Isle of Man plates

Any illegalities with them in England? Is there a need to register the bike in England before a certain amount of time?

Any other info?

[Red Herring]

I might have to dig the books out on that one but I'm fairly sure you've got 12 months before you either need to take it back to the IOM, or register it with DVLA. Be careful around the residency rules as well. If you're a student on the mainland, or just visiting then you get away with going back and forth every 12 months to reset the clock, once you take up residency it's 12 months from then even if you pop back to visit the folks occasionally .......I think.

Or just cheat like I have, and have a plate with the UK registration mark but the IoM three legged symbol national flag on a red background where the GB badge usually goes, and 'Isle Of Man' in celtic script across the top of the plate.

Like this:



It's confused a few coppers so far who haven't bothered to check me out because dealing with a foreigner involves too much paperwork, and that would shorten their donut scoffing time

[Red Herring]

£60 - ker ching!

For what exactly?

Answer this very carefully because I have gone right over the law books and know of only one thing I can be had up for.

EDIT - two things, one of which isn't obvious from the photo

[Red Herring]

The numbers are all smudged?

[Red Herring]

Oh alright, no BS marking/kite mark and no manufactures details.




Plus you can't have the inscription at the top.

BS kitemark is stamped into the plate but not visible on the photo, the manufacturer only has to have their postcode visible, details of who they are aren't needed. The inscription should be at the bottom, as you say.

One copper who I have spoken to said he'd have pulled me for the IoM badge, until I pulled him over to the PC at work, googled for an official site and showed him where it says any national symbol or flag can be displayed - it doesn't have to be the country the bike was registered in.

When I go to Malta I'll be taking a printed up plate backing and perspex with me so I can have a local firm stick a Maltese flag in and press it up, and another one from Monaco cos they have a really cool national symbol. I'll use plates obtained from work legally after going through all the ID procedures.

[Red Herring]

I think there are some rules around the size of the nation ID symbol though.....

Oh, and is the postcode on there then?

Originally Posted by Red Herring

I think there are some rules around the size of the nation ID symbol though.....

There are, and mine just falls within them

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Oh, and is the postcode on there then?

That was the second thing. The other was the inscription being at the top.

Like I said, I haven't had any bother, but that's probably because I won't go anywhere near the Police State of North Wales. Every other force I've encountered aren't bothered by such trivialities, and as long as I keep the bike in good safe condition and ride in a manner that doesn't attract their annoyance, then I'm ok.