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?

jaymz

1132 posts

Uber Geek

#90364 20-Sep-2011 19:04

As per the subject above, are they?

I realise cars issued with plates prior to 1988 were issued with these as standard.

The reason I ask is I saw a '88 Toyota Corolla stationwagon today that had a recent number plate (FLN7XX - i have removed the last two digits just in case) that was exactly as above, sliver letters on a matt black background.

I didn't get a good look at it (since I was driving) so couldn't tell if it was home made or not.

I have done a quick search online, and found the following forum that has links/exerts to/from the Transport (Vehicle and Driver Registration and Licensing) Act.
http://www.vask.org.nz/index.php/topic,8746.0.html

What are your views, looking at the email that one of the forum members was sent, it does look like either option is legal.

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3763 posts

Uber Geek

#523691 20-Sep-2011 19:18

The law says that number plates must be black on white or silver on black (other than personalised plates)

(1) This clause applies to a registration plate other than a personalised registration plate or trade 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.

Personalised plates letters can be black, red, or blue against a white retro-reflective background

To get silver on black these days I think you need to get a personalised plate made. My bet however is that they have painted it.

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Bung

5433 posts

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#523718 20-Sep-2011 19:57

scuwp:

Personalised plates letters can be black, red, or blue against a white retro-reflective background

To get silver on black these days I think you need to get a personalised plate made.

Two contradictory statements.

"The distinguishing marks on a personalised registration plate shall be embossed, and coloured black or red or blue, as the case may be, against a reflective background consisting of white retro-reflective sheeting."

To the OP have you tried Carjamming the plate number?

jaymz

1132 posts

Uber Geek

#523724 20-Sep-2011 20:06

The whole thing seems very vague about what is legal and what is not. The proof will be in the pudding, if you got pulled over, would you get a fine?

Bung:

To the OP have you tried Carjamming the plate number?

I sure did, the plate shows up as a standard plate and that it was a new plate registered 21st July 2010.

Any mods watching this? would it be ok to post the plate number?

Bung

5433 posts

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#523730 20-Sep-2011 20:14

Probably no need to post the number. It should be black on reflector white. Silver on black plates are only OK if original issue, you can't replace or reproduce them in the same colours.

I can't see it lasting long in the wild unless it looks like a foreign plate being used temporarily.

jaymz

1132 posts

Uber Geek

#523735 20-Sep-2011 20:23

What i find interesting is that there is nothing saying that certain age plates must be a certain colour.

So, going by the information at: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1995/0136/latest/DLM201140.html
As long as the plate is made out aluminium you could make the plates yourself?

There would be nothing to stop you re-producing your plates (making sure the lettering was the same size and style, and spaces were correct)

I can't find anything on the site that says the plates have to be from a govt organisation, so in theory my above would be correct.

SpookyAwol

594 posts

Ultimate Geek

#523751 20-Sep-2011 20:51

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

nate

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#523756 20-Sep-2011 20:59

I asked this exact same question three years ago.

savag3

188 posts

Master Geek

#524026 21-Sep-2011 12:46

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.

bazzer

3438 posts

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#524103 21-Sep-2011 14:46

The people in the linked thread seem awfully angry and sure of themselves!

PaulBrislen

198 posts

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#524105 21-Sep-2011 14:49

Whatever happened to the black on yellow plates? They appeared, then vanished almost immediately (came out at the same time we switched from white on black to black on white).

They were very easy to read and are quite common in the UK.

Just curious (and off topic).

Bung

5433 posts

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#524112 21-Sep-2011 14:59

bazzer: The people in the linked thread seem awfully angry and sure of themselves!

VW owners have moved on from being Peace and Love hippies :-)

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524121 21-Sep-2011 15:15

PaulBrislen: Whatever happened to the black on yellow plates? They appeared, then vanished almost immediately (came out at the same time we switched from white on black to black on white).

They were very easy to read and are quite common in the UK.

Just curious (and off topic).

The only black on yellow plates I've ever seen in NZ are dealer plates.

wellygary

7378 posts

Uber Geek

#524134 21-Sep-2011 15:36

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.

Sort of,

you can use a sticker as a replacement for the front number plate (common on MX5s and some other Euro supercars)

Land Transport ( Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regs 2011
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2011/0079/latest/whole.html#DLM2938360

The unique identifier on an ordinary plate must 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; or

(5) The base material of an ordinary plate must be aluminium or any other material that may be determined by the Registrar.
(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.

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#524140 21-Sep-2011 15:55

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 :)

xpd

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#524149 21-Sep-2011 16:08

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 ?

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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