Are car license plate with white/silver lettering on black background legal?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Are car license plate with white/silver lettering on black background legal?

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2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524154 21-Sep-2011 16:20

xpd: While on subject of plates.... whats the process for me putting my old p/plates on my current vehicle - do I put the plates on at home then drive to VTNZ/AA and get the paperwork done, or do it at the VTNZ/AA once I have the paperwork ?

So I assume you physically have the "old" p/plates?

I thought you had to return them when you took them off the old car.

I would pick a small VTNZ office and change them there. You will have to return the old non personalised plates and I assume you return them to the VTNZ office.

PaulBrislen

198 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#524186 21-Sep-2011 16:52

Go to the VTNZ office first, THEN swap the plates.

Idid this last year - took my personalised plate off my wife's car (drive to VTNZ, take plates off, show them plates, acquire new plates for her car, put plates on, drive home) and then put them on mine (drive to VTNZ, take old plates off, show them old plates plus personalised plates, put personalised plates on my car, drive home).

All told took me about an hour of driving and screw drivering.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524199 21-Sep-2011 17:11

PaulBrislen: Go to the VTNZ office first, THEN swap the plates.

Idid this last year - took my personalised plate off my wife's car (drive to VTNZ, take plates off, show them plates, acquire new plates for her car, put plates on, drive home) and then put them on mine (drive to VTNZ, take old plates off, show them old plates plus personalised plates, put personalised plates on my car, drive home).

All told took me about an hour of driving and screw drivering.

Just don't leave it parked on the street with no plates, at least not in Wellington, chances are you will get a ticket if you do.

PaulBrislen

198 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#524202 21-Sep-2011 17:13

Oh yes. Definitely presumes VTNZ has a carparking area off road.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#524207 21-Sep-2011 17:23

graemeh:
So I assume you physically have the "old" p/plates?

I thought you had to return them when you took them off the old car.

You actually OWN the personalised plates, you just can't put them on another vehicle... you can hang them on the wall if you feel like it. If you want them remade, you have to surrender them or report them as damaged/stolen/whatever

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524214 21-Sep-2011 17:31

blakamin:
graemeh:
So I assume you physically have the "old" p/plates?

I thought you had to return them when you took them off the old car.

You actually OWN the personalised plates, you just can't put them on another vehicle... you can hang them on the wall if you feel like it. If you want them remade, you have to surrender them or report them as damaged/stolen/whatever

Well that's good to know. When I first got my plates they would not send them to me until I told them which car they went on. Since then they've always been on a car.

I did have them remade recently and as you say you send the old ones back.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#524231 21-Sep-2011 18:18

graemeh:

Well that's good to know. When I first got my plates they would not send them to me until I told them which car they went on. Since then they've always been on a car.

I did have them remade recently and as you say you send the old ones back.

To first have them made and attach them to a car you have to have current reg and WoF... after that they don't care until you go to put them on another which also must have reg and WoF...
a mate has2 sets above his bar and had another set on trademe.

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jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#524234 21-Sep-2011 18:23

savag3:
SpookyAwol: As stated in Land Transport Amendment Act 2009 No 17, all plates must be issued by the registrar. Plates not issued are assumed to be facsimile's and can be confiscated

That is correct. The relevant sections as incorporated into the Land Transport Act 1998 are the definition of "registration plate" in s233 and the power to confiscate and destroy facsimile plates in s265.

Ok, so if i made my own plates then they could be seized.

But

If a modification to the colour of the plate is made, under section 265 http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0110/latest/DLM3701906.html there isnt specific wording to seize the plates.

Don't get me wrong, i am not about to go out and change my plates for my vehicles.

However I own a '71 Beetle which has silver writing on black background plates. The black was faded so I re-sprayed the plates to make the black more vivid. If i was not able to modify plates then the recent WOF it went through would have resulted in them being seized (VTNZ)

From what i can see the law is a bit vague on the modification of plates, there is nothing that says you cannot change the colour of the plate (unless i haven't found it of course)

jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#524239 21-Sep-2011 18:33

I have posted a question to the Police from the police.govt.nz site.

I have asked the following:

######
Hi there,

Not sure if this is the correct place to ask this or not, but i have a question about vehicle license plates.

I recently saw a vehicle which had license plates that had a black background with silver letters and numbers. I checked the plate on www.carjam.co.nz and it was listed as a standard plate rather than a personalised plate. I realise that old (pre 1988) issued plates are silver letters on black background, but this plate had the newer standard of 3 letters and 3 numbers.

If you could clarify this for me that would be great.
######

I will post any responses. It would be good to have a final answer on this!

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#524261 21-Sep-2011 19:37

If a modification to the colour of the plate is made, under section 265 http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0110/latest/DLM3701906.html there isnt specific wording to seize the plates

Incorrect. The legal specifications for plates are clearly laid out here http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1995/0136/latest/DLM201140.html Anything else is illegal.

However I own a '71 Beetle which has silver writing on black background plates. The black was faded so I re-sprayed the plates to make the black more vivid. If i was not able to modify plates then the recent WOF it went through would have resulted in them being seized (VTNZ)

Vehicle inspectors don't always catch everything. However if the plate style matches the era of the car, and the plate was visible and displayed in accordance with the rules (silver aluminium on black background is legal) then I doubt they would have bothered to have a second look at it.

From what i can see the law is a bit vague on the modification of plates, there is nothing that says you cannot change the colour of the plate (unless i haven't found it of course)

My legal references are at work and I can't find it right now, but there is an offence for failing to display a prescribed number plate (or something along those lines) and I am pretty sure there is an offence for altering or defacing a number plate. $200 fine for each I think.

At the end of the day the Registrar (NZTA) issues "authorised" plates and they also have the discretion to order the seizure of the plate http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0110/latest/DLM3705398.html#DLM3705398 (para 4)

Why the hassle I don't know. Isn't this just an argument for arguments sake? Just follow the rules and you won't get into any trouble. I certainly don't care what colour my number plate is...bigger worries in life.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

jaymz

1133 posts

Uber Geek

#524265 21-Sep-2011 19:48

scuwp:
If a modification to the colour of the plate is made, under section 265 http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0110/latest/DLM3701906.html there isnt specific wording to seize the plates

Incorrect. The legal specifications for plates are clearly laid out here http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1995/0136/latest/DLM201140.html Anything else is illegal.

Am i being daft? A black plate with silver lettering is a legal plate:

####
2) The distinguishing marks on a registration plate shall be—

(a) embossed, and coloured aluminium on a black background; or

(b) embossed, and coloured black against a reflective background consisting of white retro-reflective sheeting,—

and the base material of a registration plate shall be aluminium.
####

Going by the legal specs, it means both types of plates are legal. there doesn't appear to be anything about what age of plate should have what type of colouring.

I know it does seem like an argument for the sake of an argument, but it is a genuine question that needs some clarification.

NOTE: I am NOT, i repeat, NOT planning to change the colour of any of my plates on any of my cars.

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#524343 21-Sep-2011 23:26

It seems to me that the deal is both colour schemes are legal, but also only authorised plates are legal. You can't get authorised plates that are silver on black unless they were made pre whatever year. They don't need to specify the age of the plate because it's unambiguous from the other regs.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524417 22-Sep-2011 08:50

jaymz: However I own a '71 Beetle which has silver writing on black background plates. The black was faded so I re-sprayed the plates to make the black more vivid. If i was not able to modify plates then the recent WOF it went through would have resulted in them being seized (VTNZ)

I think I'm missing something here.

You say you have a car with the old style plates with a black background and as the black had faded you repainted the black background. How is this modification? You just restored them to their original condition, they are still black plates with shiny letters which is basically what the regulations say.

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#524537 22-Sep-2011 11:55

graemeh:
wellygary: (6) Despite subclause (5), an ordinary plate to be fixed to the front of a motor vehicle may be in the form of an adhesive label.

Thanks for pointing that out, I always thought that those with adhesive labels on the front were just pretentious gits with lazy mechanics issuing their WOF who would get their bums kicked next time they annoyed a cop.

Now I know they don't have lazy mechanics :)

Wof dont care about the plate, just that its not posing a hazard to other road users in how it is attached, like hanging on with a piece of string etc.

Dont even need the plates to get a WOF, as a friend had no problems re-woffing their car so they could re-rego it so they could get new plates after theirs were nicked when parked out south.

Richard rich.ms

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#524654 22-Sep-2011 15:26

graemeh: Just don't leave it parked on the street with no plates, at least not in Wellington, chances are you will get a ticket if you do.

Chance doesn't enter into it, they lurk, waiting to pounce!

So, if an adhesive sticker is legal for the front of the car, are these issued by the VTNZ on request as a "replacement"?

@KnightNZ

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