Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Numberplate colours

My understanding is that if it was legal when the car was first registered, then it is now.

There was a topic about this in 2015: Silver/black plates cause confusion!.

The cutoff used to be 1973, which is when the requirement for reflective plates was introduced for new cars, but since the "Historic" class was introduced black & silver plates have been legal on cars that are over 40 years old.

If you do a Google search you will get conflicting information and references to the 1975 date. I think the main cause of confusion is this DVLA page: What’s the story with black and silver number plates?, which mentions 1975, but that is a blog entry written in November 2015 and hasn't been changed since.

The DVLA's publication INF04 contains the updated detail. The latest version says:

Since April 2018 vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1978 can display the older style plates.
You must:
• have applied to DVLA
• be registered within the ‘historic vehicles’ tax class.
Vehicles constructed 40 or more years ago are exempt
from tax. The 40 year exemption date rolls forward
automatically each year on 1 April.

So if your Morgan is tax and MOT exempt you can also legally fit it with old style plates.

Some interesting thoughts, a very good point on the reflective nature of modern plates.. I have seen reflective black/silver plates which I guess would help although still as bright as yellow.

I must admit regarding number plate spacing I have never been a fan of badly spaced plates, not helped I imagine being ex constabulary - although if in a legal font it was not something I actively pursued at that time.

As the date is now rolling I wonder if in 20/30 years it will be fashionable to change to the older style plates, if of course we are still driving at all!

Why do we even need number plates!

A 'chip' in every car could be 'read' as required by tools/police/sensors... it sure will only be a matter of time.

I often think it's amazing how much bodywork 'design' has to take place, just to incorporate a bloody numberplate!

Totally agree and not just the low profile John. If you follow a trad at night, the rear lights are very small so easy to miss against a background of other traffic, with modern tail light arrays.

We came across a 4/4 on the M42 on a wet and dark winter morning a couple of years ago. It had black & silver plates and it was a dark colour, and totally lost in the traffic.

Well, it will be a rolling 40 year until the opposition get in and cancel the rolling part, just as they did with the 25 year rolling limit all those years ago, which left us at 1973 for 15 years...

Outrageous! Who in their right mind drives a Morgan on a Motorway?

Well, when it comes to getting the the Highlands relatively quickly - me!

It doesn't matter about the date, if the plate is obscured to the extent that it cannot be read by the cameras or a following police car you are likely to get a £100 fine for Number plate obscured this includes dirty plates.