The ole chestnut re reg plates

To help you make up your mind, I believe you can initially register it as a ZV and change to the county format later, but not the other way round (I'm 80% sure It's this way and not the opposite - can someone confirm?).

I'm on a ZV and lucky to have just 5 digits, so would not change, but as you note it's pretty 50/50 now.

One thing with the ZV, you might get the odd person who wants to ask about the car so it gives them the opening question of "what year is it" (if you like taking about it, I do).

Good luck with the 126!

Or have it registered to an address outside of Dublin where the number ranges are much lower for the year/county plate perhaps? You could get 89G15000 or something more reasonable elsewhere if you have relatives outside of Dublin.

Just a thought and not sure if this is an option/desired outcome for you.

I went with the 89 D format recently - its the correct format for anything post 87. If it was 86 or earlier I might consider the ZV option, although its unlikely. It will be registered as 89 D 108XXX I'd imagine going by my reg.

It'll be registered as something higher than 89 D 120000 as that is the range they are working with since about 2011.

I'd go ZV all day long.

Least worst option.

Having said that I wish they would wake up and allow old reg's to be sold and traded.

S.I. No. 385/1992 - Road Vehicles Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, 1992.

Article 25

Part II

Form of Identification Marks

Provisions to be complied with in respect of vehicles first registered on or after the 1st day of January, 1987 but not later than the 31st day of December, 1990:

1. ( a ) Where the identification mark contains a single letter index mark it shall, at the option of the owner, be arranged in conformity with either Diagram No. 5 or Diagram No. 6 shown above.

( b ) Where the identification mark contains a two letter index mark it shall, at the option of the owner, be arranged in conformity with either Diagram No. 7 of Diagram No. 8 above.

2. The identification mark may be exhibited on a metal or plastic plate or in the case of a large public service vehicle, it may be illuminated by translucence or transparency.

3. Where an identification mark is exhibited on a metal plate, the surface shall be constructed of white reflex reflective material and the identification mark shall be formed of black letters and figures which shall be embossed by being raised above the surface of the reflex reflective material and form part of the plate.

4. (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph, where the identification mark is exhibited on a plastic plate the identification mark shall be exhibited on white reflex reflective material which shall be affixed with an adhesive substance to the rear of the plate and be so affixed that it cannot be readily detached therefrom.

(2) The identification mark exhibited on a plastic plate in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph, shall be so exhibited that it can be clearly read from the front of the mark as black letters and figures on a white reflex reflective material.

(3) A plastic plate shall be constructed of transparent material of at least 2.5 millimetres in thickness.

(4) In the case of a large public service vehicle, where the identification mark is so constructed and used that it is illuminated by transparency or translucency the letters and figures shall, when so illuminated during lighting-up hours appear, in the case of the front identification mark, white, and in the case of the rear identification mark, white. At all other times the letters and figures shall appear white against a black background.

5. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, all letters and figures of an identification mark shall be at least 81 millimetres high and be of uniform height; every part of every letter and figure shall be at least 12 millimetres broad and the total width of the space taken by every letter or figure, except in the case of the letter "I" or the figure "1", shall be at least 48 millimetres.

6. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, in an identification mark there shall be a margin between the nearest part of any letter or figure and the top or bottom of the surface of white reflex reflective material upon which the identification mark appears, of at least 8 millimetres and between the nearest part of any letter or figure and the sides of the surface of white reflex reflecting material, of at least 8 millimetres.

7. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, in an identification plate:

( a ) the space between the nearest parts of adjoining figures shall be uniform and be at least 8 millimetres;

( b ) the space between the nearest parts of adjoining letters shall be equal to the space between adjoining figures;

( c ) the space between the index mark and adjoining figures shall be three times the space between the nearest part of adjoining figures,

8. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, where the identification mark is arranged in accordance with Diagram No. 5 or Diagram No, 7 shown above, the space between the upper and lower line shall be at least 13 millimetres.

9. In the case of a bicycle, an invalid carriage or a pedestrian controlled vehicle, the dimensions prescribed in paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this Part of this Schedule may be halved and the plate or surface bearing the identification mark need not be rectangular, provided that the letters and figures thereon comply as nearly as possible with the arrangement shown in whichever diagram of this Schedule is appropriate.

10. The provisions of this Part of this Schedule shall be deemed to be complied with if the identification mark exhibited on the vehicle complies with the provisions of Part III of this Schedule.

Re read what I wrote!

Just by the way I don't think ZV plates are horrible.

I'd much prefer them to the year plates with an over long number.

As I said in another post we really should be able to get year appropriate numbers from the old pre 87 series.

Honestly, when was the last time you've seen anyone enforcing license plate format in this country? Gardai don't care, neither do NCT testers.

I don't think they should issue ZV for '87 onwards either but statutes are very specific. I agree that when they wrote these things they probably didnt envisage ZV on '87 onwards. Anyway, anyone who puts ZV plates on an '87 onwards wouldn't be the sort of person who cares if the format is right or not. Its lack of attention to detail in my book!

I simply don't see the point.

I remember buying my first bike in September 1986. I ride it on "For Reg" until Jan 1987 as I wanted to get 80-G-1. I missed it by 1 number, and got 80-G-2.

So, to my eyes, anything registered post Jan 1 1987 looks more 'age appropriate' using the year indicating plate. Anything else just jars with me tbh.

Can you use the mistake in the address trick, that you later change when taxing the car?

hi

i have consulted this thread a few times re number plates on a classic, any way i failed my NCT 2 weeks ago and one of the fails was the number plate. The tester said the font was too thin, it is a 1984 car and the number plate had no county name in irish or dashes but there was no comment on those.

In for a retest today and he wanted to fail me again just on the number pates, I had changed the plates to standard font but again no county or dashes, he said I had to have Galaimh on the plate.

I said that I thought, as it is a pre 1984 car it didnt need it, he went of to consult and when he came back he shredded the fail sheet and gave me a nice new 2 year NCT, but he did say he was letting me off as it is required if you opt for county plates but not ZV plates.

I see Richard Hammond has opted to keep the ZV plates on his escort . ( 3: 52 if you can't be bothered watching the whole video)

Theres a bit more on it here - https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/news-articles/richard-hammond-and-the-smallest-cogs-first-project-a-restored-ford-escort-rs2000-could-be-yours/

"The RS2000 was originally supplied to the UK, but then spent some time in the Isle of Man before forming part of a collection in the Republic of Ireland. The car is on a Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) and awaiting registration in the UK."

Article mentioned the Escort came from a large collection - so potentially they grabbed a few cars

My ZV was four digits, which is fine. The original UK plates (in the boot had three digits). I've a 75 motor with a 75 D plate and a catchy number. Whatever floats the proverbial boat. Import plates a little while back had many, many zeros, allegedly an error, but maybe a hidden boost for our 'motor industry (I aim this at official dealers who make up things to pad out bills, not independent mechanics and repairers who do their best).'

Funnily enough, car dependant, I'd go with year plates. Looks well on a lot of cars and makes it looks like a period grey market import which tells it's own story.

You can always switch to ZV too if you want.