It is essential that anyone considering the purchase of a personalised registration mark pay particular attention to the rules that govern the trade. While people may search for the closest possible representation of their name, business or hobby, to display on their vehicle, they should note that mis-representation of the mark is illegal. This means that whatever mark you purchase must be displayed on a registration plate that meets the UK standard and the numbers and letters must be spaced correctly. The responsibility for adhering to this law lies with the registered keeper of the vehicle on which the plates are assigned and also the manufacturer of the plates. As of 2001, it is mandatory for manufacturers to print their company name and postcode on any plates they make up.

It should also be noted that the manufacture of plates that use fancy typefaces and do not follow spacing rules is not illegal in itself and there is a large market out there for novelty ’show plates’. It is, however, illegal to display such plates on a vehicle on public roads.

Breaking the law by misrepresentation of your registration mark may result in it being confiscated and you will lose your right to display it. As it is your responsibility to ensure the plate complies with the law you will not receive any financial compensation and can expect to be fined up to £1,000. Something else to bear in mind is that your car will fail its MOT if the registration mark is misrepresented or incorrectly spaced.