Sorry we are out of stock of black and silver and vintage plates at the moment.

Black and silver number plates

With motorcycle number plates, the legalities of all the different styles of plates confuse lots of people. It can be hard to understand what is ‘legal’ and what isn’t, especially when they are all so similar anyway!

 

One style of plates in particular that seem to spark confusion, are the black and silver number plates. Which some motorcycles might display on the rear. Most of the questions which arise regarding these seem to be. ‘What are these for?’ ‘Can anyone have them?’, ‘why are they different?’, ‘what’s the difference?’.

Don’t worry. If you are one of these people who are wondering what they are, or just want to get a clear understanding of the plate laws, you’re in the right place!

Black and silver number plates law UK

The DVLA has allowed for ‘historic vehicles’ alone to use this style of plates. But what do we mean by ‘historic’? Well. The official release from the DVLA has stated that any bike registered before 1 January 1980 can display the black and silver number plates.

If you’re lucky enough to own one of these historic bikes, then you are able to have the plates – these are black plates with either grey, white or silver lettering on them. If you see a modern bike with one of these plates on however, it is most likely illegal. The rider is taking a huge risk and the police will stop and question them!

Why are there silver and black number plates?

The plates themselves are used by the Government, Police and DVLA to recognise a vehicle which is ‘historic’. This helps with checking tax, MOT and other such details. It also is a kind of ‘status’ feature allowing those with an older vehicle to display their age (and sometimes value!).

Is there a difference between vintage car and vintage motorcycle plates?

The simple, short answer is – no! The only difference between them is the size of the actual plate. The basic laws are the same for whatever vehicle it may be, so long as it is ‘historic’ i.e. manufactured on or before 1980, then it is able to have the vintage plate on it. Regardless what vehicle is!

Are black and silver number plates legal ?

The simple answer is yes. So long as the motorbike itself was manufactured on or before the 1st of January 1980, as this is the current law. We can expect that in a few years the DVLA will again push the date further forward, as times are moving forward the years after 1980 will soon become more ‘historic’. There is no confirmation as to when this will be, however keep your eyes on here and the DVLA official site for more upcoming information.

---

If you’re interested in reading more about how should I remove and fit new number plates, or what is the law on black and silver car plates, then head over to our news page to find everything!