Are 3D Hex Number Plates and 4D Hex Number Plates Legal?
Licence plate modification is slowly but surely becoming a common customisation that people opt for, plate modifications come in the form of gel plates and hex plates (and more) in combination or separately.
In this blog we will be answering the question ‘Are 3D Hex number plates and 4D Hex number plates legal?
As an established number plate maker, we at Bespoke Plates know how to add a unique and distinctive finish to your vehicle registration plate, further stating a level of individuality that can be the finishing touch to a vehicle you have already customised.
Bespoke Plates is a renowned and legally certified number plate maker and installer, with options of 3D Plates, 4D plates, Show plates, and regular / electric vehicle plates and more. We are the one-stop shop for all things number plates!
Whether it’s a private plate, gel plate, standard number plate or plating accessories, we have you covered.
As a certified and experienced team of plate fitters and makers, our plates are installed to the specification of UK law, provided alongside the appropriate paperwork you need. (The only exception to this is show plates.)
What are HEX plates?
A hex plate is short for a hexagonal plate. These plates are given this name due to their elongated hexagonal (six-sided) shape, as opposed to the traditional rectangular-styled number plates.
What are 3D and 4D number plates?
You are able to choose a 3D or 4D option in conjunction with the hex plate. Below, we will share an in-depth explanation of our gel plate options.
A ‘gel plate’ refers to a licence plate with slightly exaggerated characters that differ from a standard licence plate. Gel plates can come in the form of 3D or 4D plates.
For those looking to add character, impact and a sleek appearance to their car, 3D & 4D plates have seen a surge in popularity as car modification has become common. Their popularity is not only because of their unique and bespoke look but also their increased durability.
As an approved licence vendor with years of experience, Bespoke Plates offers this sleek plate upgrade, so for those who are curious, here is a brief description of 3D & 4D gel plates.
3D plates
- Characters placed by hand
- Acrylic plate – polyurethane letters
- Rounded-raised characters with a wet, gel-like look
3D plates are made from acrylic with individual raised letters. The raised letters are manufactured from polyurethane and get ‘stuck’ to the acrylic plate by hand. An aligner bar is used to guarantee perfect spacing.
The rounded and shiny gel-like appearance of 3D plates makes them a great choice if you want to add understated personalisation to your vehicle.
4D plates
- Characters are placed by hand
- Acrylic plate – acrylic letters (laser cut)
- Rectangular and deep-raised characters
4D plates are also made from acrylic, but instead of polyurethane characters, they use professionally laser-cut characters made from acrylic sheets. This allows the characters to be thicker and more rectangular for a more eye-catching look.
4D plates carry a premium over 3D plates by up to 20%. The reason 4D plates cost more is that the individual characters are laser cut, or they are of the thicker gel variety. In the case of laser-cut, the characters are also made to order in-house.
The 3D and 4D plates we offer are available in several styles:
4D plate options
- 4D 3mm
- 4D 5mm
- 4D Gel
- 4D Glitter Gel
- Carbon 4D Gel
- Krystal 4D
- Krystal Gel
3D plate options
- Black
- Carbon Brickwork
- Carbon Galaxy
- Glitter Gel
It’s important to note that with all these different styles, the only change is the texture and appearance of the characters.
Want to see what we mean rather than read an explanation? Head to our website so you can view an example of your ideal gel plate. And if you like what you see, we offer same-day collections and fittings!
How do I order a 3D or 4D Hex plate?
With Bespoke Plates, you can order a gel (3D/4D) plate aswell as the hex plate together. By following these steps you have the option to see the plate before making a decision.
Visualising how your plate can look in real-time, with the characters from your actual registration plate, saves time and makes it easy for you to know what you want before you get it. Let us walk you through the process of choosing your plate through us.
- Head to the Bespoke Plates website
- Choose your plate style (3D, 4D, Standard)
- Choose your style (legal or show plate)
- Select where this plate will go (front, back or both)
- Select plate size, scroll down & select the Hex/Lambo plate option
- Select optional accessories.
- Enter your registration plate in our visualiser & press ‘preview’
- Choose if you are collecting with installation, or if you want it to be delivered.
Are 3D Hex number plates and 4D Hex number plates legal?
To clear up any confusion, plate modification, whether that be hex plates, or gel plates (3D & 4D) are 100% LEGAL if you stick to the outlined rules from the DVLA.*
*Please do your due diligence and research, some unverified licence plate providers may not be making their plates to the legal specification, which could become a massive inconvenience for you. Visiting Bespoke Plates is the best way to avoid this trouble.
Alternatively, using the government gateway to find licenced and approved plate makers is the best option for peace of mind and finding a plate maker close to you. Enter your postcode on the government gateway website.
What are the legal requirements for a number plate?
The legal terms that a number plate must adhere to are:
- be made from a reflective material – for road safety
- black display characters on a white background (front plate)
- black display characters on a yellow background (rear plate)
- not have a background pattern – so as not to distort the readability of your plate
- be marked to show who supplied the number plate – to assist with thefts and sourcing queries
- be marked with a British Standard number – this is ‘BS AU 145e’ for plates fitted after 1 September 2021
- The characters must not be removable or reflective. If your number plates were fitted after 1 September 2021, they must also be a single shade of black.
You can find the full list of legal requirements here.
What makes a Hex plate illegal?
Hex plates, if the do not follow the standards described above can become illegal, which can result in you getting in trouble with the authorities. At Bespoke Plates, we will be sure to tell you if your modification goes beyond the legal threshold.
An illegal Hex plate can look like:
- Not having the white or yellow background
- Having a different coloured or incorrectly spaced/shaped characters
- Incorrectly applied/ loose fit.
- Additional characters/symbols that have no relevance to the legality of the plate
Order a 3D / 4D hex plate today
In this blog, we have highlighted our hex plates, and all the information you need in order to add this stylish customisation option to your plate. We aim to have answered the question ‘Are 3D Hex number plates and 4D Hex number plates legal?’ And we hope that we provided all the right answers and options for all of your plate modification needs.
Bespoke Plates have all the options you can ask for, as an approved licence vendor we can guarantee your modification abides by the DVLA rules whilst offering same-day collections and full fitting service.
To get in touch and discuss the full fitting service we offer with our plates you can talk to one of the members of our team by:
Email info@bespoke-plates.co.uk
Phone 0333 006 7878
Visit in-store
36A Broughton Street,
Manchester,
England,
M8 8NN
