Whether you run three vans or three hundred, number plates are a small detail that says a lot about a business. Here’s how to keep fleet plates legal, consistent and on-brand.
In this guide
Documents for fleet and lease vehicles
Registered suppliers still need ID and entitlement for business orders. For fleets, the usual entitlement document is a letter of authorisation from the fleet operator or lease company quoting the V5C document reference number. Fleets on the DVLA’s V5C on demand scheme can provide a PDF of the vehicle record. The person ordering also needs to show ID. See documents needed for number plates.
Branding: what’s allowed on road plates
The plate itself can’t carry logos, slogans or website addresses – the only extra items allowed are the permitted flags and identifiers and the supplier’s legend. That means no company logo on the plate.
What you can do:
- choose a consistent style across the fleet – printed for a clean OEM look or 4D for a premium one
- use branded plate holders or surrounds around the plate, as long as they don’t cover any characters or legal markings
- add the UK identifier and Union flag so vans can cross into Europe without stickers
- add a green flash on zero-emission vans
Showroom, exhibition and event plates
For showrooms, trade stands and photo shoots, branded show plates are ideal: your company name, a logo-style font, brand colours or a slogan. They’re not road legal, so they come off before the vehicle leaves the site. See show plates explained.
Fitting fleet plates at scale
- Standardise on screws plus caps or sticky pads plus screws to deter theft and cloning.
- Keep spare fitting kits in each depot.
- Log plate replacements against each vehicle so you know when they were last changed.
Read how to fit number plates and cloned number plates – fleets are a common cloning target.
Ordering in bulk
If you need plates for several vehicles, contact us with the registrations and documents. We can match styles across the fleet and dispatch together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put my company logo on my van’s number plate?
No. Road-legal plates can’t carry logos or slogans. Use branded holders around the plate or show plates for events.
What documents does a lease company need to send?
A letter of authorisation quoting the V5C document reference number, plus ID for the person ordering.
Can employees order plates for company vehicles?
Yes, with their own ID and the fleet’s authorisation letter for the vehicle.
Do you offer trade prices?
Contact us with the size of your fleet and we’ll quote.
