Pre 87 Number Plates

atlantean

What is the legislation on pre 87 number plates? OK, back in the day they were red on the rear, white on the front etc.

What I want to know is when you register a pre 87 car today what format does the plate have to conform to?

I know ZV can be used only on vintage cars so an 86 car will be 86 D ....
whatever.

Does it have to have the flag etc.? I know an 87 does not as it was not a requirement in 87 but it is today and it is now when I am getting the plate for the 86 if you get my drift?

junkyard

As far as I know, any pre 87 car is fair game for any type number plate. There are loads of cars around my area with red/black, black/silver and black/white plate conbinations which have been imported after 1987 and nobody has changed them.

atlantean

As far as I know black and silver plates can only go on pre 71 cars or perhaps even earlier!

1275gt

its actually pre 1991.

rules and regs are here http://www.revenue.ie/press/pr_plate.htm

(Note: These regulations do not apply to vehicles registered before 1 January 1991, or to vehicles registered in the 'ZV', 'ZZ' or trade licence series)

Esel

Aha, but does it not depend on the date of registration in Ireland?

1275gt

Ssssshhhh will ya! :rolleyes: "Really Garda, first Ive heard of it"

green-blood

well they cant have it every way, mine was imported this year and is on 86 D XXXX on silver/black with no hassle.

they use the date first reg'd in country of origine for VRT and NCT so thats the date that applies for plates, not teh date first registered in the state

print 1275s doc off and keep it in you glove box

atlantean

green-blood wrote:

well they cant have it every way, mine was imported this year and is on 86 D XXXX on silver/black with no hassle.

they use the date first reg'd in country of origine for VRT and NCT so thats the date that applies for plates, not teh date first registered in the state

print 1275s doc off and keep it in you glove box

This is the bit I am confused about! What you say makes sense but what the Revenue say could be twisted to mean the opposite

(Note: These regulations do not apply to vehicles registered before 1 January 1991, or
to vehicles registered in the 'ZV', 'ZZ' or trade licence series)

When they say registered they don't say where!

Also, what are the regulations for plates on vehicles registered here before 01.01.91?

Got a link to doc 1275s?

macplaxton

It's probably more helpful to look at the start of the 2004 NCT manual (You can get a copy as a Adobe PDF file from the Department of Transport if you search)

http://www.transport.ie/

1. Check the registration plates for security, location, legibility, visibility and correct colour.
NOTES:
(a) Owners of vehicles registered prior to 31 December, 1990, have the option of converting their registration
plates to the new format.
(b) Vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991
For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material. The flag of the European Communities, the Nationality Symbol IRL.
and the Irish language name of the City/County of registration to be shown.
Vehicles Registered on or after 1 January, 1987
(c) For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1987, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material and minimum dimensions should be as shown in the sketches on
page 4.
Vehicles Registered prior to 1 January, 1987
(d) Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front registration plates should have black numbers and letters on a white background. Rear registration
plates should have black numbers and letters on a red or white background.
(e) Non-Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front and rear registration plates should have white, silver or light grey numbers and letters on a black
background.
(f) Back Lit Registration Numbers and Letters
Where registration numbers and letters are back lit they should appear white in front and either white or red
to the rear during lighting up hours. At all other times they should appear white on a black background.
(g) Minimum dimensions for letters and numbers should be as shown in the sketch on page 4.
(h) Where the indented space provided for the number plate is not sufficient to accommodate a standard size
number plate, the registration plate and registration letters and numbers may be reduced in size relative to
the space provided for the number plate.

Sorry if the formatting is duff. I did cut 'n' paste it from the PDF.

HTH,
Rich

green-blood

yeah good info

its teh same problem thought it doesn't say where the first reg has happened. If they are consistent (hahahaha) then we are all ok, mine is up for NCt in november some time so we'll see. I thnk we are safe

atlantean

This is it! Suppose you import an 87 car. It will have an 87 plate but how will the guy at the NCT centre know if it was first registered in Ireland in 87 or 97?

green-blood

exactly - your safe man, worst case scenario it fails nct, 30 quid of plate and a free inspection and it passes.

I wouldnt worry too much.

atlantean

green-blood wrote:

30 quid of plate

Who the hell charges 30 quid for a set of plates? Bog standard legal plates at the local Motor Factors - €18 inc VAT retail!

Eric318

This is excellent info Mac. What is the exact URL of that PDF? Cant find it on that website.

Thanks

macplaxton wrote:

It's probably more helpful to look at the start of the 2004 NCT manual (You can get a copy as a Adobe PDF file from the Department of Transport if you search)

http://www.transport.ie/

1. Check the registration plates for security, location, legibility, visibility and correct colour.
NOTES:
(a) Owners of vehicles registered prior to 31 December, 1990, have the option of converting their registration
plates to the new format.
(b) Vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991
For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1991, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material. The flag of the European Communities, the Nationality Symbol IRL.
and the Irish language name of the City/County of registration to be shown.
Vehicles Registered on or after 1 January, 1987
(c) For vehicles registered on or after 1 January, 1987, letters and numbers must be black set against a white
background of reflex reflective material and minimum dimensions should be as shown in the sketches on
page 4.
Vehicles Registered prior to 1 January, 1987
(d) Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front registration plates should have black numbers and letters on a white background. Rear registration
plates should have black numbers and letters on a red or white background.
(e) Non-Reflex Reflecting Registration Plates
Front and rear registration plates should have white, silver or light grey numbers and letters on a black
background.
(f) Back Lit Registration Numbers and Letters
Where registration numbers and letters are back lit they should appear white in front and either white or red
to the rear during lighting up hours. At all other times they should appear white on a black background.
(g) Minimum dimensions for letters and numbers should be as shown in the sketch on page 4.
(h) Where the indented space provided for the number plate is not sufficient to accommodate a standard size
number plate, the registration plate and registration letters and numbers may be reduced in size relative to
the space provided for the number plate.

Sorry if the formatting is duff. I did cut 'n' paste it from the PDF.

HTH,
Rich

MercMad

This is it! Suppose you import an 87 car. It will have an 87 plate but how will the guy at the NCT centre know if it was first registered in Ireland in 87 or 97?

.........isn't it writen on the cert ?

atlantean

MercMad wrote:

.........isn't it writen on the cert ?

Don't know - is it?

Silvera

Date of importation to Ireland is on registration cert - not NCT cert (to my knowledge).

At the end of the day I don't think most NCT testers or Gardai are too concerned about pre-87 registration plates once they are readable, i.e. don't opt for any script/silly graphic plates - keep it simple - go for large digit white & red OR silver-on-black plates.

G Luxel

there are some post 87 cars like hearses and limousines carrying black and silver plates. I wonder if its possible to get the 87-90 style plates with the name and address of the dealer on the bottom of the plate. Would these be legal on an imported 87-90 car for comptempary of the time. Where can red plates be obtained? These are rarely seen nowadays. There is that rare plate style from the early eighties where the letters and numbers were outlined a number of times, usually on a black background.

Esel

G Luxel wrote:

I wonder if its possible to get the 87-90 style plates with the name and address of the dealer on the bottom of the plate. Would these be legal on an imported 87-90 car for comptempary of the time.

Why would you want that? I thought the idea was to avoid attention, not attract it. Unless you want to disguise the fact that the car is an import? If so, why?

G Luxel wrote:

Where can red plates be obtained? These are rarely seen nowadays.

Pretty sure they are available. You need white front, red rear.

G Luxel wrote:

There is that rare plate style from the early eighties where the letters and numbers were outlined a number of times, usually on a black background.

These were mainly plastic, not sure if they are still available.

atlantean

G Luxel wrote:

Where can red plates be obtained?

I saw a site in the UK that does them - can't remember where though!

Eric318

Any number plates made here:

http://www.framptons.net/

Silvera

Red Plates are available through Steve Frampton as mentioned baove www.framptons.net

I believe that EUROPLATES in Dublin also supply red plates - 01-825 1804.

G Luxel,
I too would like to obtain the 87-90 plates with the dealer name along the bottom. Europlates may also supply those.
As regards the 'silverline' plates you mention, Steve Frampton makes those.

I have seen a few vintage trucks with newly-made red rear plates, so somebody out there is definitely supplying them!

If anybody confirms an Irish supplier of RED plates, please let us know?!!

macplaxton

Eric318,

The link for the 2004 NCT Manual pdf is:

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/6480-0.pdf

or here:

http://www.ncts.ie/nctmanual.pdf

Other related documents can be found at the Departmart of Transport website:

http://www.transport.ie

(Navigate from) Home > Roads > Vehicle Standards > Vehicle Testing

HTH,
Rich