Aftermarket warning over cloned number plates
8 November 2024 
The aftermarket sector is being urged to stay vigilant and help combat the increasing trade in cloned number plates.
Cloned plates — illegal duplicates of legitimate registration plates — are a serious challenge to businesses in the UK’s automotive landscape, according to plates manufacturer Tennants UK.
Following September’s release of the new ’74’ plates, Tennants is advising motor factors and garages to be on their guard for cloned plates, which the company said are often used in criminal activities, including speeding, toll evasion and more severe offences.
Tennants said it is vital for the aftermarket to understand these risks and ensure businesses have the right tools and procedures in place to produce fully compliant plates that align with legislation set by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
The manufacturer cited a recent investigation by the BBC uncovered that over 90,000 tickets had been issued by London authorities for vehicles using cloned plates since 2021.
‘Legal standards’
The BBC’s findings, based on a freedom of information request sent to all London councils, revealed a 64% rise in car cloning incidents over three years, with cases increasing from 22,450 in 2021 to 36,794 in 2023.
This surge has led to a significant number of fines being cancelled, while overall traffic fines issued increased by 20% percent during the same period, Tennants said.
Stephen Archer, business development and marketing manager at Tennants UK, said: “Ensuring number plate compliance is not just about meeting legal standards; it’s about protecting both your business and your customers from the impacts of vehicle cloning.
Archer said the company offers number plate printing systems designed to help the aftermarket produce legal and compliant plates with ease, along with systems that automatically check for adherence to the latest BS AU 145e standards.
This includes enforcing correct character spacing, font requirements and visibility features, all of which play a key role in preventing plate cloning.