Number plate fines in the UK: what can get you £1,000
Plate Legality · 9 October 2026 · 4 min read
Wrong spacing, a tint, a dirty plate. Here's what actually gets drivers fined, how much it is, and how to stay clear of it.
The numbers
| Outcome | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fixed penalty | Usually £100 at the roadside |
| Court | Up to £1,000 |
| MOT | Fail on an illegal or unreadable plate |
| Private registration | DVLA can withdraw it for repeated misuse |
What gets drivers fined
- Altered spacing. Moving letters together to spell a name is the most common offence.
- Wrong font. Anything other than Charles Wright, including italic and "custom" fonts. See the Charles Wright font.
- Tints and smoked covers. See are tinted number plates legal.
- Unreadable plates. Dirt, snow or a cracked plate still counts. Keep them clean: how to clean number plates.
- Missing marks. No BS AU 145e mark or supplier name means the plate wasn't made properly.
- Wrong badges. Only approved national flags and identifiers are allowed on the left.
Show plates aren't a loophole
A show plate is for shows and off-road. Put one on a car on a public road and it's the same fine. More in show plate vs road legal.
How to avoid it
Buy from a registered supplier who asks for your documents. If a seller doesn't ask for a V5C, the plate probably isn't legal. Our builder sets the spacing and size for road-legal plates automatically, so you can't get it wrong by accident.