-12 C
Cheshire
Sunday, February 1, 2026

Motorists Risk Hefty £1,000 Fines for Neglecting Car Cleanliness, Car Expert Cautions

A stern warning has been issued by a car expert, highlighting the potential risk faced by drivers who fail to keep their cars clean, with potential fines of up to £1,000 looming over their heads.

According to the law, number plates must always remain fully visible and easily legible. These plates serve as a means of vehicle identification for law enforcement officers and automated systems like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR).

Any alterations, rearrangement of letters, or changes to spacing on number plates are strictly prohibited by law.

Drivers found in violation of these regulations could be slapped with fines up to £1,000, while also facing the risk of their vehicle failing its MOT test.

The Government’s guidance is explicit in its instructions, stating: “Number plates (also known as licence plates) must show your registration number correctly. You cannot rearrange letters or numbers, or alter them so that they’re hard to read. You could be fined up to £1,000, and your vehicle will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.”

Jon Kirkbright, the sales director at Platehunter, a specialist in trading private number plates, urges motorists to ensure their number plates are kept free from dirt and any markings that may impede readability.

He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean car, drawing parallels with not driving around with a dirty windscreen or wing mirror, thereby asserting the same rule must apply to the number plate.

The current vehicle registration number format was introduced in 2001, consisting of:

  • 2 letters (representing the region of the country where the vehicle was first registered),
  • 2 numbers (indicating the date of issuance), and
  • 3 randomly chosen letters.

However, it’s worth noting that this format may not apply to private registration plates, which can have as little as 1 character.

Platehunter, with over 11 years of experience in the trade, boasts an impressive selection of more than 56 million personalised number plates for sale. The company prides itself on being an affordable number plate supplier, with plates available starting from just £39 plus VAT and transfer fee.

Motorists in search of a registration plate are encouraged to explore the offerings on the Platehunter website. If they cannot find a suitable plate, they have the option to contact Platehunter, who can then request any legal number plate from the DVLA to go to auction.

For further information or assistance with purchasing or selling a private number plate, individuals can visit PlateHunter‘s website or reach out to them through InstagramTwitter or Facebook.

spot_imgspot_img

Latest

Easter sees revival of major food festival under new name and organisers

One of the area’s most established food and drink...

Startups still exposing EMI schemes to costly errors, legal specialist warns

JPP Law says repeated mistakes in EMI implementation...

System Electrical Group rebrands as System Group MEP with launch of mechanical division

System Electrical Group has announced a major step in...

Survey reveals only 64% of UK employees feel able to cope with their workload

Fresh research into employee experience shows workload pressure remains...
spot_imgspot_img

Newsletter

Don't miss

Easter sees revival of major food festival under new name and organisers

One of the area’s most established food and drink...

Startups still exposing EMI schemes to costly errors, legal specialist warns

JPP Law says repeated mistakes in EMI implementation...

More News

One in four motorists could be impacted by proposed UK number plate ban

As the British Standards Institution concludes its consultation on revisions to BS AU 145e, questions are emerging around how the proposed changes would be...

Data firm offers hope to thousands in car finance scandal

A data services company could be the saviour of tens of thousands of motorists unable to track down mis-sold finance agreements. The Supreme Court is...

Interest in Chinese Electric Vehicles Soars by Nearly 200%

Enquiries for the BYD Seal have jumped by 200% in the past year, says The Electric Car Scheme Affordable pricing and fresh model...