Statutory guidance

L plate sizes

Published 23 July 2014

1. When to display L plates

Any vehicle driven by a learner must display red L plates. In Wales you can use either red D plates, red L plates, or both.

The L plates must be clearly visible to others from:

  • in front of the vehicle
  • behind the vehicle

You should remove or cover L plates when the vehicle isn’t being driven by a learner, unless it’s a driving school car.

2. Size of L plates

By law, the L plates must be:

  • a red letter on a white background
  • the size shown in the diagram
L plate dimensions

L plate dimensions

The corners of the background can be rounded off.

Find out more about the rules about driving before you’ve got your full licence.