Trade plates – have you been caught out and fined?

[Guest]

Can you help? I've been contacted by a dealer who says he has been fined – and was caught twice in one day – for having trade plates in his front and rear windows. It seems the law has changed, and trade plates now need to be stuck over normal registration plates – although he says there's nothing decent on the market to actually do that.

So... has anyone else been caught? The fine's £80 a time, so it's not inconsiderable.

I'm in touch with the DVLA, too, to ask advice, and I'll post updates here and, of course, do something in the next edition of Car Dealer magazine.

Thanks.

You can reply here, or contact me privately  by email – colin@blackballmedia.co.uk

[KSMOTORS 1]

Were they fined for having the trade plates in the window or fined because the number plate was visible so ANPR has done him for not having tax?

 

If it's the latter you needs to be covering the number plates nowadays with something so they can't be read!

 

Think I've heard of something similar but on appeal the fine the rescinded but person involved was told to ensure that the registration plate is not visible by means of a trade plate.

[countryman 13]

 I was caught by a mobile camera at the side of the road and received this letter:

 

 

I replied stating that the car was being driven on Trade Plates (which were on the windscreen) and received the following back:

 

 

There is a thread about this on the Twitter Car Dealers forum, for those that are members:

 

http://twittercardealers.ning.com/forum/topics/re-you-have-been-fined?id=6602840%3ATopic%3A21344&page=1#comments

 

[Wood235 36]

I have had magnetic plates for yrs and have recently been told these are illegal as they don't cover the original plates. I recently thought about this whilst registering with the Dartford tunnel payment scheme. I thought to myself, if the original plates are visible, this could trigger a fine, although going through on trade plates. I am now looking at suction ones to fit over the top.

[James Baggott 227]

Let us know if you find any solutions - we're investigating this, as Colin said, for the next issue of Car Dealer

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

I have tried to everything and to have such a valuable asset stuck on the outside is madness!!

In fact I have only ever seen them stuck on the windscreen round here

[Ken 10]

I've bought some of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301442211431?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I will report back when I have tried them out!

[CJ Underhill 34]

We've used the rubber dunlop holders for years. We've the old fashioned metal plates, not the plastic ones alot seem to have these days

 

Im mixed about them. Some cars they are good for hiding the rear plate, shutting the rubber straps in the boot. However this is only good on normal tailgates. Pickups, MPVS etc its useless.

 

As is the front plate, its meant to be shut in the bonnet... but it rarely covers the front plate.

 

Im looking at trying to find a soloution. But as somebody has said, the value of these plates.. im not willing to risk loosing one when customer rightfoot wants a blast down the A5 in a flashy motor.

 

All i i can think of is some sort of magnet...

[Autolink100 34]

I had an interesting experience with my trade plates last month. I was on the way to an MOT test in a pick up truck, the rear plate was obscured by the trade plate with the front one on top of the dash. The front plate was taped over which we had been doing since DVLA suggested it on their question and answer session earlier in the year.

 

I pulled in to a petrol station and was at the pump just about to put fuel in when an unmarked police car screeched to a halt in front of me and 2 burly plain clothes coppers jumped out and grabbed me. I found myself in handcuffs within seconds!. They had not seen the front trade plate.

 

They had seen me pull onto the forecourt with the taped up plate and thought I was attempting to steal fuel and drive off. Luckily when I pointed out that my credit card was in the pay at the pump card reader and that would perhaps not make me the best fuel thief around that the penny dropped and I was released.

 

I had a short "chat" with them regarding the use of trade plates and the upshot of this was that we should definately NOT be covering up plates with tape. They were sympathetic about how we should cover the front plate with the trade plate but did not have an answer other than don't tape over it.

 

i have not been taping them up since.

[johnhartleycars 8]

Seems to be such a grey area this. Be interesting if you can get a statement from a senior police officer for the magazine item.

[Jack Regan 116]

I just chuck one on the dash , dont bother with one at back of motor, to be honest it pisses me off, they should lapse the trade plate laws a bit for us seeing as we dont get motors with tax left on em to smoke no more , as if the job ain't hard enough at the minute.

[Wood235 36]

Hi again, I have just ordered these and will be receiving them on Monday 22nd Dec, I will report on here how good they are! Hope this solves the problem. They are suction fit and also have a strap to shut in the bonnet/tailgate just in case.  Cant seem to copy & paste but look on here, they are the ones that are £55.55+vat   directsupplyukltd.co.uk

[jamslug 91]

Hi Wood 235, I have had those already. They are a load of bollocks and they now are permanently housed in the skip.  Good Luck

[whitestone679231 113]

we have been using the suction ones from direct supply for a few months  and up to now can say they are excellent, they fully cover the plate and have not fallen off (yet) but they have the back up of a safety strap that can be trapped in boot or under bonnet, 

[Wood235 36]

Our new suction holders have just arrived, do look flimsy I must admit! 'Jamslug' comment made me chuckle lol! I am hoping once plates are attached they should stiffen up. Can anyone tell me if we still get the triangle with renewal or have they done away with that aswell as the tax disc? Cheers.

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

No more triangle

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

So that's just makes it easier for someone to copy your trade plate now

[metcars 397]

Like i've said before, its all about the number plates! The police and DVLA are completely focused on a system that is lead by the ability to check out the owner from the number plate. The idea that a vehicle, driven on trade plates could be in a grey/'trade' area is irrelevant. Its going to get worse

[GreenGiant 287]

So.

We've just paid £165 for a Trade Licence that's of no use.

AutoTrader are going to try and charge us more for bringing us less and less customers via an awful website - but there's no significant alternative... yet.

And if the punters do somehow find us, they have already been told what the Trade price is of the car they want, and that's all they're prepared to pay. And they're gonna want Retail for theirs...

Interest rates are gonna rise.

And we might end up with Mr Bean as Prime Minister.

 

Roll on 2015!

 

Maybe a New Year Predictions thread?

[It's me 615]

Never been stopped for trade plate contravention but have to say this  thread has me worried,ive tried plates on  number plates plates off plates in the blank space and plates in the windows in my time but finally arrived at front plate in the windscreen and rear plate always dangled with the rubber holder off the rear wiper,im now concerned this isnt acceptable so im going to start screwing plates on plates again against my better wishes,my plates by the way should be in a museum as i have an original set of ali ones that look like they did a stint in vietnam

[russp 10]

I have been using these for 2 years. They fit in about a minute a piece and have never fallen off.

Even if they did they are secured under the boot/bonnet.

 

http://www.directsupplyukltd.co.uk/trade-plate-holders-suction/p87

 

Obviously its not as quick as throwing one on the dashboard but it keeps within the law

[James Baggott 227]

We need a picture of those!

[Wood235 36]

Well, 3yrs on with the sucker trade plate fixers and still going strong!

Only thing is, has the law changed yet again where you have to show original plates aswell as trade plates??

We never know where we stand!!

Gary.

[grant8064 219]

I use the metal clip ones that fix to your tradies with a plastic wind on nut and bolt and clip over the original plates using the metal clips which are sprung.

They are about £12 on ebay.

Don't be suspicious and assume because they are cheap they will be cr*p...they're really quite decent and have lasted six months of daily use.

Rear plate can be a faff because some cars have barely any gap above the plate or a moulded bumper around the plate but overall i'm very happy with them.

Never had an issue...my partner though religiously just chucks one on the dash and tbf he has never had an issue either.

[pIrOirzy 0]

They are suction fit and also have a strap to shut in the bonnet/tailgate just in case. 

 

 

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Edited June 21, 2017 by pIrOirzy