Are 4D number plates
legal?
Short answer: yes, raised 3D and 4D characters can be road-legal — but only if the finished plate meets BS AU 145e. If it doesn't meet the standard, it's a show plate and must stay off the road.
We make road-legal plates to the standard, and clearly-labelled show plates for display use.
Are 4D number plates legal in the UK?
Yes, 3D and 4D raised characters can be road-legal, provided the plate meets BS AU 145e — the standard that has been mandatory for number plates made since September 2021. That covers the required font and character height, character spacing, colour and reflectivity, and the supplier's details and BS AU 145e marking on the plate, with nothing that misrepresents the registration. Plates that don't meet the standard, or that use tinted backgrounds, altered fonts or spacing tricks, are show plates for off-road display only.
- BS AU 145e — mandatory for plates made since September 2021
- 3D and 4D raised characters can comply
- Must be supplied by a DVLA Registered Number Plate Supplier
- Supplier must see ID + proof of entitlement
- Non-compliant plates = off-road display only
- Road-legal plates from £30 a pair, UK delivery
Real plates, real photos.
What does BS AU 145e actually require?
BS AU 145e is the British Standard that road-going number plates have had to meet since September 2021. Rather than banning a style, it sets out what a compliant plate must do: use the mandated character font and character height, keep to the specified character and group spacing, use the correct colours, and meet the standard's reflectivity and durability requirements. The plate also has to carry the supplier's name and postcode and the BS AU 145e mark.
Raised characters aren't outlawed by any of that. A 3D gel or 4D plate that uses the correct font, spacing, colour and reflective base, and carries the supplier markings, is a compliant plate with raised characters.
- Mandated font, character height and spacing
- Correct colour — front white base, rear yellow base
- Reflective base meeting the standard
- Supplier name, postcode and BS AU 145e mark shown
- No pattern, tint or graphic that obscures the reg
What makes a plate illegal for road use?
It's almost never the raised characters themselves — it's everything people add around them. Anything that changes the mandated font, alters spacing to spell a word, tints or patterns the background, adds coloured outlines or otherwise makes the registration harder to read takes the plate outside the standard.
A plate outside the standard is a show plate. Fitting one to a vehicle used on the road risks an MOT failure, a fine and, in the case of a deliberately misrepresented registration, losing the registration itself.
- Altered or non-standard fonts
- Spacing changed to read as a name or word
- Tinted, patterned or shaded backgrounds
- Missing supplier details or BS AU 145e mark
- Anything that obscures or distorts the characters
Who is allowed to make road-legal plates?
Road-legal plates must be supplied by a DVLA Registered Number Plate Supplier. Before supplying them, the supplier has to see proof of the buyer's identity and proof of their entitlement to use the registration mark — that requirement exists to stop plates being cloned onto other vehicles.
That's why we ask for documents at checkout rather than just taking the registration. You upload proof of ID and proof of entitlement, we check them, then the plates are made.
- Proof of identity — driving licence, or passport plus a recent utility/council tax bill
- Proof of entitlement — V5C, new keeper slip, V750/V778 retention certificate, or lease/hire agreement
Show plates: where they're fine
Show plates have a legitimate place — car shows, static displays, photoshoots, track and private-land use, garage walls. What they can't do is go on a vehicle driven or parked on a public road.
If you order show plates from us, tick the show-plate option and we skip the document checks. We'll say plainly on the order that they're for off-road display use only.
Where to check the official position
Rules can change, and we'd rather you check than take our word for it. GOV.UK publishes the current requirements for displaying number plates and for registered plate suppliers, and that's the authoritative source. If something on this page ever conflicts with GOV.UK, GOV.UK wins.
How much do plates cost?
All prices per pair, paid in full at order — there is no deposit on plates. Royal Mail signed-for postage is added at checkout and we deliver anywhere in the UK.
Road-legal or show plate?
Number plates made since September 2021 must comply with BS AU 145e. 3D and 4D raised characters can be road-legal provided the plate meets that standard — the mandated font and character height, correct spacing, the right colour and reflectivity, the supplier details and BS AU 145e marking, and nothing that misrepresents the registration.
Novelty and show plates that don't meet the standard are for off-road display use only. They must not be fitted to a vehicle used on the road. Tick the show-plate option at checkout if that's what you want and we'll skip the document checks.
What documents do you need?
Road-legal plates must be supplied by a DVLA Registered Number Plate Supplier, and the supplier has to see proof of your identity and proof of your entitlement to the registration mark before making the plates. You upload both as part of the order:
- Proof of identity — driving licence, or a passport with a recent utility/council tax bill
- Proof of entitlement — V5C log book, new keeper slip, V750/V778 retention certificate, or a lease/hire agreement
How does UK delivery work?
Plates are made in 1–2 working days and posted by Royal Mail signed-for, anywhere in the UK — you get a tracking number by text when they leave us. Everything is ordered online, so you don't need to be anywhere near our Dagenham workshop.
Plates are packed in rigid protective packaging with the fixing kit included. If you'd rather collect, that's still an option — but posting is the default for national orders.
Common questions.
Are 4D number plates legal in the UK?
Yes, they can be — provided the finished plate meets BS AU 145e: mandated font and character height, correct spacing, correct colour and reflectivity, supplier details and BS AU 145e marking, and nothing that misrepresents the registration.
Are 3D gel plates legal?
Same answer. Domed gel characters are permitted if the plate as a whole meets BS AU 145e. It's non-standard fonts, altered spacing and tinted backgrounds that make plates non-compliant, not the raised finish.
Will 4D plates fail an MOT?
A compliant 4D plate made to BS AU 145e shouldn't. A plate that's damaged, dirty, obscured, badly spaced or otherwise outside the standard can be failed, whatever the style.
Do 4D plates have to say BS AU 145e on them?
A road-legal plate must carry the supplier's name and postcode and the British Standard marking. Every road-legal plate we make carries them.
Can I buy road-legal plates without showing documents?
No. A DVLA Registered Number Plate Supplier is required to see proof of your identity and proof of your entitlement to the registration before supplying road-legal plates. Without those, we can only make show plates for off-road display.
What happens if I drive with show plates?
You risk an MOT failure and a fine, and if the plate misrepresents the registration you can lose the right to the mark. Show plates are for display, private land and shows only.
Where can I check the official rules?
GOV.UK's guidance on displaying number plates and on registered number plate suppliers is the authoritative source. Check there for the current position.
Order road-legal plates.
Pick your style and size, upload your documents and pay securely. Made in 1–2 working days and posted signed-for anywhere in the UK.
Start your order