The Enforcement Sanctions Policy is used to make sure that consistent action is taken when checks are carried out and sets out what action DVSA traffic examiners will take when dealing with most offences that they find when they carry out roadside checks.

The action that can be taken when dealing with offences includes warnings, prohibition notices and fixed penalties.  Section 3 of the policy, covering vehicle excise, registration number and trade plates, has been updated with new number plate offences.

DVSA advise that they are aware of a minority of operators who are deliberately attempting to conceal their number plates from identification, to help them to better protect people from unsafe drivers and vehicles, they have changed how we enforce deliberate number plate tampering from 1 February 2022.

In instances where it is believed there has been an attempt to conceal a vehicle number plate, DVSA will now:

•            issue an S mark prohibition

•            issue either an immediate or delayed prohibition and a £100 fixed penalty notice

•            submit a report to the Courts or Traffic Commissioners

•            retain fraudulent number plates as evidence for any future investigation

Further information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enforcement-sanctions-policy