Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Germany: no more licence plate at the front

Ohhhh, I never thought about that

It was my first thought after I got two speed tickets last week with my Range Rover ;-( Many greetings from Germany.... Waldemar.

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You don't need front plates in the United States either because it is classified as a motorcycle here.

It is official: no more Licenseplate in front of the Threewheeler in Germany

Heute bekam ich die Bestätigung des für mich zuständigen Landratamtes (KFZ-Zulassungsstelle):

Zitat:

Sehr geehrte Herr ****,

es ist richtig, dass L5e-Fahrzeuge seit dem 01.01.2016 gem. der EU-Verordnung vorne von der Kennzeichnungspflicht ausgenommen sind.

Sie können daher bei uns mit der Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I und dem vorderen Kennzeichen vorsprechen und dieses dann zur Entwertung vorlegen.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Zitatende

Have been investigating this given that most UK registered M3W's I've seen do have a front number plate. Although not an official source this site suggests you do legally need one, although the reference to kit cars suggest it was written before the M3W appeared on the scene. I quote:

Recent legislation will only allow the sale of 'legal' number plates. It will not be possible to purchase undersized plates in future. Small plates on bikes are illegal. Some owners of modern kit three-wheelers have dispensed with the front plate (as motorcycle combinations do not need one). The legality of this is suspect, as on nearly all “car type” tricycles a front number plate is required by law.

The official V796 document tends to support this with:

There are separate provisions for motorcycles and tricycles. Basically motorcycles registered after 1.9.2001 must only display a number plate at the rear of the vehicle. Motorcycles registered before 1.9.2001 can display a number plate at the front but are not required to. Tricycles derived from four wheeled bodies i.e. saloon cars must meet the normal requirements above whereas tricycles derived from motorcycles must meet the requirements for motorcycles.

Whilst there is still room for speculation I think the odds are well stacked in favour of it being a legal requirement despite some having got away with it (so far) and even having had their cars pass the MOT test.

Plod haven't bothered on numerous occasions and neither did the MOT man.

So its sans plate until further notice.

Comes up from time to time. The Road Traffic Act 2001/561 and the DVLA V796 along with a pocket dictionary to define ‘saloon vehicle’ seems to be required. Then decide for yourself. Ive never had one fitted. In fact, on a run with the Morgan club more than 50% had no front plate.

https://youtu.be/zdLNr_iV4J8

I'd not use that source for anything, as it is very wrong. The trike is not in group B1, no trike is as it has the wrong number of wheels. It's got the driver ages wrong, it's got the fact that motorcycle full licence does cover a Reliant Robin wrong and at that point, I stopped reading.

I think you do legally need a front number-plate in the UK but the chance of either being booked for it, or failing a MOT as a result is vanishingly small.

Thanks for the heads up Martyn.

Love your avatar BTW