Rear registration plates on motor vehicles

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) No 1003/2010 — type-approval requirements for the space for mounting and the fixing of rear registration plates on motor vehicles and their trailers

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It sets out rules with regard to the space for mounting and the fixing of rear registration plates on motor vehicles and their trailers.
The aim is to adapt current requirements to developments in scientific and technical knowledge.
Regulation (EU) 2015/166 amends the regulation’s Annex II concerning the requirements for the space for mounting and fixing or rear registration plates and related test procedures.

KEY POINTS

The regulation lays down rules for the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers concerning the space for mounting and the fixing of rear registration plates. It forms part of the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 on type-approval for motor vehicles and trailers.

Requirements for the space for mounting and the fixing of rear registration plates

The space for a rear registration plate must include a flat or virtually flat rectangular surface which must be either:

520 millimetres wide and 120 millimetres high; or
340 millimetres wide and 240 millimetres high.

Amending Regulation (EU) 2015/166 clarifies the requirements concerning the fixing of a rear registration plate:

the plate must be at right angles (+/- 5°) to the longitudinal plane of the vehicle;
the lower edge of the platemust not be less than 0.30 m from the ground;
the plate must be visible in the whole space;
the specific rules on the plate’s visibility depend on the height of the upper edge of the plate — whether it is more than or not more than 1.20 m from the ground.

The regulation also establishes test procedures to check for compliance.

Rules for EU type-approval

The vehicle manufacturer must submit an application for EU type-approval to the competent authority. This application must include:

the make and type of the vehicle;
the range of dimensions for the space for mounting rear registration plates;
the height of the edges from the road surface.

If the competent authority considers that the vehicle satisfies all of the requirements concerning the space for mounting and the fixing of the rear registration plate, it must grant EU type-approval and issue a type-approval number in accordance with Directive 2007/46/EC.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 29 November 2010.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Directives and regulations on motor vehicles, their trailers, systems and components (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1003/2010 of 8 November 2010 concerning type-approval requirements for the space for mounting and the fixing of rear registration plates on motor vehicles and their trailers and implementing Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning type-approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles, their trailers and systems, components and separate technical units intended therefor (OJ L 291, 9.11.2010, pp. 22-30)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1003/2010 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.