UK Stickers: Number Plate & Bodywork

[Thornebt]

Hi
The rule states as long as you have the uk sticker on your number plate, you do not require the big white yak sticker

Some countries require the full size white sticker. e.g. Spain

 

[Thornebt]

Spain, Cyprus and Malta require UK stickers.

 

[Peppadog]

UK logo plus union flag number plates on mine. We mix our twice yearly 1-2 month trips to Spain either via France, or direct via Plymouth-Santander. We've been doing it for many, many years by car or 'van. I don't think I've ever had a big GB or UK sticker on the back!
Nothing like a forum to make a mountain out of a molehill. Fit whichever one suits you. An identifier is an identifier.

Though I would be interested if someone can show me Spanish law requiring big ones (not someone else stating Spanish law). Because I can't be bothered to look myself )

 

[Davecrawf]

OK, I'm confused.....

So, looking online, it appears you need to have the UK sticker on your number plate or the larger white UK sticker on your rear (bodywork)
However, most we see on the road have the larger UK sticker rather than just the number plate, which I'd have thought would be the other way around as a preference?

So I'm just wanting to check I am reading the rules correctly or not?

Still see lots of vehicles with GB stickers, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[RV72 SAM 🏴]

Save all the messing about just stick the UK sticker next to number plate. Look's good and proud to show I'm British.
Although I wouldn't stick it anywhere else, like on the rear panel as would irritate me to death.
Saying that I have UK legal 3D plates, but not sure if legal in Europe, probably not but they staying, just hope my sticker will do the job and not attract an Inspection.
I have the number plate stick on one's on my bike, again these are a legal requirement, so happy to comply !

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[helen peters]

We have been travelling in France for 20+ years. Last year we got pulled over late at night…no offence committed but police wanted to check our documents. They wanted to see v5, insurance and husband’s licence. They did not seem bothered by the fact we had a GB sticker instead of UK. However, after that, I popped in to pound land and bought a large magnetic UK sticker for , you guessed it, £1. Does the job and is transferable between vehicles. You only have to get one officious officer and who knows what might happen.

 

[Orion]

Okay, here’s another one for the collective.

MoHo was supplied by the dealer with plain front and rear registration plates with no flag or U.K. identifiers on them - despite my requesting them.

Subsequently they forwarded me the correct badged plates but I’ve only fitted the rear one, plus have another on a tow bar bike carrier.

Is there a regulation that states they must be front and rear, or am I legal over the water (Spain, Malta, Cypress excepted, with just the rear?

 

[Peter Beeston]

My understanding is that the white oval sticker is the required identification for all vehicles travelling outside of their own country (International Agreement), and is recognised in most, if not all countries in the world.
The blue number plate sticker is a European identifier (EU Law) for EU countries and is acceptable in the EU for EU registered vehicles instead of the white oval sticker.
Most European countries (National Law) also accept this type of identification from neighbouring countries.
European vehicles going outside of the EU need white oval stickers, except if the country they are going to also accept the blue number plate sticker (UK).

 

[RV72 SAM 🏴]

I've just checked a few sites Inc: .gov and it look's like just the rear Oval UK identifier is sufficient on the rear only, unless you have the old GB on the front plate you should be Ok.
I can't fit a standard UK dide sticker to rither of my plates, so if required I would have to remove one on right side on my bike, but would be a yellow background but could cut the yellow out to show white if required
Basically as long as rear all legal, and correct Crit-air, vignette stickers applied on front you will be fine !

 

[Allybob]

My understanding is that the white oval sticker is the required identification for all vehicles travelling outside of their own country (International Agreement), and is recognised in most, if not all countries in the world.
The blue number plate sticker is a European identifier (EU Law) for EU countries and is acceptable in the EU for EU registered vehicles instead of the white oval sticker.
Most European countries (National Law) also accept this type of identification from neighbouring countries.
European vehicles going outside of the EU need white oval stickers, except if the country they are going to also accept the blue number plate sticker (UK).

When we replaced our rear number plate with a UK + flag one they would only supply all yellow. They said the blue strip was for EU registered vehicles only. I've no idea if this is correct!

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[Just smiffy]

I’ve just looked at loads of pictures of French ports and besides their number plates I could not find one sticker on any foreign car to assign where it’s from…. So why do we have to….

 

[Aucheorn]

The reason we’re not in GB land anymore is because Northern Ireland are in the U.K. but are not in GB. Great Britain is Englandshire, Walesshire and Scotlandshire. U.K. covers the four.

The reason we’re not in GB land anymore is because Northern Ireland are in the U.K. but are not in GB. Great Britain is Englandshire, Walesshire and Scotlandshire. U.K. covers the four.

I refuse to have UK or GB on my vehicles.
I'm a Scot so I have SCO and a Saltire on my No. Plates.
I have never had any problems, even in Spain, though that was a 10, 15 years ago.

 

[RV72 SAM 🏴]

Sound's about right, as they cannot supply any more blue EU side stickers on a UK non EU registered vehicle, as it's illegal and non Mot compliant +++Why would you now???

 

[Bazzagas]

It's not like having insurance and a driving licence !!

Tell me why it matters!

Because if you get an awkward police officer, or a corrupt police officer, or just one having a bad day, he will stop you, go through your van hold you up for an hour or more and then fine you..on the spot...if you have no money a Spanish police officer will happily take you to an ATM so you can withdraw the money...and hand the cash only, over to him or her....

 

[JaG]

UK sticker cheap as chips, number plates how much? plus you need to leave home and bring your log book

Number plate stick ons cheap as chips too. Don't need a new number plate.

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[Steve I]

Unless travelling to.. 'I think' Spain and Malta... that's fine.

Just to add,last time I travelled to Europe I saw many UK registered cars with no country ID at all.

Oh, is Spain different? Would be good to know pls as France into Spain is Spring plan

 

[acropolis22]

Has anyone ever been stopped for anything unless for a real traffic offence?

Probably - no

In over 40 years driving to France and Spain I have NEVER been asked to show anything but my passport at a border.

Never shown ins docs, V5 or driving licence .......... worried about a sticker? - no

Ditto, but we had to show our V5 in Romania and Bulgaria. Presumably because they are not Schengen.

 

[Bonsaiman]

The UK/GB sticker thing has been done to death on this forum and a quick search throws up at least 5 threads and there are probably more.

It does make me smile that people seem hell bent on not following a simple rule and take the gung-ho attitude that I'm not putting a UK sticker on my van people think I'm from the Ukraine, I'm sticking (see what I did there) with the GB sticker or I'm not having any sticker or I've never had a sticker so why should I have one now.

I've just returned from a trip to France and saw many cars with old GB stickers, no sticker, UK and European union stars on their number plates and the chances of them getting pulled for not having an Identifier (their correct name) are probably close to zero, but the rule is that you should have an identifier and it should be correct, we follow other rules such as carrying a V5, having hi-vis jackets, having warning triangles, spare set of bulbs, spare set of glasses etc etc etc but baulk at the putting a UK identifier on our vans.

Regardless of whether you display an identifier or not, officially (taken from the GOV.UK website) the Government states:-

UK stickers and number plates​

From 28 September 2021, you need a UK sticker instead of a GB sticker.

If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• a GB identifier with the Union flag
• a Euro symbol
• a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
• numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier

If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

You do not need a UK sticker or identifier to drive in Ireland.

Interestingly if you live on one of the British Crown Dependency's you are not actually part of the UK so don’t need to change, so they can keep their GBA, GBG, GBJ, GBM or GBZ.

The reason we have identifiers is down to the Convention on Road Traffic 1968, (also known as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic), which set out to harmonise laws and rules relating to traffic throughout Europe and beyond.

The vehicle licence categories ( A, B, B1, C, C1 etc) were set under CRT, they set requirements for vehicle number plates, road signs, road markings etc and they agreed the letters for each countries identifier and it took a application to the United Nations and their full approval before the change from GB to UK identifier could be ratified.

Also the small UK identifiers are incorrect as officially they should be elliptical and measure 18cm x 13.3 cm and all country identifiers should be the same size.

80 odd countries including most of Europe, some of the Middle East, parts of South America have signed and ratified the CRT treaty which allows the use of a UK identifier on the number plate, the three countries which require a separate identifier (Spain, Malta and Cyprus) have signed the treaty but not ratified it, hence the need for the separate identifier.

Whether you display an identifier or not is up to the individual but for a £1 and knowing you are following the rules and removing that 0.1% chance of getting pulled and fined, what's the problem?

Lecture over and sorry for the long thread

 

[Bonsaiman]

Okay, here’s another one for the collective.

MoHo was supplied by the dealer with plain front and rear registration plates with no flag or U.K. identifiers on them - despite my requesting them.

Subsequently they forwarded me the correct badged plates but I’ve only fitted the rear one, plus have another on a tow bar bike carrier.

Is there a regulation that states they must be front and rear, or am I legal over the water (Spain, Malta, Cypress excepted, with just the rear?

Identifiers are only required to the rear of a vehicle

 

[LesW]

Oh, is Spain different? Would be good to know pls as France into Spain is Spring plan

See post #78 below

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[Bonsaiman]

Interestingly I have just read that this works both ways and cars from Spain, Cyprus and Malta should have a separate identifier when traveling in the EU, also Ireland as it has also not ratified the CRT

Wonder if there are similar forums in Spain discussing the need for separate identifier's

 

[altomos]

I have never had a GB or UK sticker on my van during the last 30 or so years as I consider the CYM (Wales) sticker my nation!

 

[Golfingmuso]

Because it's legal requirement like having insurance and a driving licence.

I live in Europe and have no U.K. sticker and have never been questioned in 12 years driving around all over ! So it ‘may be ‘legal requirement in U.K., but Europe is not bothered !!

 

[Charente16]

I live in Europe and have no U.K. sticker and have never been questioned in 12 years driving around all over ! So it ‘may be ‘legal requirement in U.K., but Europe is not bothered !!

Are you saying you have lived in Portugal for 12 years and still driving a vehicle on UK number plates?

 

[scotjimland]

No one has asked the real reason why we need a UK sticker

It's really quite simple.. it's to alert following drivers, (mainly French), you are a Brit, they then proceed to tailgate at 130kph, then overtake while blowing their horn..

Don't spoil their fun

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[Kups]

The UK/GB sticker thing has been done to death on this forum and a quick search throws up at least 5 threads and there are probably more.

It does make me smile that people seem hell bent on not following a simple rule and take the gung-ho attitude that I'm not putting a UK sticker on my van people think I'm from the Ukraine, I'm sticking (see what I did there) with the GB sticker or I'm not having any sticker or I've never had a sticker so why should I have one now.

I've just returned from a trip to France and saw many cars with old GB stickers, no sticker, UK and European union stars on their number plates and the chances of them getting pulled for not having an Identifier (their correct name) are probably close to zero, but the rule is that you should have an identifier and it should be correct, we follow other rules such as carrying a V5, having hi-vis jackets, having warning triangles, spare set of bulbs, spare set of glasses etc etc etc but baulk at the putting a UK identifier on our vans.

Regardless of whether you display an identifier or not, officially (taken from the GOV.UK website) the Government states:-

UK stickers and number plates​

From 28 September 2021, you need a UK sticker instead of a GB sticker.

If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• a GB identifier with the Union flag
• a Euro symbol
• a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
• numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier

If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

You do not need a UK sticker or identifier to drive in Ireland.

Interestingly if you live on one of the British Crown Dependency's you are not actually part of the UK so don’t need to change, so they can keep their GBA, GBG, GBJ, GBM or GBZ.

The reason we have identifiers is down to the Convention on Road Traffic 1968, (also known as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic), which set out to harmonise laws and rules relating to traffic throughout Europe and beyond.

The vehicle licence categories ( A, B, B1, C, C1 etc) were set under CRT, they set requirements for vehicle number plates, road signs, road markings etc and they agreed the letters for each countries identifier and it took a application to the United Nations and their full approval before the change from GB to UK identifier could be ratified.

Also the small UK identifiers are incorrect as officially they should be elliptical and measure 18cm x 13.3 cm and all country identifiers should be the same size.

80 odd countries including most of Europe, some of the Middle East, parts of South America have signed and ratified the CRT treaty which allows the use of a UK identifier on the number plate, the three countries which require a separate identifier (Spain, Malta and Cyprus) have signed the treaty but not ratified it, hence the need for the separate identifier.

Whether you display an identifier or not is up to the individual but for a £1 and knowing you are following the rules and removing that 0.1% chance of getting pulled and fined, what's the problem?

Lecture over and sorry for the long thread

Exactly. I cannot understand people who put their "principles" before the cost of buying a UK sticker and putting it on their van. For heaven's sake it costs less than a hot drink at Greggs
Although enforcement is minimal for this and headlamp masks etc, I know where I would want to be when flagged down by law enforcement people for a spot check in the EU.

 

[RobertJary]

Most of Europe is fine with the number plate option.

Spain isn't

 

[LesW]

Spain isn't

Do keep up...

 

[Barclaybasher]

Accepting it is the law....

What is the PURPOSE of the stickers?

When introduced (GB over a hundred years ago) it might have been a reason.

ANPR and on board computers can give the actual address the vehicle is registered to - so WHY?

 

[scotjimland]

What is the PURPOSE of the stickers?

see my post above ...

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