Two towing vehicles - 2 number plates

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Orangehorse

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I have a choice of 2 different vehicles to tow with, depending on who else wants to use the other one.

Should/can I put 2 number plates on the back of the trailer?
 
I have the same. I bought a number plate holder for the trailer and got two number plates. I keep them both in the trailer (have a wee compartment that’s perfect for this). Then just pop the correct plate in when I use the trailer.
 
Good idea. The trouble is that OH made a too good job of attaching the first number plate to the trailer with an electric riveting tool, and now cannot remove it, or at least is worried about trying to remove it in case it damages the trailer!
 
We had the same concern. But the holder covered the same area so we’ve been able to reuse one of the holes and fill the others then cover with the new holder.

I don’t think you’re allowed two plates on display at the same time...
 
My understanding is that as long as the two vehicles are registered to the same person/address it doesn't matter which number plate is on. Think about farmers and garden landscapers who are towing all sorts of trailers with different vehicles. They couldn't possibly keep swapping number plates all of the time.
 
phizz4 said:
My understanding is that as long as the two vehicles are registered to the same person/address it doesn't matter which number plate is on. Think about farmers and garden landscapers who are towing all sorts of trailers with different vehicles. They couldn't possibly keep swapping number plates all of the time.
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LAW in the UK = both vehicle and trailer must display the same number plate
 
phizz4 said:
My understanding is that as long as the two vehicles are registered to the same person/address it doesn't matter which number plate is on. Think about farmers and garden landscapers who are towing all sorts of trailers with different vehicles. They couldn't possibly keep swapping number plates all of the time.
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my ghast is flabbered
 
ROG said:
LAW in the UK = both vehicle and trailer must display the same number plate
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You are, of course, correct, and I apologise if my statement was misleading. However, it's a little like personalised number plates, which are illegal if the size or spacing of the letters/numbers do not fit exact criteria. The police tolerate them as they don't, usually, fool the ANPR cameras. My 'understanding' came from a policeman friend who said that if both numbers are registered to the same person/address they wouldn't usually stop the driver.
 
phizz4 said:
My understanding is that as long as the two vehicles are registered to the same person/address it doesn't matter which number plate is on. Think about farmers and garden landscapers who are towing all sorts of trailers with different vehicles. They couldn't possibly keep swapping number plates all of the time.
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Why on earth not , each vehicle has a number plate in it and they put them onto a holder on the trailer it’s very simple .
 
The problem with having two plates, and covering the one that is not in use, is that the law says that the rear plate must be illuminated at night. I have had this problem with my caravan, as there isn't space for two plates, hence my original comment about non-matching plates. Maybe I have been lucky but I have never been stopped for having non-matching plates on the caravan and the tow car. That doesn't mean that you should do this, it is just my personal experience. Our trailer is only towed by the same car, but if I needed to tow with another car I would put velco onto the existing plate and attach the temporary plate with the velcro.
 
phizz4 said:
My understanding is that as long as the two vehicles are registered to the same person/address it doesn't matter which number plate is on. Think about farmers and garden landscapers who are towing all sorts of trailers with different vehicles. They couldn't possibly keep swapping number plates all of the time.
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That's commonly known as laziness and is illegal. It takes less than 5 seconds to change a number plate, unless one's husband has riveted the thing on.
 
9tails said:
That's commonly known as laziness and is illegal. It takes less than 5 seconds to change a number plate, unless one's husband has riveted the thing on.
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Our's is riveted on to stop it from being stolen, so it would take me a lot longer than 5 seconds to swap it. I don't know about your part of the world but our livery yard's farmer tows his muck trailer with three different tractors and never swaps his plates and, as I sit here with the road works going on outside our house, the contracting company is moving plant around with a whole mix of non-matching number plates. I am just making comments based on experience and don't want to create a big issue about this. Yes, there is the law, but if that was applied correctly everyone caught doing 31 in a 30 limit would be prosecuted.
 
phizz4 said:
Our's is riveted on to stop it from being stolen, so it would take me a lot longer than 5 seconds to swap it. I don't know about your part of the world but our livery yard's farmer tows his muck trailer with three different tractors and never swaps his plates and, as I sit here with the road works going on outside our house, the contracting company is moving plant around with a whole mix of non-matching number plates. I am just making comments based on experience and don't want to create a big issue about this. Yes, there is the law, but if that was applied correctly everyone caught doing 31 in a 30 limit would be prosecuted.
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that is true however in our sort of rural area we hardly ever see a police car, once in a blue moon so it doesn't get picked up. I expect it is the same for many farmers etc. We change ours over so that the trailers match the tractor or landrover towing them.

The police do sometimes pick up number plates. I was stopped in my car on a large , busy roundabout. Pulled in by the police for having a dirty rear no. plate. The weather was awful, roads around us so muddy etc I apologised etc and explained about living in the country. They then asked if the car was diesel. Yes. So the discussion then moved onto did we have other vehicles. Yes, tractors, landrovers. So what went through their mind was if the car was running on red diesel. It wasn't. So one thing leads to another and I find it better not to encourage bored policemen in the first place.
 
phizz4 said:
The problem with having two plates, and covering the one that is not in use, is that the law says that the rear plate must be illuminated at night. I have had this problem with my caravan, as there isn't space for two plates, hence my original comment about non-matching plates. Maybe I have been lucky but I have never been stopped for having non-matching plates on the caravan and the tow car. That doesn't mean that you should do this, it is just my personal experience. Our trailer is only towed by the same car, but if I needed to tow with another car I would put velco onto the existing plate and attach the temporary plate with the velcro.
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My IW is designed so you can swop plates in an instant I was told it’s what artic trailers have it’s not rocket science .
 
Hi
I have a trailer with UK plate and a car with German plate. Was wondering if I can tow the trailer or what should I do to take it abroad to Europe? Any advised please would be really great. DVLA are useless as I already explained the same thing and they referred me to the website, which doesn't show much information, except that the trailer must have the same plate as the car (as it's an extension of the car), but I've seen cars towing trailers or caravans with a different. plate (the trailer had it's own plate with a different configuration of letters and numbers (weird))... I've also read on another page of a guy with a Spanish license plate car and his caravan is UK plate.... Really hard to get any information anywhere . Thanks in advance
 
alaranjo said:
Hi
I have a trailer with UK plate and a car with German plate. Was wondering if I can tow the trailer or what should I do to take it abroad to Europe? Any advised please would be really great. DVLA are useless as I already explained the same thing and they referred me to the website, which doesn't show much information, except that the trailer must have the same plate as the car (as it's an extension of the car), but I've seen cars towing trailers or caravans with a different. plate (the trailer had it's own plate with a different configuration of letters and numbers (weird))... I've also read on another page of a guy with a Spanish license plate car and his caravan is UK plate.... Really hard to get any information anywhere . Thanks in advance
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The trailer isn't registered with any authority as it's not a vehicle in its own right. The plate it has does not belong to the trailer, it must have belonged to the car that used to tow it. Wherever you tow, it should have the same plate as the car. The ones you've seen with different plates are wrong.
 
Ive had jobs where ive had half a dozen trailer changes a day. Including collecting and delivering loaded trailers from docks. You need a trailer plate for each car..kept in the boot or wherever both the same size.
On the trailer you need a trailer plate holder which you can snap the plate in and out of with ease.
The plate on the trailer as others have said must match the vehicle you are towing with..in much the same way your rear and front plate on any vehicle should match.
 
Your trailer does not have a UK plate, it does not have any plate. You just put a plate that matches the towing car on the back of the trailer.
Simples!
 
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