Black Number Plates...

BSPOKE20

Just saw a black car with black number plates, looked really well but obviously illegal - is this a fine or penalty points if stopped?

MunsterCycling

Both.

fincollins

maybe you were getting them mixed up with army vehicles!? they have black number plates dont they

Henry Ford III

Vintage cars can legally display black plates with silver lettering.

Jesus Christ

Perfectly legal if the car is more than 30 years old.

ardmacha

Indeed probably perfectly legal on any vehicle registered before 1987 when the present numbering system was introduced.

Wishbone Ash

ardmacha wrote: »

Indeed probably perfectly legal on any vehicle registered before 1987 when the present numbering system was introduced.

Perfectly legal if registered before 1991 - when the Euro plates came in.

Esel

^ Not really - before that there were white front/red rear plates.

Silvera

esel wrote: »

^ Not really - before that there were white front/red rear plates.

1987-1991 = white front and rear.

pa990

white plate front and rear with the current type of system ie year/county/number came in in 87
then in 90 or 91 the blue eu band and county in irish was introduced.

prior to that it was White with black letters on the front , and red with black letters on the back ie "432 FZK'

Vehicles over 30yrs old are granted vintage status, and may use black and silver plates, or the type appropiate to when it was first registered.

Vehicles imported that are over 30yrs old can when being registered opt for a ZV plate or a modern plate ie 80-D-6789
The ZV plate will be black and silver, the 80-D plate can be either black and silver or black and white..

or so is my understanding of it

corktina

its perfectly legal if the gard doesnt know the law any better than you, which is quite likely...

macplaxton

pa990 wrote: »

white plate front and rear with the current type of system ie year/county/number came in in 87
then in 90 or 91 the blue eu band and county in irish was introduced.

prior to that it was White with black letters on the front , and red with black letters on the back ie "432 FZK'

12/69-12/86 for reflective white front / red rear / black digits option.
-12/86 for black front / black rear / white or silver or translucent digits.

pa990 wrote: »

Vehicles over 30yrs old are granted vintage status, and may use black and silver plates, or the type appropiate to when it was first registered.

Vehicles imported that are over 30yrs old can when being registered opt for a ZV plate or a modern plate ie 80-D-6789
The ZV plate will be black and silver, the 80-D plate can be either black and silver or black and white..

or so is my understanding of it

My understanding on this bit is that new format = new plate, regardless of year of registration. If ZV option chosen, previous (pre 87) rules apply.

So the rules for older vehicles are quite a slapdash effort that would have been much more logical if the powers that be had a clue. (e.g. if they worked out a proper age-related 6 digit system for pre-87 cars)

trellheim

Military vehicles may use black plates.

Cookie_Monster

trellheim wrote: »

Military vehicles may use black plates.

why do they even need plates?

hartytkd

From the NCT website:

(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.

quarryman

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/leaflets/format-vehicle-registration-plates.html

Only info I could find on it online.

testicle

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

why do they even need plates?

So they can drive on the Public Roads.

hartytkd

quarryman wrote: »

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/leaflets/format-vehicle-registration-plates.html

Only info I could find on it online.

Correct, that gives the current required format (black on white etc.), and at the bottom of that page it also says:

The above formats do not apply to vehicles registered prior to 1 January, 1991, or to vehicles registered in the “ZV” “ZZ” or Trade Licence series.