Rear registration plates of two or three-wheel motor vehicles

This Directive lays down technical prescriptions applying to the space for the rear registration plate on two or three-wheel motor vehicles.

ACT

Directive 2009/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 relating to the space for mounting the rear registration plate of two or three-wheel motor vehicles (Codified version) (Text with EEA relevance).

SUMMARY

This Directive defines the rules relating to the space for mounting the rear registration plate on all types of vehicle in Category L.

Types of vehicle concerned

• mopeds: two-wheel vehicles (L1e) or three-wheel vehicles (L2e) with a speed not exceeding 45 km/h;
• motorcycles: two-wheel vehicles without sidecars (L3e) or with sidecars (L4e), with engines having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3, for internal combustion engines, and/or the maximum design speed of which exceeds 45 km/h;
• motor tricycles: vehicles with three symmetrical wheels (L5e), with an engine cylinder capacity exceeding 50 cm3, for internal combustion engines, and/or the maximum design speed of which exceeds 45 km/h;
• light quadricycles: vehicles in Category L6e with an unladen mass of 350 kg or less and the maximum design speed of which is 45 km/h or less;
• heavy quadricycles: vehicles in Category L7e with an unladen mass of 400 kg or less for passenger transport and less than 550 kg for utility vehicles, the net maximum engine power of which does not exceed 15 kW.

Required features for the rear registration plate

The space for the rear registration plate must be at the rear of the vehicle between the longitudinal planes passing through the outer extremities of the vehicle.

The rear registration plate must be at right angles to the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

This Directive sets maximum and minimum heights relating to the space for mounting the rear registration plate. Geometric visibility of the plate must be ensured.

Procedure for the granting of EC type-approval

The manufacturer of the vehicle makes an application for EC type-approval to the type-approval authority of the Member State, using an information document.

The certificate of conformity is issued by the competent authority which has a period of one month to inform the competent authorities of Member States.

In the event of non-compliance with the requirements of this Directive, Member States may refuse EC type-approval for reasons relating to the rear registration plate.

Context

This Directive repeals Directive 93/94/EEC.

Last updated: 10.08.2010