What are 3D gel resin number plates? How they are made

A 3D gel number plate is a standard reflective number plate with each character cut from black vinyl, applied to the face of the plate and then domed with a clear polyurethane gel resin. The resin cures hard with a rounded, glass-like surface, so every character stands a couple of millimetres proud of the plate and picks up the light along the whole of the dome. Underneath that dome, a 3D gel number plate is an ordinary reflective plate built to the British Standard, BS AU 145e.

It is not a 4D plate. There is no cut acrylic beneath the gel, which is why the edges of a gel character are curved rather than square. If you are deciding between the two, how 3D gel and 4D plates differ goes through both side by side, and our 4D number plates guide compares gel against every raised style we make, with prices.

How a 3D gel plate is made

The characters are cut from black vinyl in Charles Wright, the mandatory number plate font, at the size and spacing the rules prescribe, and applied to the reflective face of the plate. A clear polyurethane gel resin is then applied over each one: it flows out to the edge of the character and cures with a domed surface that keeps its gloss without fading in sunlight. The plate is reflective white at the front and yellow at the rear, and carries our supplier name, postcode and the BS AU 145e mark. Ours are made in County Durham by a DVLA-registered number plate supplier.

What 3D gel plates look like on a car

Straight on, a gel plate reads as a normal plate with depth and gloss. From an angle, the dome picks up highlights along every stroke, which is the part people notice. It is the quietest of the raised styles: it looks like a plate the car could have left the factory with rather than an upgrade announcing itself. A standard car plate is 520mm by 111mm, and gel is also made as a shortened plate, a square 4x4 rear, an oversize rear, a hex plate and a motorbike plate.

Are 3D gel plates legal?

Yes, when the finished plate meets BS AU 145e. The standard is about the plate as a whole rather than the profile of the characters: Charles Wright characters at the right size and spacing, a single shade of non-reflective black, a reflective background with no tint or pattern, and a registered supplier's mark. Every gel plate we make is built to it, and our guide to 3D and 4D number plate legality sets out the standard and where the proposed amendment to it has got to.

How much do 3D gel number plates cost?

A pair of 3D gel plates starts at £39.99 at standard car size, including VAT, before extras such as a border, a flag or a larger size. That makes gel the cheapest of the raised styles; the laser-cut styles are priced above it, style by style, in the guide linked above. Order before 2pm on a working day with your documents approved and we make them the same day.

Looking after 3D gel plates

Wash them with the car, by hand. Gel characters can be pressure washed at a sensible distance and are flexible enough to take the odd knock, but they can be scratched or gouged, so keep solvents and abrasive polish off them, and keep the lance from sitting close and square to the edge of a character. Our guide to cleaning 3D and 4D plates covers the products we use. Every plate carries a 36-month warranty against manufacturing defects, though not damage from fitting, impact or chemicals.

Putting a private registration on gel plates

A gel plate is made to whatever registration you are entitled to display, so a private registration goes onto one like any other. You can search over 74 million DVLA registrations to find one, and we handle the paperwork. When the registration is yours, choose 3D gel in the plate builder and send us the documents. We do not make tinted or non-standard-spaced plates in any style.

Common questions

Do the gel characters peel off? Not in normal use. The character is not a separate part stuck onto the plate: it is vinyl applied to the face with resin formed over the top, and the bond between character and plate is covered by the 36-month warranty.

Can I jet wash a gel plate? Yes, at a sensible distance. What causes trouble is holding the lance close and square to the edge of a character, on gel and on 4D alike.

Can I have 3D gel on a motorbike? Yes. A motorbike plate is a different size and only goes on the rear, but the character style is the same.