Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 front number plate

HI, I have an MOT coming up shortly. Last year the tester said I should have a front number plate fitted. What is the best way to fit it to the vehicle? Thanking you in advance.

I assume you are in the UK? If so take a copy of this from this DVLA information. https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/rules-number-plates You will see that if your Tricycle is registered after September 2001 it must only display a number plate at the rear. You are breaking the law with a front number plate displayed.

My car came with a front plate holder for a UK type plate....

I thought the MOT class 4 category due to the M3W's weight meant front number plate was mandatory. Old thread on the issue here. In any case you are certainly not breaking any UK law by displaying one.

The issue arises due to a discrepancy between the DVLA MOT inspection manual, the DVLA number plate rules and the EU document L25/86 Annex XIV "Requirements applying to the registration plate space" General requirements 1.3.1

The EU document should be the overriding authority and 1.3.1 says "Front registration plates are deemed unsuitable for vehicles of categories L1e, L2e, L3e L4e and L5e which shall therefore not be equipped with such spaces! So as an L5e vehicle the M3W doesn't need a front plate and, indeed the Super3 does not have space for one.

The DVLA number plate rules basically say the M3w?Super Three "must not have a front plate"

However the DVLA MOT inspection manual has a 450kg weight limit above which a vehicles should have a plate so this is why some MOT testers will fail you for no plate. The legislation behind this has raised the limit a couple of years ago to 1,000kg so the M£W/S3 are now exempt however this change (as of mid last year) had not been updated in the manual as issued.

So, clear as mud and you can take your choice on how you interpret the need for a plate. I would suggest to call the test station and ask what their position is and if they want a front plate the put one on for the test or go somewhere else. For info, I've had an M3W since 2013 and have never run with a front plate other than putting on on for a few MOTs.

The M3W needs to be tested at a MOT station with both Class 3 and 4.

The M3W V5 says "Tricycle" so you would think that things that refer to Tricycles in the DVLA rules would maybe apply to Tricycles.....but we are talking about a government organisation here.

My MOT tester has no problems with the lack of a front plate but he does insist that I stick a "legal" size rear plate on with double side tape for the test as my rear plate is slightly smaller than standard, to fit the housing without overlapping but that is another story.

The key thing for the regulations is the V5 item J where the vehicle category is L5 - which it is by dint of having a Three Wheel wheelplan(D4) and a Tricycle body type (item d5)!

I've also just noticed on the V5 item P2 says max net power is 50Kw (about 67bhp) !