Number Plates and Licences post-Brexit

The reality is here – we’re post BREXIT in a strange Covid world that no one could’ve foreseen. Whilst travel is limited at the moment, soon we will be free to explore and go on holiday! So if you’re planning the road trip of a lifetime with your classic car or supercar, what’s changed with number plates and licences post BREXIT?

New licenses revealed

Firstly, our driving licences are changing from January 21, the notable difference is the Union Flag. This is replacing the EU flag.

While existing licences and number plates will still be valid, the new versions will be issued to everyone renewing a licence or getting one for the first time.

Agreements with EU member states mean UK drivers who hold a photocard licence will not need an international driving permit to drive in any of the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein. UK drivers won’t need to display a GB sticker in most EU countries if their number plate has GB or GB with a Union Flag on it.

What do you need for your number plate when travelling in the EU?

You do not need a GB sticker if your number plate includes the GB identifier on its own or with the Union flag. But you will need to display a GB sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

• 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 GB sticker no matter what is on your number plate.

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

• Union Flag
• 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:

• GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
• UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
• 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.

Quite straight forward it would seem? So if you’re planning a road trip to the continent this summer, drive safe, we’ll see you over there!