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Motorists could be slapped with a hefty four-figure fine for breaking a simple DVLA number plate rule, according to leading experts. Motoring specialists at Carwow have stressed road users obtaining a personalised number plate could be caught out.

They explained drivers must make sure road users register and display their personalised designs properly at all times. Road users may not be aware that there are several small rules around how plates are presented on vehicles, with financial penalties in place for those who do not comply.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Siobhan Doyle, consumer writer at Carwow, said: "Drivers must ensure a private plate is officially assigned by the DVLA before it's displayed, that it doesn't make the vehicle appear newer than it is, and that the car is correctly taxed, insured and MOT'd.

"Once assigned, the new number must be fitted before the vehicle is driven, insurers must be informed, and any automatic road-use charges updated. Misrepresenting characters, altering spacing or using fixings to change the appearance of letters and numbers is illegal, no matter how common it looks on the road. What might seem like a cosmetic tweak can quickly become a costly mistake."

Demand for number plates is higher in March as the new DVLA number plates launched at the start of the month. Drivers can now buy a personalised '26' series registration plate, but road users cannot stick this on any vehicle. Strict rules mean that 26' plates can only be displayed on brand new vehicles first registered on or after 1st March 2026.

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Motoring experts at GRIDSERVE added: "If you buy a personalised registration, the age identifier still can't make an older EV appear younger. A "26" plate must go on a car first registered on or after 1 March 2026."

Personalised number plates are hugely popular and are continually growing in demand, with sales doubling over the past 10 years. More than 1.2 million private number plates were sold in 2024, up from about 500,000 designs back in 2014, according to previous data from the DVLA.

Plates purchased directly from the DVLA can start from £250. But prices are usually a lot higher for many sought-after or unique designs.