Will 4D Plates Fail MOT?
An MOT is vital in ensuring the safety of yourself and other road users. At Bespoke Plates, we are frequently asked if the customization we offer can be detrimental to an upcoming MOT test. In this blog, we will be answering the question ‘Will 4D Plates Fail MOT?’
Firstly, let’s address what exactly an MOT is.
What exactly is an MOT?
An MOT is a legally required test for your vehicle to ensure it is safe to drive on the roads without being a danger to the driver or other road users. Brand-new cars do not need to be booked for an MOT until it is the 3rd Anniversary of their registration.
Before buying a 2nd hand car, be sure to check its MOT status before purchase, which you can do through the official government gateway.
Driving a vehicle with no valid MOT can lead to a £1000 fine. Driving after a failed MOT test in which your car is deemed dangerous, can result in a £2500 fine, 3 points on your licence and being banned from driving.
So what exactly is looked at during an MOT? Here is the list of areas assessed.
- Body, vehicle structure and general items
- Towbars
- Fuel system
- Exhaust emissions
- Exhaust system
- Seatbelts
- Seats
- Doors
- Mirrors
- Load security
- Brakes
- Tyres and wheels
- Registration plates
- Lights
- Bonnet
- Wipers and washers
- Windscreen
- Horn
- Steering and suspension
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Electricals
For a full description of what these components are checked for, please click here.
External damage to your car does not mean it will fail the MOT. It will only be the case if the external damage affects the performance or functionality of the previously highlighted components.
An MOT does not check these parts of your vehicle:
- Clutch
- Engine
- Gearbox
To have these things checked and fixed on your vehicle, you must take it in for a service.
In certain instances, some vehicles are exempt from having an MOT, for a full list of exemption criteria follow this link
Now that we understand the function and process of an MOT, let us explain a little bit more about 4D plates
What are 4D Plates?
4D plates come under the distinction of a gel number plate.
A gel number plate refers to a number plate which has its characters altered to achieve a distinct 3-dimensional raised appearance on the words and numbers on the registration plate. This is achieved by applying industrial-strength long-lasting resin on top of the 3D characters.
The unique aspect of our 4D plates is that:
- Characters 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 sheeting. This allows the characters to be thicker and more rectangular for a more eye-catching look.
In terms of cost, 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 4D plates we offer are available in several styles:
4D
- 4D 3mm
- 4D 5mm
- 4D Gel
- 4D Glitter Gel
- Carbon 4D Gel
- Krystal 4D
- Krystal Gel
Our gel number plates come with the option of 3D plates and 4D plates. Our blog has a deeper delve into the distinctions between the two plates if you want insight into that.
Want to see how a 4D plate could look on your vehicle? head over to our website so you can visualize what your plate could look like. Still not convinced? Check out our blog on why you should choose a 4D plate.
Next up, we are going to be covering the legalities of 4D plates.
Are 4D plates legal?
To clear up any confusion, 4D plates are 100% LEGAL if you stick to the outlined rules from the DVLA.
The latest update to UK number plate rules was released in 2021. The DVLA created these outlines to improve road safety, minimise the number of illegal vehicle activities, and clear up any confusion drivers were expressing.
The industry is worth £2 billion in the UK alone, so it’s not like the government wants the trade to just come to a stand-still.
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.
As well as these outlined conditions, custom plates must also display the following:
- have 3D (raised) characters
- display certain flags, symbols and identifiers
- display a green flash if you have a zero-emission vehicle
If the rules have been adhered to, you will be fine. Number plates must also have either ‘certain flags, symbols and identifiers or a ‘BSAU 145e’ code applied to them, which can only be completed by a legally certified licence plate vendor.
These regulations all work to ensure that number plate modification can still take place whilst making sure cars are legally compliant on the road so as not to cause issues for other road users.
Will 4D plates fail MOT?
As we’ve established, 4D plates are legal as long as they follow the previously highlighted stipulations, however, does this mean they will pass an MOT? It is not as simple as a yes or no.
We already know registration plates will be checked during an MOT, so what aspects of the plate are they actually checking?
- condition
- secure attachment
- colour
- characters correctly formed and spaced
As long as all of these conditions are met, you will pass an MOT.
At Bespoke Plates, we offer installation on all of our plates, guaranteeing you will pass your MOT. Self-installation may result in you damaging the plate, or not securing correctly, which is why we offer this service to you. The only exception to this is show plates.
Show Plates and MOT
As it is a service we offer, we thought it would be appropriate to mention show plates. Show plates, also known as novelty plates.
Novelty Plates offer a variety of uses and functions including:
- Being a thoughtful gift for a car enthusiast.
- Can be used as a prop for a film of any production value.
- A unique and personal decoration for a home, bedroom or office.
Whilst we provide show plates we must disclose clearly that show plates are illegal to use on public roads. Using a show plate on any public road could lead to a fine of £1000 and can also get points added to your license, however, using a show plate on private property is perfectly legal. We make mention of this with every purchase and/or installation of show plates.
With show plates, you have more freedom in personalising your plate, the reason it is illegal to use whilst driving on a public road is due to some designs being harder to read for other road users, whilst alternative backgrounds, spacings and character raising can make technologies such as speed cameras and ANPR’s struggle to recognise the plate. Driving a vehicle from public to private land with show plates on is also illegal.
Due to the level of customisation offered for a show plate, the colour, or character spacing and formation (and non-compliance of plate coding) will likely be the factors that contribute to it failing an MOT.
The team at Bespoke Plates will always advise you on the legal ramifications of your purchases and hold no responsibility if our advice is not heeded by our customers.
Our blog page has more details regarding show plates, you should take a read by clicking here.
Get an MOT-approved plate today
We hope for anyone still wondering ‘Will 4D plates fail MOT?’ that we provided all the right answers and options for all of your plate modification needs. If you choose to purchase and install your 4D plates through Bespoke Plates, we can guarantee your registration plate will be MOT compliant.
We at Bespoke Plates have all the options you can ask for, as an approved license 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
