Trade licence plates
Rules for using your trade plates
You can only use trade plates on vehicles that:
- are safe to drive (‘roadworthy’)
- are insured
- have a valid MOT, or are exempt from needing an MOT
You can only use the plates for the purpose you write on your application form. For example, if you say they’ll be used for customers to test drive vehicles for sale, they cannot be used for other purposes.
A full list of things you can use the plates for is included in the ‘guidance notes’ section of the application form for a licence.
How to display your trade plates
When you display trade plates, you must:
- put them on both the front and back of the vehicle, or just the back for motorcycles
- make them visible and easily readable from a distance of 20 metres
- put them on the outside of the vehicle
- not cover the existing number plates, unless it’s a motorcycle