Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Registration plates

DVLA web site states, "motor cycles and motor tricycles (not derived from 4 wheel vehicles, e.g.. saloon cars, quad bikes etc.) and registered after 01.09.2001 do not require a front number plate. A standard size motor cycle plate is required on the rear.

Prepare to be bored silly!

The rules

And at the top of page 6, there is this:

(5) In the case of a motor cycle or a motor tricycle which does not have a body of a type
which is characteristic of the body of a four-wheeled vehicle—
(a) a registration plate must not be fixed on the front of a vehicle if it was first registered
on or after 1st September 2001,
(b) a plate need not be fixed on the front of the vehicle if it was first registered before 1st
September 2001.

So the vital point is, what type is the body? Car type? If you argue it isn't, you are are arguing for one headlight only and a perpetuation of the idiot driving rules I keep harping on about. All for the sake of a numberplate.

Headlight requirements come down to type of body, I believe "car type" and "motorcycle type" are both referred to on this matter in the Construction and Use reglations

Maybe the idiot driving rules, but I don't think a single headlamp comes into things Martin.

I suppose it does have a car type body, that is a body tub with side by side seating?

Talk about lack of joined uo thinking! In the meantime, I think a reasonab le bib would find it hard to pin an offence on a driver missing the front plate, especially if had 'just been knocked off by a careless parker, officer'.

Truthfully, the headlight bit is a side issue. However, I really do not want the attempt to get three wheelers back as cars from a driving licence point of view, derailed over the numberplate issue.

I agree though, there is a complete lack of joined up thinking with one bit of officialdom saying "it's a car" and another bit saying "it's a motorbike".

I understand the fine for no front numberplate is either £30 or £60 and does not involve points. For that reason, there are a few Ferraris with no front numberplate as even if caught and fined - it's chicken feed to many owners of such cars.

Regrettably it was scrapped, but the Shilovski or Wolsley Gyrocar would have baffled present day legislators as it was most certainly a car, carried at least 4 people and may have had seats for six although I can't find a photo with that many in it - and had two wheels!

As you say Martyn the type of body is the most relevant point , in my registration document the body type is listed as tricycle ( ie not car type ) therefore front plate not required unless registered prior to Sept 2001 .

I've just looked at my V5c for the vintage trike. True it says for body type - tricycle, but just about anybody will agree, that word does not describe a body in the same way, saloon, hatchback, convertible, open or estate would*. Despite the document saying later for wheelplan - 3 wheeler, the words 'tricycle' and '3 wheeler' mean the same thing, and do not define the body.

If you build a trike, you will hit the issue of is it car or motorcycle bodied. The former requires two headlights and seatbelts, the latter has one headlight up to a certain width, and could not be fitted with seatbelts as it is astride seating, ie motorbike saddles, not a car type seats. Any bets the V5s for both say "tricycle?

You are misreading the requirements for motorbikes - numberplate is optional pre Sept 2001, post Sept it must not be fitted. However, as the Morgan 2, 3 and 5 speeders are car bodied - I really don't think this is at all relevant.

Truthfully I think all you've done really is add to the proof that officialdom is both confused and confusing when it comes to classifying three wheelers.

*Wicked thought, I wonder what the V5 says for a coupe de ville body, ie a both open and a saloon!

Probably "Twin axle-rigid body".

I am a bit unrepentant about my black and silver plates and the fact that the rear one is Bike sized. Maybe I should just set up a standing order to the local constabulary?

Lest everyone think you have a monopoly on completely incomprehensible laws in the UK, we have similarly confusing plate laws here in the US. Two years back here in Texas, they resubmitted a law to ensure it was clear that cars had to have both front and back plates; however, in the process forgot to impose a penalty. So now you can be ticketed for not having a front plate, but never pay a fine.

I can live with that. I still don't have a front plate on my car. (I still haven't purchased my M3W, but give me time.).

The Texas Legislature only meets every two years. This year they were supposed to correct that, but one house submitted a bill to completely abolish front plates and the other house didn't pass it, so it will ride for another two years.

Sounds crazy Craig.