Caravan number plate

Where did you get that information from Ian?

It is illegal to remove the number plate on the car and place it on the rear of the 'van.

I dont think that's quite correct. Have a look at paragraph 5(2) of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 you can find it here. In practice it would be a challenge to swap the plates without causing damage. Also it would attract the attention of any passing police patrol if there were no plates on the back of the towing vehicle.

It is illegal to remove the number plate on the car and place it on the rear of the 'van.

I dont think that's quite correct. Have a look at paragraph 5(2) of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 you can find it here. In practice it would be a challenge to swap the plates without causing damage. Also it would attract the attention of any passing police patrol if there were no plates on the back of the towing vehicle.

The regs require a front and rear number plate of the consist, not each component.

The use of number plate holders makes removing easy. I have plate holders on my trailer, bike rack and a previous car, as fitted with those bits of kit, just for ease of moving number plates; and enabling friends and neighbours to borrow the various items as required.

At Easter on a site where we were, there were 2 consists doing just that. 1 was a campervan towing a caravan, the other a 4x4 towing a caravan. The 4x4 had number plate holders as it was a Japanese import, the had velcro pads on vehicle and caravan.

Danwestgate, when you get your new number plate it might be slightly curved. Don't just rely on the sticky pads, I went to my caravan in storge and found the number plate on the ground at the back of the van. It had pulled itself off. Put a couple of scews in.

It needs to be very clean & grease free when you stick a number plate on with sticky pads. I stuck them to my last car & they stayed stuck where I'd stuck them for years 

It is illegal to remove the number plate on the car and place it on the rear of the 'van.

Not correct. 

Danwestgate, when you get your new number plate it might be slightly curved. Don't just rely on the sticky pads, I went to my caravan in storge and found the number plate on the ground at the back of the van. It had pulled itself off. Put a couple of scews in.

It needs to be very clean & grease free when you stick a number plate on with sticky pads. I stuck them to my last car & they stayed stuck where I'd stuck them for years 

Write your comments here...MM, my previous caravan was as you describe, the pads caused no problems and stayed on for years. My new number plate had 5 pads, dry surfaces and grease free, but a slight curve which would not flatten out. It only took a couple of weeks before it fell off, thankfully not when being towed, hence the screws. Worth letting others know.  

Danwestgate, when you get your new number plate it might be slightly curved. Don't just rely on the sticky pads, I went to my caravan in storge and found the number plate on the ground at the back of the van. It had pulled itself off. Put a couple of scews in.

It needs to be very clean & grease free when you stick a number plate on with sticky pads. I stuck them to my last car & they stayed stuck where I'd stuck them for years 

Write your comments here...MM, my previous caravan was as you describe, the pads caused no problems and stayed on for years. My new number plate had 5 pads, dry surfaces and grease free, but a slight curve which would not flatten out. It only took a couple of weeks before it fell off, thankfully not when being towed, hence the screws. Worth letting others know.  

The front plate was curved on my Omega too  

I stand corrected, but I always understood yhat the law requires number plates on both the vehicle snd trailer.

I stand corrected, but I always understood yhat the law requires number plates on both the vehicle snd trailer.

Law requires a plate at the front & another at the back of the whole thing ...... common sense though tells you to put a plate on the back of the car for when the big wobbly box is not being towed. 

£10 delivered from ebay.  No documentation needed either.  Full legal, with makers mark etc.

Easy.