Behind the Scenes: How We Make Your Number Plates

Every PlatedUp plate is made to order in our workshop in Barking (IG11 9XY). Here's what happens after you press "Pay".

1. Checking your order

For road-legal plates, we first check your documents: proof you're entitled to the registration and photo ID. This is the law for every DVLA registered supplier. If anything's missing, we'll be in touch. Show plates skip this step.

2. Setting up your plate

Your registration is laid out in the legal Charles Wright 2001 font, with the correct size and spacing, plus your choice of flag or green strip and border. Every road-legal plate also gets our supplier details and the BS AU 145e mark.

3. Making the characters

• Standard plates: characters are printed crisp and black.
• 3D gel plates: clear resin gel is carefully applied over each character and left to set into a glossy dome.
• 4D plates: characters are laser-cut from solid black acrylic in 3mm or 5mm and bonded to the plate.
• 5mm and 7mm gel: thick acrylic characters are topped with gel for depth and shine.

4. Pressing and finishing

The plate is assembled, pressed and finished, then checked by hand for alignment, bubbles, marks and spacing. If it's not perfect, it doesn't leave the workshop.

5. Packing and dispatch

Your plates are packed carefully, along with any fixing kit you ordered, and sent by tracked delivery. Orders placed before 2pm on a working day are dispatched the same day, and we'll email you as soon as they're on their way.

Want to see your plates being made? Follow us on Instagram, or start your order today.