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Are personalised number plates legal in Spain?

The Traffic authorities in Spain have strict regulations when it comes to licence plates

In many countries, including the UK, private or personalised licence plates are very popular. Bespoke number plates are also perfectly legal in Spain, although as with most things driving-related, strict regulations apply.

There are several benefits to swapping out the factory-fitted plates for personalised ones, aside from allowing drivers to put their own ‘stamp’ on the car. Often referred to as vanity plates, they also mask the age of a vehicle and make a great gift.

Here in Spain, anyone wanting to install a personalised plate must adhere to the requirements set out by the General Vehicle Regulations which aim to make sure that cars remain identifiable at all times, preventing motorists from going unpunished after committing traffic violations.

Therefore, the most important factor is that number plates remain readable.

The Traffic authorities will quickly dole out fines of up to 200 euros if any of the following defects are present, on either personalised plates or factory ones:

The license plate is not placed in the correct position.
The digits are partially or completely erased, which prevents their correct identification.
The plate has some decorative element, such as a sticker, that prevents reading any of the numbers or letters.
The plate is in poor condition, partially bent or broken.
The bulb that illuminates the license plate for correct legibility is off, or its power is not sufficient to correctly identify the vehicle.

Criteria for personalised licence plates

Customised number plates have been legal in Spain since 2013 but they must be approved by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) and only a select few companies are authorised to produce them.

Personalised plates must be of one shape (hexagonal or octagonal are allowed, along with the traditional rectangular shape) and not contain any rude phrases or drawings.
A design is allowed in the background, but it must be in a light font so as not to obscure the licence number.
Private plates can be made out of aluminium or methacrylate, but the latter is chosen then only the background, and not the shape of the plate, can be customised.

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Image: Pixabay

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