What size number plates do I need for a Range Rover?

A Range Rover takes an oversize rear number plate measuring 535mm by 152mm, or 21 inches by 6 inches, rather than the standard 520mm by 111mm. The front plate is the standard size. The same oversize rear fits the Range Rover Sport, the Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery, whose rear plate recesses are the same wide, tall shape.

That is the short answer. Below are every size we make, which vehicles take them, and how to check yours before you order, because a plate that does not fit the recess is a plate you buy twice.

Why some vehicles need a different size at the back

The rear plate recess is a styling decision by the manufacturer, not a rule. Land Rover, Jaguar and a number of prestige marques mould a deeper, wider recess into the tailgate, and a standard plate sitting in it leaves an obvious gap above and below. The registration, the character size and the spacing are identical on every size: what changes is the sheet the characters sit on.

The sizes we make

• Standard, 520mm by 111mm. The default front and rear plate on most cars and vans.
• Oversize rear, 535mm by 152mm (21 inches by 6 inches). Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Evoque and Land Rover Discovery, and other vehicles with the same deep rear recess.
• 4x4 square, 279mm by 203mm (11 inches by 8 inches), with the registration set over two lines, for vehicles whose rear recess is square.
• Japanese import, 330mm by 178mm (13 inches by 7 inches), for imported vehicles whose recess will not take a standard plate.
• Motorbike, 230mm by 178mm (9 inches by 7 inches), rear only, for motorcycles registered from 1 September 2001.
• Shortened, cut to the registration rather than a fixed size, so the plate ends close to the characters instead of running the full width.

How to check which one your vehicle takes

Measure the recess rather than trusting a list, including ours. Take the width and the height of the moulded area at its largest point, with the old plate off if you can, and compare it with the sizes above. If the recess is within a few millimetres of 520 by 111 you want the standard plate; if it is markedly taller, you want the oversize rear; if it is close to square, you want the 4x4 plate. A front recess is almost always standard even where the rear is not, which is why an oversize order is usually one plate rather than a pair.

If your vehicle is not one of those named above, measuring is the only reliable answer. We would rather tell you to reach for a tape measure than guess at a model we have not fitted.

Does a different size change what is legal?

No. The size of the plate is not what the rules fix. The character height, width, stroke and spacing, the reflective background, the supplier markings and the British Standard, BS AU 145e, are identical whichever size you order, which is why an oversize or square plate is as road legal as a standard one. The one exception is the Japanese import size, which uses smaller characters and is only legal on an imported vehicle whose recess will not take a standard plate. Our guide to number plate law covers the rest.

Ordering the right one

Pick the size first and the style second: every style we make comes in every size, so a Range Rover can have an oversize rear in 4D, 3D gel or printed exactly as a standard plate can. You can see your own registration on any size and style in the plate builder before you order.