Greetings!  

RVM Australia has been informed that registration authorities in Western Australia are presently rejecting vehicles for registration due to excessive height of the rear number plate. It is presumed that other states will soon follow suit.

We wish to inform Members that compliance to this regulation will be an important focus in the second cycle of RVMAP inspections commencing in coming weeks.

As explained in our previous Technical Alert (No 3 - June 2013), the positioning of number plates on vehicles when designing and building products are spelt out in Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 (VSB 1) and Australian Design Rule (ADR) 61/02. 

In brief, no part of the number plate can be more than 1300mm from the ground; and no part of the vehicle or its equipment can obscure the plate.

The Department of Infrastructure and Transport administers VSB 1 which is the National Code of Practice for Building Small Trailers (not exceeding 4.5 tonnes aggregate trailer mass).

Clause 9.1 Registration Plate (Number Plate) of VSB 1 states:

Provision must be made for mounting of a 372 mm x 136 mm registration plate to the rear of every trailer so that no part of the plate is more than 1300 mm above the ground.

Trailers that are in ADR Category Code TB (Light Trailer), TC (Medium Trailer) and TD (Heavy Trailer) must also comply with Clause 9.1.1.3 of ADR61/02:

No part of a vehicle, including its standard equipment, regular production options or 'Equipment' must be so located as to obscure any part of the registration plate(s).

For further information, please contact RVM Australia's Technical Advisors:

Murray Longe - murray@rvmaustralia.com.au or 0499 024 242

Technical Team

RVM AUSTRALIA                                                                                                                      © Copyright 2013