S.I. No. 441/1986:

ROAD VEHICLES (REGISTRATION AND LICENSING) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1986.

ROAD VEHICLES (REGISTRATION AND LICENSING) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1986.

The Minister for the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5, 6 and 12 of the Roads Act, 1920, hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986.

(2) These Regulations and the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations, 1982 and 1985 shall be construed as one and may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1982 to 1986.

(3) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1987.

2. The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations, 1982 shall be amended as follows:

(a) by the insertion in sub-articles (1) and (2) of article 12, sub-articles (1) and (2) of article 13, sub-articles (1), (2) and (3) of article 14 and sub-article (3) of article 15, of "registered" before "owner" wherever the latter word occurs,

(b) by the substitution for paragraph (b) of sub-article (3) of article 23 of the following:--

"(b) as to the name of the registered owner of a vehicle and as to the registered owner's address as shown in the register on a specified date or dates or during a specified period,",

(c) by the substitution for sub-article (3) of article 25 of the following:--

"(3) The identification mark to be assigned to a vehicle on first registration shall consist of:--

(a) the number under which the vehicle is registered with the licensing authority,

(b) an index mark allotted to that licensing authority,

(c) in respect of vehicles first registered on or after the 1st day of January, 1987, and subject to paragraph (d) of this sub-article, the third and fourth numerals of the year in which the vehicle is first registered, and

(d) in respect of a vehicle first registered in the State on or after the 1st day of January, 1987, and which was previously registered in another State, the year of first registration of the vehicle in that State, the third and fourth numerals of the year in which the vehicle was first registered in that State,

and such identification mark shall continue to attach solely to that vehicle except in such circumstances as may be determined by the Minister."

(d) by the insertion in the Third Schedule immediately below "Form of Identification Marks." of "Part I.", and by the addition after the words "Provisions to be complied with" of "in respect of vehicles registered before the 1st day of January, 1987",

(e) by the insertion in the Third Schedule after paragraph 9 of the following:--

"PART II.

Form of Identification Marks.Article 26

Provisions to be complied with in respect of vehicles first registered on or after the 1st day of January, 1987:

1. (a) Where the identification mark contains a single letter index mark it shall, at the option of the owner, be arranged in conformity with either DIAGRAM No. 5 or DIAGRAM No. 6 shown above.

(b) Where the identification mark contains a two letter index mark it shall, at the option of the owner, be arranged in conformity with either DIAGRAM No. 7 or DIAGRAM No. 8 shown above.

2. The identification mark may be exhibited on a metal or plastic plate or in the case of a large public service vehicle, it may be illuminated by translucency or transparency.

3. Where the identification mark is exhibited on a metal plate, the surface shall be constructed of white reflex reflective material and the identification mark shall be formed of black letters and figures which shall be embossed by being raised above the surface of the reflex reflective material and form part of the plate.

4. (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph, where the identification mark is exhibited on a plastic plate the identification mark shall be exhibited on white reflex reflective material which shall be affixed with an adhesive substance to the rear of the plate and be so affixed that it cannot be readily detached therefrom.

(2) The identification mark exhibited on a plastic plate in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph, shall be so exhibited that it can be clearly read from the front of the mark as black letters and figures on a white reflex reflective material.

(3) A plastic plate shall be constructed of transparent material of at least 2.5 millimetres in thickness.

(4) In the case of a large public service vehicle, where the identification mark is so constructed and used that it is illuminated by transparency or translucency the letters and figures shall, when so illuminated during lighting-up hours appear, in the case of the front identification mark, white, and in the case of the rear identification mark, white. At all other times the letters and figures shall appear white against a black background.

5. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, all letters and figures of an identification mark shall be at least 81 millimetres high and be of uniform height; every part of every letter and figure shall be at least 12 millimetres broad and the total width of the space taken by every letter or figure, except in the case of the letter "I" or the figure "1", shall be at least 48 millimetres.

6. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, in an identification mark there shall be a margin between the nearest part of any letter or figure and the top or bottom of the surface of white reflex reflective material upon which the identification mark appears, of at least 8 millimetres and between the nearest part of any letter or figure and the sides of the surface of white reflex reflecting material, of at least 8 millimetres.

7. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, in an identification plate;

(a) the space between the nearest parts of adjoining figures shall be uniform and be at least 8 millimetres;

(b) the space between the nearest parts of adjoining letters shall be equal to the space between adjoining figures;

(c) the space between the index mark and adjoining figures shall be three times the space between the nearest part of adjoining figures.

8. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 9 of this Part of this Schedule, where the identification mark is arranged in accordance with DIAGRAM No. 5 or DIAGRAM No. 7 shown above, the space between the upper and lower line shall be at least 13 millimetres.

9. In the case of a bicycle, an invalid carriage or a pedestrian controlled vehicle, the dimensions prescribed in paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this Part of this Schedule may be halved and the plate or surface bearing the identification mark need not be rectangular, provided that the letters and figures thereon comply as nearly as possible with the arrangement shown in whichever diagram of this Schedule is appropriate."

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment this 19th

day of December, 1986.

JOHN BOLAND,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for a new motor vehicle registration system operative from 1st January, 1987. Under the new system, the registration number will generally comprise numerals indicative of the year of first registration, a letter or letters indicative of the County of registration; and the number of the vehicle (e.g. 87-- CN -- 9999 vehicle first registered in 1987 in County Cavan).

The Regulations also lay down improved standards for motor vehicle registration plates, including a uniform colour scheme for front and rear plates (black characters on a white background).

The Regulations further provide that any refunds of motor tax are payable to the registered owner of the motor vehicle. Finally, the Regulations provide for the inclusion of the address of a registered owner in a certificate of vehicle particulars issued by a licensing authority.