Will you be driving abroad this summer? If so, the ‘GB’ sticker you might have fitted to your car must be swapped for a ‘UK’ one.
Since Brexit, government guidance states that any British car driving in Europe must have a UK identifier. Yet a recent survey by ferry operator DFDS found that 40 percent of British motorists would incorrectly affix a GB sticker to their car instead – risking up to €120 in fines.
If your car has number plates with a Union Jack flag and ‘UK’ text on the left-hand side, however, you do not require a UK sticker as well.
The rest of British
It’s worth noting that only the Union Jack flag is permitted, though. A UK sticker is still mandatory if your number plates display the national flag of England, Scotland or Wales. The EU ‘stars’ symbol is no longer permitted on newly manufactured UK registration plates.
Cars with plates that display numbers and letters only – i.e. there is no flag or country identifier – must display a UK sticker, too.
The government adds that if you’re driving in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must have a UK sticker on show, no matter what is on your number plate. But a UK sticker is not required to drive in Ireland.
Electric and classic number plates
In December 2020, the government introduced green number plates for electric cars. These non-mandatory plates are available to new and existing vehicles, and feature a green flash on the left-hand side. This can include a flag and ‘UK’ identifier, just like regular plates.
From 1 January 2021, changes were also made to eligibility for black and silver number plates. Only classic vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1980 are now eligible to display these – and they must be licensed in the historic tax class.
Land Rover Owner International called this ‘a blow to owners of military vehicles which were approaching 40 years of age’. It referenced Land Rover models that would have displayed black and silver plates showing their military equipment registration mark (ERM) during service.
