Is it an offence to obstruct clear vision of your number plates?
Is it an offence to obstruct clear vision of your number plates?
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B. Yes, but it is legal for a towbar or bicycle rack to cover the rear number plate
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C. Yes, but not if they are obscured by mud
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D. No, you are allowed to cover your number plates if you want to
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The correct answer is A
Correct. If you have a bike rack or towbar that covers the licence plate you must make other arrangements to display the plates clearly.
Licence plates in NSW
Transport for NSW Roads and Maritime Services issues licence plates.
Combinations are xx-nn-xx for cars and xxx-nn for motorbikes. There are many more combinations, though, and a full list is available on this article on Wikipedia.
There are a number of offences you can commit with number plates, and some fines (some with demerit points:
For class A vehicles
- Use vehicle without correctly fixed/displayed number plate is a $415 fine and 3 demerit points
- Use vehicle with obscured/defaced/illegible number plate is a $415 fine and 3 demerit points
- Use vehicle with unauthorised number plate is a $415 fine and 3 demerit points
- Use vehicle with illegal number plate is a $415 fine and 3 demerit points
For class C vehicles the fine for any of the above is $623.
More substantial fines are:
Not attach number plate confiscation notice as required is a $2,145, as is operating a vheicle during number plate confiscation period, or removing or tampering with a number plate production notice.
Fines attracting slightly lower fines include all the following which are $104.
- Not comply notice to return number plate
- Plate holder fail to surrender damaged number plate
- Not surrender other number plate - existing one damaged
- Not notify authority of lost/stolen number plate
- Not notify authority of destroyed number plate
- Not deliver number plate to authority
- Not notify recovered lost/stolen number plate
- Not deliver recovered/lost number plate
- Not return number plate after registration expiry