Front and Rear Plates: What You Need and Why

When you order plates you'll be asked whether you want front, rear, or both. Here's why there's a difference — and how to choose.

Why front and rear plates differ

UK plates use two background colours: white at the front and yellow at the rear. It's a long-standing convention that helps other road users instantly tell which way a vehicle is facing, day or night.

Most cars need both

A car used on public roads displays a plate at the front and the rear. So in most cases you'll order a pair — one white, one yellow — both showing the same registration.

When you might need just one

• Replacing a single damaged plate — order just the one you need.
• Motorcycles, which display a rear plate only.
• Certain show or display setups.

Ordering made simple

In the RegXperts plate builder you simply choose "front and rear", "front only" or "rear only", and we make your plates in the correct colours automatically. Order a matching pair and your car looks right from every angle.