DVLA-registered supplier Made to BS AU 145e Same-day dispatch before 2pm

Carbon Number Plates

Carbon-fibre-effect lettering for builds that live on the show circuit. From printed carbon to 4D carbon gel - pressed on the same lines as our road plates, styled for the paddock.

  • Three carbon builds available
  • Off-road layouts the street can't have
  • Live preview of your registration
Ordering update: Carbon show plates are currently unavailable to order through our online builder. For a similar depth on the road, our 4D and 3D gel ranges are fully legal and available as normal. See 4D plates
Straight answer on legality: carbon-effect plates are show plates. BS AU 145e requires characters in a single solid shade of black, so a patterned or textured carbon face cannot be road legal - whatever anyone else's listing says. Ours are sold honestly for display, shows, and off-road use.

Made for the show scene

Show cars & meets

Match the plate to the splitter - carbon lettering ties a styled front end together.

Track & drift days

Run carbon on the circuit, refit your legal plates for the drive home.

Content & photography

A carbon plate photographs beautifully and keeps your real reg off camera.

The legal way to get the look

If you love the depth of carbon but need to drive on it, go for solid black raised lettering instead - the profile and shadow do the work without breaking the standard.

Road-legal alternatives: 4D laser-cut plates give you sharp raised black letters, and 3D gel gives you glossy domed ones - both fully compliant with BS AU 145e. Explore 4D plates or see the gel range.

Carbon plate questions, answered

Are carbon number plates road legal?

No. The current British Standard, BS AU 145e, requires plate characters to be a single solid shade of black. A carbon-fibre pattern within the lettering fails that requirement, so carbon plates are supplied strictly for show, display, and off-road use.

Can I get a carbon look that is legal for the road?

The closest legal equivalents are 4D laser-cut plates and 3D gel plates - raised solid black lettering that creates real depth and shadow while staying fully compliant with BS AU 145e.

Is the plate made of real carbon fibre?

The carbon appearance is a high-definition woven-effect finish applied to the characters, on the same acrylic plate construction as the rest of our range. It gives the motorsport look without the cost or fragility of genuine carbon weave.

What is the difference between carbon, carbon gel, and 4D carbon gel?

Carbon is the printed carbon-effect face. Carbon gel adds a domed gel lens over those characters for gloss and depth. 4D carbon gel builds the characters from laser-cut acrylic first, then adds the carbon face and gel dome - the most dimensional plate we make.

PLEASE NOTE:  We ONLY sell Legal number plates with Documents Required, the below article is for informational purposes only.

Carbon fibre number plates are legal number plates that have a carbon like appearance to the characters and numbers on the reg, the carbon font design gives an almost 3D look however the letters and number are flat to the plate.
These must-have number plates in the UK are quickly becoming extremely popular and make for a great way of customising the look of your number plates while still keeping them within the legal limits of number plate design. These carbon number plates that can be custom designed on our site and delivered the very next day if ordered before 2 pm.
Although carbon number plates can legally be used by drivers to display their registrations, these plates must comply with all UK legislation on number plates, as described on the DVLA website.

Why Choose Carbon Number Plates?

If you’re on the hunt for your car’s new number plates, you’ll realise that the government has stringent laws regulating them. From the size and form of the alphanumeric characters shown on them to the colour of the plates themselves, these strict laws must be followed.
Breaking these rules could result in a failed MOT test or a fine of up to £1,000 if enforced by officials.
Given these rules and regulations, you can be shocked that there are still legal ways to make your plate stand out from those seen by other cars on the road.

How To Buy Legal Carbon Number Plates?

One way to acquire this registration status is to opt for carbon number plates. You can find a carbon number plate option as part of our online number plate builder. These premium style number plates are perfect if you want to lift your profile on the road or add a little flair to your registration.
Carbon number plates can be the ideal way to improve your private number plate. If you’ve gone to the trouble to pick up a custom plate that’s personal to you, why don’t you go the extra mile to display it in the best available format?

Carbon Font Number Plates And The Law

There is no question that carbon-style registrations can be a fashionable way to show the reg of your vehicle, but are carbon number plates legal? The good news is that although they must comply with the rules laid down in the Motor Car Act, carbon plates are fully legal on UK roads.
The several rules require that your registration is shown in black characters on a white plate at the front of the vehicle and on a yellow plate at the back and that the characters shown are of equal height to each other. However, on the characters, no context patterns like a honeycomb can be used.

Are Carbon Font Number Plates Legal?

This sought-after registration style is carefully designed to the highest specification to meet BSAU British safety requirements.
This form of plate is 100 % legal in so far as it complies entirely with the registration rules, including the use of the Charles Wright font on all UK plates.
It is also possible to legally show carbon looking letters and numbers without a gel resin rise. Using a two-tone effect, the characters may have a 3D look without using a more expensive domed gel resin effect. This option is worth exploring when the cost of gel plates is out of your price range.

Are Carbon Number Plates Legal?

are carbon number plates legal
Although a common choice of premium plate formats in the UK, it is important that you buy them from a reputable number plate company like ours to ensure that they are suitable for use on UK roads.
Carbon number plates used on your car must be displayed in black characters and in the Charles Wright font to be lawful. Those that display any other colour, font or background pattern are not legal.

Buy Carbon Number Plates Online UK

Buy 3d carbon number plates online UK
If you buy your carbon number plates with us here, you will prevent any needless concern as to whether you are breaching the UK laws.
Our superb customer service and online number plate designer will ensure that the Carbon number plates that you purchase from us – comply with the laws so that you do not need to worry about failing your MOT test or being stopped by the authorities.

Want the depth without the wait?

Road-legal 4D and 3D gel plates deliver raised, shadowed lettering - available to order online now.

See 4D Plates