Vehicle Registration Plates Act 2026

To establish a uniform, accessible and privacy-respecting system for the design, issue, manufacture, replacement and lawful use of vehicle registration plates in Links Land; to support road safety and reliable vehicle identification; and to work in conjunction with the Road Safety and Traffic Management Act 2025, the Public Administration Efficiency Act 2025, the Civic Rights and Responsibilities Act 2025, the Digital Liberty and Algorithmic Rights Act 2025, the Environmental Protection Act 2025 and the Criminal Proceedings Act 2025.

Section 1A - Application

(a) This Act applies to vehicles registered for use on public roads in Links Land after the commencement date, subject to the exemptions in this Article.

(b) A plate lawfully issued under a former Monarch remains valid while the vehicle remains registered, unless it is lost, stolen, damaged, illegible or otherwise invalid under this Act.

Section 1B - Definitions

(a) 'keeper' means the person recorded by the Ministry as responsible for a registered vehicle.

(b) 'Ministry' means the Ministry of Transport or the public authority designated by law to perform its functions.

(c) 'public road' means a road or place to which the public has lawful access for vehicular travel.

Section 1C - Exempt Vehicles

(a) A vehicle registered before the commencement date is exempt unless its keeper voluntarily applies for a plate under this Act.

(b) A vehicle kept entirely off public roads, a vehicle operating under a temporary trade permit, and an accredited diplomatic vehicle are exempt to the extent provided by law.

Section 2A - Required Markings

(a) Each plate must display a band bearing the national flag and the letters 'LL', a registration mark consisting of two numerals and three letters, the cypher of the reigning Monarch immediately before the year of issue in gold, and the year of issue.

(b) The front and rear plate faces must be white and must be legible, unobstructed and capable of remaining readable in ordinary road conditions.

Section 2B - Published Specimen

(a) The Ministry must publish a specimen setting out dimensions, character size, contrast, retroreflective performance, accessibility requirements and environmental specifications.

(b) The Ministry must consult publicly before adopting or materially changing the specimen and must publish the final standard and reasons for material changes.

Section 2C - Open Manufacture

(a) The Ministry must permit any supplier meeting the published standard to compete to manufacture plates under a lawful and transparent procurement process.

(b) No supplier has an exclusive right to manufacture plates merely because it is owned by or associated with the Crown.

Section 3A - Issuing Authority

(a) The Ministry is responsible for issuing, recording and cancelling plates and registration marks.

(b) The Ministry must publish service standards for ordinary issue, replacement and accessible assistance.

Section 3B - Accessible Information

(a) Where a keeper cannot read or verify a plate because of a disability, the Ministry must provide the keeper's registration details in an accessible format, free of charge, including a format reasonably suitable for the keeper's visual, cognitive or communication needs.

Section 3C - Administrative Review

(a) The Ministry must give written reasons for refusal of registration, replacement, accessibility assistance or correction of a record.

(b) A person affected by such a decision may appeal in writing to an independent administrative reviewer designated by the Ministry within 28 days.

(c) The reviewer may confirm, vary or set aside the decision and must give written reasons.

Section 4A - Keeper's Duty

(a) The keeper of a vehicle used on a public road must ensure that the vehicle displays valid, legible and unobstructed plates in the positions and manner prescribed by the published specimen.

Section 4B - Plate Offence

(a) A keeper who knowingly uses a vehicle on a public road without a valid, legible and unobstructed plate commits a fine offence punishable by a fine not exceeding 100 Dimes.

(b) No offence is committed during the 30-day period after a valid application for replacement has been made if the keeper carries proof of that application.

(c) A charge under this Section must identify the alleged defect and the applicable exemption, if any.

Section 4C - Report and Replacement

(a) A lost or stolen plate must be reported to the Ministry or law enforcement without unreasonable delay, and a stolen plate must be reported before replacement unless that is impracticable for a documented reason.

(b) A damaged or reported lost or stolen plate may be replaced for 15 Dimes.

(c) The replacement charge must be waived where the damage, loss or theft was not caused by the keeper's negligence or intentional conduct.

Section 5A - Restricted Lookup

(a) No member of the public may search a plate number against the identity or address of a keeper through a public service or publication.

(b) The Ministry may access identity information only for registration administration, compliance, safety, service delivery or another specific lawful function.

(c) Law enforcement may access identity information only for a documented lawful purpose and due cause, and the access must be attributable to an identified officer or system user.

Section 5B - Keeper Access and Correction

(a) A keeper may access the keeper's own registration record without charge, subject to reasonable identity verification.

(b) A keeper may request correction of inaccurate personal or registration information, and the Ministry must decide the request in writing within a reasonable period.

Section 5C - Retention and Security

(a) The Ministry must apply appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to registration identity information and must maintain access logs.

(b) Registration identity information must be destroyed or irreversibly anonymised no later than two years after the relevant registration ends, unless retention for a longer period is required by a specific lawful investigation or judicial order.

(c) Information may not be disclosed except as authorised by this Act or another specific law.

Section 6A - Commencement and Guidance

(a) This Act comes into force six months after receiving constitutional assent.

(b) The Ministry must publish implementation guidance at least 60 days before commencement and must provide reasonable notice to affected keepers and suppliers.

Section 6B - Environmental Responsibility

(a) The Ministry must require, where reasonably practicable, collection of withdrawn and replaced plates and processing in accordance with environmental law.

(b) The Ministry must include environmental impact and end-of-life arrangements in its annual report under this Act.

Section 6C - Cost and Review

(a) The initial design and production setup is to be managed within 250 Dimes from the Ministry's existing budget, subject to lawful appropriation, procurement and audit requirements.

(b) The Ministry must review the operation, cost, accessibility, privacy compliance, supplier competition and environmental impact of this Act after two years and lay the report before the Commons.

Section C1 - Rights and Lawful Administration

(a) This Act must be interpreted consistently with the Constitution of Links Land, including rights to privacy, equality, accessibility, due process and lawful administrative review.

(b) The powers and duties created by this Act are subject to judicial oversight and the ordinary criminal and civil procedures applicable to fine offences.

Section C2 - Relationship with Existing Law

(a) This Act is to be read alongside the Road Safety and Traffic Management Act 2025 and works in conjunction with the Public Administration Efficiency Act 2025, the Civic Rights and Responsibilities Act 2025, the Digital Liberty and Algorithmic Rights Act 2025, the Environmental Protection Act 2025 and the Criminal Proceedings Act 2025.

(b) Nothing in this Act removes an exemption, right, duty or procedural safeguard available under another applicable law unless this Act expressly provides otherwise.