# Number Plate Maker

> Road-legal 3D, 4D & show number plates designed online


## Posts

- [When Do New Number Plates Come Out? The 76 and 27 Plates Explained](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/new-number-plates-27-plate/): New registrations arrive every March and September. Here's how the 76 plate works, what the 27 plate will look like in March 2027, which combinations the DVLA bans and how to buy a new-issue plate.
- [Stolen, Lost or Damaged Number Plates: How to Replace Them](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/stolen-or-damaged-number-plates/): What to do when a plate is stolen, lost, cracked or faded – who to tell, which documents you need, and how to get legal replacements quickly.
- [Number Plates as Gifts: A Car Lover's Gift Guide](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-gift-guide/): Gift ideas built around number plates – from bubble plates and garage show plates to upgrading their road plates or gifting a private registration – plus how to buy them without spoiling the surprise.
- [Cloned Number Plates: Warning Signs, What to Do and How to Prevent It](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/cloned-number-plates/): How number plate cloning works, the warning signs that your registration has been copied, exactly what to do if it happens and how to protect yourself.
- [How to Clean and Care for 3D and 4D Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/how-to-clean-number-plates/): How to wash 3D gel, 4D and 5D plates without scratching or lifting characters – plus why plates fade, crack and peel, and how to make yours last.
- [Personalised Plate Ideas (and the Ones the DVLA Bans)](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/personalised-plate-ideas/): Clever ways to personalise your plates legally – names, initials, dateless numbers and show plate slogans – plus the combinations the DVLA refuses to issue.
- [How to Fit Number Plates: Screws, Sticky Pads or Holders](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/how-to-fit-number-plates/): A step-by-step guide to fitting new number plates with sticky pads, screws or a holder – including how to remove the old ones, avoid cracks and keep the job legal.
- [Number Plates for Imported Cars: JDM, US and European Sizes](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/imported-car-number-plates/): Japanese, American and European imports often have plate recesses that don't fit a standard UK plate. Here's which sizes are legal, how the smaller-character rule works, and what to order.
- [Number Plates for Business Fleets: What's Legal for Branding](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/business-fleet-number-plates/): How businesses can order plates for vans and fleets – the documents a fleet needs, what branding is and isn't allowed, plate holders, show plates for showrooms and bulk ordering.
- [Are Short and Hex Number Plates Legal?](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/short-and-hex-number-plates/): Short and hexagonal plates can be road legal – as long as the characters, spacing and margins stay full size. Here's how to get one right.
- [Black and Silver Number Plates: Who Can Use Them?](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/black-and-silver-number-plates/): Traditional black and silver plates are legal on some classic vehicles. Here's exactly which vehicles qualify, how the historic tax class works and what the plates must look like.
- [Motorcycle Number Plates: Sizes, Rules and Fitting](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/motorcycle-number-plate-rules/): The UK rules for motorcycle number plates – rear-only plates, two-line layouts, 64mm characters, legal sizes, 7x5 "show" plates and fitting to a tail tidy.
- [Private Number Plates: Buying, Transferring and Retaining (V750, V778)](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/private-number-plates-guide/): How private registrations work in plain English – buying one, the V750 and V778 certificates, putting it on your car, taking it off again, fees and the rules that catch people out.
- [UK Number Plate Sizes: Every Legal Size Explained](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-sizes-uk/): Standard, 4x4 square, motorcycle, import, short and hex – every common UK number plate size, the legal rules behind them, and how to measure your car.
- [How 4D Number Plates Are Made: From Laser to Your Door](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/how-4d-number-plates-are-made/): A step-by-step look at how a road-legal 4D plate is made – the reflective plate, the laser-cut characters, bonding, quality checks and the legal markings.
- [Car Show Plate Styling: Ideas for Meets, Shows and Track Days](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/car-show-plate-styling/): How to style a show plate that suits your build – colour matching, fonts, carbon backgrounds, bubble cuts and slogans – plus how to fit and remove it at events.
- [Bubble Number Plates: The Contour-Cut Show Plate Trend](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/bubble-number-plates/): Bubble plates are cut around the shape of the characters for a bold, sticker-like look. What they are, how they're made, where you can use them and how to design your own.
- [3D vs 4D vs 5D Number Plates: The Real Differences](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/3d-vs-4d-vs-5d-number-plates/): A no-nonsense comparison of printed, 3D gel, 4D laser-cut and 5D plates – how each is made, how they look in the flesh, how long they last and which suits your car.
- [Illegal Number Plate Fines: £1,000 Penalties, Points and Seizure](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/illegal-number-plate-fines/): What happens if you're stopped with illegal number plates – the £1,000 fine, defect notices, MOT failure, losing a private registration, and the tougher penalties being considered in 2026.
- [Can Your Number Plate Fail an MOT? 9 Common Reasons](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-mot-failures/): Number plates are one of the easiest MOT failures to avoid. Here are the nine plate faults testers fail most often – and a two-minute check you can do at home.
- [Green Number Plates for Electric Cars: Who Can Have One?](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/green-number-plates-ev/): The green flash on UK plates explained – which vehicles qualify, whether hybrids can have one, the benefits, and how to add one to new plates.
- [Number Plate Flags, Badges and the UK Identifier: The Rules](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-flags-and-badges/): Which flags and national identifiers you can legally show on a UK plate, why UK replaced GB, and when you still need a sticker to drive in Europe.
- [What Documents Do You Need to Buy Number Plates?](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/documents-needed-for-number-plates/): The exact ID and entitlement documents a registered supplier must see before making road-legal plates, why the law requires them, and how to send them to us securely.
- [Ghost Plates, Stealth and Tinted Plates: The 2026 Crackdown](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/ghost-plates-and-tinted-plates/): What ghost, stealth and tinted number plates are, why they're illegal, what the 2026 crackdown means for drivers, and how to make sure your own plates can't be mistaken for one.
- [How to Read UK Number Plates: Age Identifiers and Area Codes](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/how-to-read-uk-number-plates/): What every part of a UK registration means – the memory tag, the age identifier and the random letters – with a full table of age identifiers from 2001 to 2027 and the regional codes.
- [Show Plates Explained: Where You Can (and Can't) Use Them](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/show-plates-explained/): What a show plate is, the places you can legally use one, the mistakes that turn a show plate into a £1,000 fine, and how to design one that stands out.
- [The Legal Number Plate Font: Charles Wright 2001 Explained](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-font-charles-wright/): Why every UK plate uses the same typeface, how the Charles Wright 2001 font is designed to be read by people and cameras, and which "custom" fonts will get you fined.
- [Number Plate Spacing Rules: Why Mis-Spaced Plates Get Fined](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-spacing-rules/): The exact legal spacing for every UK registration format, why "creative" spacing costs drivers £1,000 fines and their private plates, and how to check yours.
- [Are 3D Gel and 4D Number Plates Legal in 2026?](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/are-3d-and-4d-number-plates-legal/): Yes – raised 3D gel, 4D and 5D plates can be fully road legal. Here's exactly what makes them legal, what gets them fined, and how they fare at the MOT.
- [UK Number Plate Law 2026: The Complete Guide to Road-Legal Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/number-plate-law-uk/): Every rule a UK number plate has to meet in 2026 – materials, the BS AU 145e standard, font, spacing, sizes, badges and fines – explained in plain English with diagrams.

## Pages

- [Number plate guides](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/guides/)
- [Upload Your Documents](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/upload-documents/): Securely upload your ID and V5C for a road-legal order.
- [Track Your Order](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/track-order/): Check the status of your order.
- [Terms and Conditions](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/): Our terms of sale.
- [Returns and Refunds](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/returns/): What happens if something goes wrong with your plates.
- [Number Plate Builder](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/plate-builder/): Design road-legal and show number plates online with a live, to-scale preview.
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/faq/): Answers to the questions we're asked most.
- [Delivery Information](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/delivery/): Delivery options, prices and dispatch times.
- [Cookie Policy](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/cookie-policy/): How we use cookies.
- [Contact Us](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/contact/): Get in touch about plates, orders and documents.
- [About Number Plate Maker](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/about/): Who we are and how we make number plates.
- [Home](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/): Design road-legal 3D gel, 4D and 5D plates – or contour-cut bubble show plates – with a live, to-scale preview.
- [My account](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/my-account/)
- [Checkout](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/checkout/)
- [Basket](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/cart/)
- [Shop](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/shop/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/privacy-policy/): How we collect, use and protect your personal data.

## Products

- [Number Plate Holder – Gloss Black](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/number-plate-holder/): Slim gloss-black holder for standard 520 × 111mm plates. Hides old screw holes and gives a clean, OEM-style finish.
- [Number Plate Fitting Kit](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/number-plate-fitting-kit/): Everything you need to fit a pair of plates: 8 black screws, 4 white and 4 yellow caps, and heavy-duty sticky pads.
- [Classic Black & Silver Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/classic-black-silver-number-plates/): Traditional black and silver plates for vehicles built before 1980 in the historic tax class. Printed or raised silver characters.
- [Imported Vehicle Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/import-number-plates/): UK plates in JDM and import sizes – 330 × 165mm and 330 × 178mm – with 64mm characters on two lines for imported vehicles.
- [Short & Hex Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/hex-short-number-plates/): Short legal and hex plates cut to fit your registration while keeping full-size characters, spacing and margins.
- [EV Green Flash Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/green-ev-number-plates/): Road-legal plates with the green flash for zero-emission vehicles, with optional UK and Union flag. All styles available.
- [4x4 Square Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/4x4-square-number-plates/): Two-line 279 × 203mm square plates for SUVs and 4x4s with square recesses, paired with a standard front plate. Road legal.
- [Motorcycle Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/motorcycle-number-plates/): Road-legal 9 × 7" motorcycle plates on two lines with 64mm characters. Printed, 3D gel, 4D and 5D styles.
- [Custom Show Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/show-plates/): Custom show plates with your text, fonts, coloured 4D characters, carbon backgrounds and slogans. For shows and display – not for road use.
- [Bubble Number Plates – Contour-Cut Show Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/bubble-number-plates/): Contour-cut show plates in frosted white or yellow acrylic with thick glossy gel characters. Any text up to 12 characters. Not for road use.
- [5D Gel Number Plates (4D + Gel)](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/5d-gel-number-plates/): Laser-cut 4D characters topped with a glossy gel dome for a deep, piano-black finish. Available in 3mm or 5mm. Road legal.
- [4D 5mm Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/4d-5mm-number-plates/): Our deepest raised characters – 5mm laser-cut acrylic for maximum shadow and presence. Road legal to BS AU 145e.
- [4D Number Plates – 3mm Laser-Cut](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/4d-number-plates/): Our most popular plates: raised, laser-cut 3mm black acrylic characters with sharp edges. Road legal to BS AU 145e.
- [3D Gel Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/3d-gel-number-plates/): Road-legal plates with domed, glossy gel resin characters for a subtle wet-look upgrade. Made to BS AU 145e.
- [Standard Printed Number Plates](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/standard-printed-number-plates/): Crisp, factory-style printed plates made to BS AU 145e. The quick, affordable way to replace damaged or faded plates.
- [Custom Number Plates – Design Your Own](https://numberplatemaker.co.uk/product/custom-number-plates/): Design road-legal printed, 3D gel, 4D or 5D plates with a live, to-scale preview. Legal spacing applied automatically, made to BS AU 145e.


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