Number Plates

$Leon$

Quick question,
I'm after importing a 1990 car from the UK.
In the vehicle reg office today i picked up a leaflet on number plates.
On it it gives the dimensions for the standard euro style plates.
Then it says " The above formats do not apply to vehicles registered before 1 Jan 1991 or to vehicles registered in the ZV ZZ series"
Do I have to use the "new" style plates?
Are they talking about cars registered in Ireland before 1 Jan 91 or cars registered anywhere before 1 Jan 91?

alias no.9

It's not very clear, but a garda at a checkpoint is not going to ask when a car was registered in Ireland, they'll just glance at the year on the plate, if it's pre '91 you're ok. Even with all the second hand imports over the years, I doubt the number on the plate (the bit after the county letter(s)) will be anything near as high as whats been reached in the last few years, so it'll hardly even raise an eyebrow.

Wishbone Ash

You have the option of using the new plates or the regulations for 1st Jan 1987 - letters and numbers must be black set against a white background of reflex reflective material.

You will not be legally permitted to use grey/silver on black.

$Leon$

Wishbone Ash wrote:

You will not be legally permitted to use grey/silver on black.

Thats what I had been thinking of getting.

alias no.9

I had silver on black plates on a 1990 fiesta before, they were like that when I got it. I queried it with the gardai and they said I was ok because it was pre 1991. Maybe give a call into the local station and ask them.

Wishbone Ash

alias no.9 wrote:

I had silver on black plates on a 1990 fiesta before, they were like that when I got it. I queried it with the gardai and they said I was ok because it was pre 1991. Maybe give a call into the local station and ask them.

In my experience, the Gardai won't give you much hassle and very few of them know the regulations other than the 1991 rules anyway. I'd be more concerned about the NCT. Silver on black on a 1990 car would be an instant failure but I suppose you could have a nice modern pair for the test.

Wishbone Ash

http://www.ncts.ie/nctmanual.pdf

REGISTRATION PLATES
Methods of Testing
1. Check the registration plates for security, location, legibility, visibility and correct colour.

NOTES:
(a) Owners of vehicles registered prior to 31 December, 1990, have the option of converting their registration
plates to the new format.
(b) Vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991
For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material. The flag of the European Communities, the Nationality Symbol IRL.
and the Irish language name of the City/County of registration to be shown.
Vehicles Registered on or after 1 January, 1987
(c) For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1987, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material and minimum dimensions should be as shown in the sketches on
page 4.

Vehicles Registered prior to 1 January, 1987
(d) Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front registration plates should have black numbers and letters on a white background. Rear registration
plates should have black numbers and letters on a red or white background.
(e) Non-Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front and rear registration plates should have white, silver or light grey numbers and letters on a black
background.
(f) Back Lit Registration Numbers and Letters
Where registration numbers and letters are back lit they should appear white in front and either white or red
to the rear during lighting up hours. At all other times they should appear white on a black background.
(g) Minimum dimensions for letters and numbers should be as shown in the sketch on page 4.
(h) Where the indented space provided for the number plate is not sufficient to accommodate a standard size
number plate, the registration plate and registration letters and numbers may be reduced in size relative to
the space provided for the number plate.