When Do You Need Replacement Number Plates?

Number plates deteriorate over time. UV exposure causes the reflective background to yellow and fade. Road debris chips characters and cracks the polycarbonate face. Winter salt corrodes fixings and causes lifting at the edges. Even a seemingly minor crack across a character can be enough for an MOT tester to mark it as a fail — and police can issue a fine of up to £1,000 for an illegible or non-compliant plate. If your plates are showing any of the following, it is time to replace them: yellowing or discolouration of the background; faded, cracked, or chipped characters; visible cracks across the plate face; characters that have started to lift or peel; or physical damage from a minor collision or car park scrape.

Theft is also a significant reason drivers need replacement plates. Plate cloning — where criminals copy a legitimate registration and attach it to a stolen vehicle to evade detection — remains a serious issue in the UK. If your plates have been removed and stolen, you should report this to the police and obtain a crime reference number.

What Documents Do You Need?

Under the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, number plate suppliers are legally required to verify your entitlement to display a given registration before manufacturing a plate. This applies whether you are ordering new plates for the first time or replacing existing ones. You must provide one of the following:

You’ll also need to provide proof of your own identity — a driving licence or passport is standard. We handle all uploads securely through our checkout process and your documents are not retained beyond the legally required period. Once verified, we record your name, address, and the registration — a legal obligation placed on all number plate suppliers to maintain a record of every plate they produce for a minimum of three years.