I have had a white on black made up plate (plastic with vinyl characters) on the front of my car for 7 years, no issues.
esprit,
Jan 7, 10:19pm
That is adjunct to the legislation that all licence plates must be issued by the designated agent and that no alterations must be made to the identifying features of the plate.
It's explained here, namely the process of reissuing old black-and-silver plates. Also noting that there's a penalty for "Causing or permitting motor vehicle to be on a road displaying object or design likely to be mistaken for plates or licence authorised for that motor vehicle" Given that a registration plate must be displayed as it was issued by the authorised agent.
skin1235,
Jan 7, 10:48pm
for years I had a dog box on the back of the car, totally obscured the number plate, so painted the number on the dog box and fitted a trailer light to illuminate it, never ever got pulled up, not even for an obscured plate -( which is one ticket I did get in a my old mitzi Delica with the spare bolted to the bullbars - $150 for obscuring the numberplate )
nzdoug,
Jan 8, 3:19am
You can get a Euro Plate for ubder $100 from http://www.germanplates.com But not legal, only $1100 Personalised Plate.
socram,
Jan 8, 6:20am
I bought a UK manufactured Perspex or Acrylic reflective plate last year for a friend who was concerned about obscuring his correct plate when hanging the bike's on the back.
I had to sign a disclaimer of some sort at the car accessory shop as I didn't have any papers for the plate. From memory, it was no more than $20. Still reflective black on white. Legal in the UK and Europe but not here.
RE #28 - It only needs a picky police person and you will get a ticket!
You used to be able to buy the self adhesive reflective backing and your own characters to make up your own plate. I'm not sure whether or not you still can. I had a reflective stick on plate on a car here for a year or three without issues, but again. it is always down to whether or not the police elect to be picky.
melonhead1,
Jan 8, 7:45am
I suppose those nice helpful sewage sucker trucks with NSW plates I saw driving around chc in the years after the earthquakes got fines too. Charming.
supernova2,
Jan 8, 7:25pm
Factsheet cant override the legislation. As I see the law you can use a stickon front plate The problem of course may be that NZTA dont make stick on plates. Or maybe they do if you ask for them? If they don't no doubt would require a court case to "force" NZTA to issue the stick on as authorised by the law.
Maybe someone who has rec'd a ticket for a stick on might be prepared to defend the matter in the District Court on the grounds the law is ambiguous and permits you to use something that the regulatory authority fails to provide so therefore you had a suitable item made for your use. If it went before a JP anything is likely!
esky-tastic,
Jan 8, 7:31pm
esprit wrote: I work alongside the government and its authorised agent to maintain the documentation pertaining to all NZ and Australian licence plates. I generate all the documentation to sign off new licence plate designs. I can assure you I'm not wrong.
On British plates, there was an interesitng case a few years back in the case of TVR Griffiths, that had number plate lights that shone THROUGH the translucent UK plates (ie they were back-lit). The cars were complied for road use in NZ with these lights, yet then they were forced to use NZ plates (aluminium), and then hence did not have rear plate illumination.
I believe that the owners of these vehicles were granted a special dispensation to run the UK plates as a special case, but any further ones being imported would have to have conventional illuminators fitted.[/quote
I notice franc123 is awful quiet since you posted the above, excellent!
esprit,
Jan 8, 8:05pm
That legislation is not exhaustive though. There is a set of drawings gazetted that dictate the exact form, size etc of the plates. There's nothing in the legislation to say you can't have a licence plate that's three feet wide and stamped with the "comic sans" font. but if you did and you ended up in court over it, you'd soon get to see exactly what defines a legal plate or not.
socram,
Jan 9, 6:07am
"Comic sans" font would be most appropriate don't you think?
jason18,
Jan 9, 6:15am
This was plate TUFFXA
pauldw,
Jan 9, 6:58am
Comic Legislation more likely. What is served by having a clause saying that the plate must be aluminium or other material as determined by the Registrar (which would cover anything) followed by a clause saying ignore that the front can be stick-on?
jhw2,
Jan 9, 7:04am
I have a 1962 E Type that was first registered in NZ, and just has a rear plate only since new. My understanding is that there was an exemption in New Zealand from having a front one - unlike the UK where the stick on prevailed. The exemption has never been revoked so far as I know, and certainly I keep getting WOF's without a front plate, so I wishfully think it is now an exemption from speed camera tickets from the front too!
pauldw,
Jan 9, 7:10am
The Government understands that the cost of keeping an E type on the road is self regulating.
socram,
Jan 9, 7:37am
My car using the stick on plates had a similar front end to the E-Type. I then attached the real plate underneath. It could still be read from x metres away at ground level, but not sure that it would be picked up from a high mounted fixed speed camera! However, don't speed past fixed speed cameras anyway, so never got the chance to test it.
esprit,
Jan 9, 7:56am
The stick-on legislation is new, because of forthcoming new plates that have not been approved/released yet. It's simply an opening in the law for things we'll have being rolled out in the coming years.
esprit,
Jan 9, 8:00am
A licence plate is not a WOF item, you could get a wof without any plates at all.
No front plate is only legal for dealer plates sadly (as an E-type and Lotus driver I feel your pain). There's a stick-on on my '64 E-Type, which is no more legal than not having one, but is intended to just invole less hassle from the cops.
Having said that cops are a little more lenient on classic/exotic cars than they would be on others, but you only have to find one in a bad mood, or around Christmas/Easter etc when they have a ticket quota to fill and they're having a quiet day and they'll ping you.
jhw2,
Jan 9, 8:19am
Thank you - good to know. Touch wood, I've never had an issues to date with the police without one, so will continue in ignorant bliss.
richardmayes,
Jan 9, 9:09am
I followeda Mk2 Jaguar once and those have a plinth on the bootlid for a more-or-less square rear plate. It looks like a bike plate might almost fit, I wonder if Mk2 Jag owners are allowed to get a bike rear plate made up?
supernova2,
Jan 9, 9:18am
I've just sent off an OIA request to NZTA regarding the "stick on". Will let you know what they say - probably about 27 months from now!
saki,
Jan 9, 10:17am
If you wish to get a second plate for the back of your car due to it being covered with what ever you can get proper supplimentary plates to hang of what ever is on the back. They are marked supplimantary plate, saw 2 over the christmas period looked smart as well.
vjregal770,
Feb 20, 4:34am
Seeing as it's possible to get Euro plates, I'm surprised Personalised Plates don't have American and Japanese type ones available as they are of similar dimensions and there are plenty of US cars here and there's a growing surge of Japanese classics too.
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