Your trailer must display the same number plate as the vehicle you’re towing it with. If you’re towing more than one trailer, the number plate must be fixed to the trailer at the back.

Taking commercial or heavy trailers abroad

If your trailer needs to be registered to go abroad, you need to fix the trailer registration plate to the back, as well as the towing vehicle’s number plate.

Fix the trailer registration plate as far away as possible from the towing vehicle’s number plate.

If you cannot fix the trailer registration plate on the back of your trailer, fix it to both sides instead. Make sure they’re clearly visible.

Letter spacing, size and style

The characters on a number plate need to be a certain height and size.

Read leaflet INF104: vehicle registration numbers and number plates - height and size measurement, for more information.

If you have a trailer, read leaflet INF291: trailer registration numbers and number plates.

You can only get a number plate made up from a registered number plate supplier.

The supplier will need to see original documents that:

• prove your name and address
• show you’re allowed to use the registration number

Identity documents

You can use the following to confirm your name and address:

• driving licence
• utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the last 6 months
• bank or building society statement from the last 6 months
• national identity card

The following will confirm your name only:

• passport - does not have to be issued in the UK
• bank or building society debit or credit card
• police warrant card
• armed forces identity card

Proving you can use the registration number

You must bring one of the following to show you’re allowed to display the registration number:

• vehicle registration certificate (V5C or V5CNI)
• green ‘new keeper’ slip from the V5C or V5CNI
• certificate of entitlement (V750 or V750NI) to the number
• retention document (V778)
• a renewal reminder for vehicle tax or SORN (V11 or V11NI)
• temporary registration certificate (V379 or V379NI)
• a number plate authorisation certificate (V948) with an official stamp from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• an electronic number plate authorisation certificate (eV948 or eV948/2)
• a letter of authorisation from a fleet operator (including lease or hire company) quoting the document reference number from the registration certificate
• if your fleet is in the new V5C on demand scheme (also called ‘V5C suppression’), a PDF of the vehicle’s details from the view vehicle record service
• UK trailer registration certificate (VTRC)

You can display one of the following flags with identifying letters on the left-hand side of the number plate:

• Union flag (also known as the Union Jack)
• Cross of St George
• Cross of St Andrew - also known as the Saltire
• Red Dragon of Wales

The letters, or national identifiers, you can have are:

• UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
• GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
• CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
• ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
• SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
• WALES or Wales

The flag must be above the identifier. You cannot have the flag or letters on the number plate margin, and neither can be more than 50 millimetres wide.

Driving outside the UK

If your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), you do not need a UK sticker.

However, you will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• a GB identifier with the Union flag
• a Euro symbol
• a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
• numbers and letters only - no flag or identifier

If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

If you have a GB sticker, cover or remove it before driving outside the UK.