While motorcycles are much smaller than cars, they are still motor vehicles and they still need a number plate. In this guide, we’ll be examining Irish plates.
Motor vehicles are taken seriously by the authorities, and it makes sense when you consider that one of them can cause great bodily harm and that involves some liability. Of course, you can also cause property damage with a motor vehicle, and motorcycles are no exception to this, even though they have a much smaller potential for disaster than cars.
While number plates for cars are a little more uniform, you’ll find that motorcycle plates in Ireland have a few distinct layouts that you can choose from. Due to the vastly different shapes and sizes that motorcycles come in, you’ll find that a bit of variety in the possible layouts of plates is highly necessary.
Over the course of this guide, we’re going to cover the things that you need to know about Irish motorcycle plates. Namely, we’re going to look at the required layout and how much freedom you have when it comes to the design of your plate. First off, you may be wondering why this is important to know.
Knowing the required format for Irish motorcycle plates is vital because it will make it easier to purchase replacement plates. When shopping around for the right license plate, you’re going to want to be sure that it abides by regulations so that you don’t end up buying something illegal.
Looking around for the right motorcycle plate is a great way to save money because some makers will sell them for less, but if you get an illegal plate, you’ll likely end up fined and paying far more. As you can see, knowing the correct plate layout is integral, especially if you’re a motorcyclist.
Required Irish Licence Plate Format for Motorcycles
Irish motorcycle number plates follow the requirements which are outlined by the European Union thanks to the country’s membership in the EU. Since Revenue does not supply you with plates, you will have to source them from somewhere that abides by the following regulations.
Size
The first thing you’re going to have to account for is the size of your number plate, and there are two accepted formats for Irish plates. The first size is rectangular at 170 x 110 mm and the second one is also rectangular, featuring dimensions of 260 x 55 mm. Square plates will have the number across two lines while rectangular ones will have it on a single line.
Layout
The layout of the plate is similar to that of other nations in the EU, with the symbol of the union in a blue field on the far left of the plate. Your county of residence and registration must be named at the very top of the plate, and the number needs to follow the standard format of black characters on a reflective background, which is white.
Conclusion
When you buy a registration plate for your motorcycle, ensure that it follows the proper layout so that you don’t have to waste money on fines or road legality tests. We hope that this guide has made your plate purchase much simpler.
The first size is square at 170 x 110 mm. Square!!!!
Its a rectangle. A square needs to have all 4 sides to be of equal length!!!!