As electric vehicles (EVs) grow in popularity, one way they stand out on UK roads is with green number plates. Here's what they are, who can have them and why drivers choose them.
What are green number plates?
Green number plates are an optional identifier for zero emission vehicles in the UK. They were announced by the government in June 2020 and have been allowed on UK roads since 8 December 2020. Instead of being fully green, they have a green flash on the left-hand side of the plate, before the registration. The rest of the plate stays the same: white at the front, yellow at the rear, with black characters.
The idea is to make zero emission vehicles easy to spot, raise awareness of cleaner cars and make it easier for councils to offer EV perks.
Who can use electric car number plates?
Only zero emission vehicles can display the green flash. That means fully electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars, which produce no exhaust emissions when driven. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids don't qualify, because they still have a petrol or diesel engine.
If your car is zero emission, it doesn't matter how old it is: green plates can be fitted to new and existing electric cars.
Benefits of green number plates
Visibility and recognition
The green flash makes it clear at a glance that a car is fully electric. That helps raise awareness of zero emission vehicles and makes them easy to identify.
Local perks
One reason the government introduced green plates was to make it easier for councils to offer perks to zero emission cars, such as cheaper parking or access to zero emission zones. What's on offer depends on where you live, so check with your local council.
Green number plates: mandatory or optional?
Green number plates are optional. Some dealers fit them to new electric cars, but you don't have to have them, and you can keep standard plates if you prefer. If you'd like them later, you can simply replace your plates with a green flash set.
Get your EV number plates from THZ Custom Workshop
You can have any of our road legal styles as an EV plate, including 4D, 3D gel, 4D gel and 2D printed. Just pick your style in our plate builder and choose EV badge on the Flag step. Our EV badge is a raised, domed gel badge, not a flat print, so it matches the finish of 3D and 4D lettering.
See all the options on our EV number plates page. Every road legal plate we make meets BS AU 145e and is MOT compliant.