in 2026.

READ:- “ Department of Transport proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences “

published 7/1/2026

 

Not too sure how accurate it is but it is on their website.

having been fined £100 for a spacing that was 7mm out I’ve replaced mine.

[Captain Colonial]

I’m generally in favour of enforcement for obvious manipulation for vanity purposes.  Saw a woman driving a Lexus on the M40 with silver number plates and black lettering of a strange font as she flew by me.  Ten minutes later, I caught up to see her and a copper on the hard shoulder standing behind her car, her gesticulating wildly in anger while he pointed at the offending plate.

[mega ade]

totally agree i keep getting asked why my number plate is so big with such  short digits simple its legal it is a narrow plate as the law allows with 5 digits but height of letters and spacing is correct

[Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO]

My Alfa is the same, legally spaced 5 digit plate. I didn't want to risk getting pulled by moving the O. I got it when I was 50. However, I didn't realise that the Westfield has motorbike sized digits until I made a new one. Technically illegal I suppose. 

[DannyTGS]

I really don’t get the problem as all ANPR cameras still read them even if illegally spaced or smaller lettering so why not just focus on fake plates

[Stuart]

1 hour ago, DannyTGS said:

I really don’t get the problem as all ANPR cameras still read them even if illegally spaced or smaller lettering so why not just focus on fake plates

Potentially another cash cow for the DVLA I guess.  I don't think it's serious enough for 3 points though

[Mark (smokey mow)]

2 hours ago, DannyTGS said:

I really don’t get the problem as all ANPR cameras still read them even if illegally spaced or smaller lettering so why not just focus on fake plates

It’s ok for a camera but for the naked eye a car with a smaller plate would need to be closer to you for you to be able to read it as clearly as a full sized plate.

[Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO]

42 minutes ago, Mark (smokey mow) said:

It’s ok for a camera but for the naked eye a car with a smaller plate would need to be closer to you for you to be able to read it as clearly as a full sized plate.

 

[DannyTGS]

1 hour ago, Mark (smokey mow) said:

It’s ok for a camera but for the naked eye a car with a smaller plate would need to be closer to you for you to be able to read it as clearly as a full sized plate.

Agree harder on the eye but the constant reason they give is ANPR can’t pick them up but that’s a lie, car park ANPR is bottom of the barrel and picks them up, everyone I know with dodgy spacing still get fines in the post? So clearly gets picked up, seems easier now to just run no plate lol

 

i just hate the fact that all these police force Facebook pages etc all they brag about is traffic offences, they never post things like, This weeks task force, we took down a burglary gang or bank robbery gang, exposed a fraud team etc 

 

it’s just this week we took down 87 motorists with miss spaced plates, 3 drivers doing 44 in a 40 zone and 7 drivers with window tints 

[Mike Rowland - Essex AO]

My wife has personal plate with legal font type and size but just slightly tweaked spacing. We've had it for 30 years without problem, will be furious if suddenly points and a fine turn up! The dodgy ones around me are travellers with Transits on totally fake plates, but they'll be immune as normal.