Why do cars in the UK have white licence plates at the front but yellow ones at the back?

Answer 1

so you can tell what end your looking at at night

Answer 2

Under the construction and use regulations, only White reflections can be at the front, this is to ensure you do not drive into the path of a car coming towards you.

A red plate at the rear would follow the same logic (and indeed regulation), but it does not allow you to read text clearly, the highst contrast was the black text on yellow, hence the rear plate is that colour.

Answer 3

I refer to my answer the last time this question was asked, but here it is again:

Rules for the display of number plates are set out in law, briefly these are: -

A number plate must be displayed at the front and rear of motor vehicles (with some exceptions).
Number Plates must be easy to read and meet the British Standard.
Lettering should be black on a white plate at the front and a yellow at the rear.
The background surface should be reflex-reflecting but the characters must not.
There are separate requirements for traditional number plates displayed on vehicles constructed before 1 January 1973.
Lettering and spacing must be of a set size. They must conform to one of the groups shown at:- Number plates fitted after 1 September 2001 or Number plates fitted before 1 September 2001.

Answer 4

Most speed cameras take photo on rear plates. With the yellow background, black letters stand out better, so you've got more chance of a ticket. I thought everybody knew that.

Answer 5

It's just to do with the vehicle lighting regulation act.

As REFLECTIVE materials are classified as a light sourece - it is illegal to display a WHITE plate on the rear.

Yellow was chosen as it gives a high contrast with black text both during daylight & night illumination.

Answer 6

It's yellow at the back so that it reflects the license place so the police can read it for example, and it's white at the front so it doesn't cause glare and 'blind' the oncoming traffic.

Hope that helps

Answer 7

Because they were originally designed and made down in London...
and the conversation went like this...

So they're yella mate, aw wight?
Yeah, that's wight, yella.
Awww, I see, yella aw wight? wight?
Yeah, that's wight.
Sorted then mate. You're the guvna.
Yella aw wight it is.

And so, all the lah de dah classes were forever confused by the yellow and white number plates...

Answer 8

safety reasons. If you see a yellow plate getting closer, watch out.

Answer 9

So that you know whether you're looking at the back or the front genius.

Answer 10

did you know an E-type jaguar ..( yeah. baby !!) is the only car allowed to have a licence -plastic sticker- stuck on the bonnet...?? um ..well..i just thought you may like to know ...ok..??......gotta go ., my mum's done me favourite....er ..bye.