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MG MGB Technical - Numberplate Light MOT Exemption

When did the MOT requirement for rear numberplate light begin. i.e. until which year do mg's have exemption.

Iwan Jones

Didn't know they ever had exemption?
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Just found this on the web hope it helps.
Yes, you do have to have a number plate light for the MOT. However, believe it or not, due to a quirk in the regulations if you blank off or disconnect all of your lights then the MOT garage does not have to Test the lights and cannot fail your vehicle on the MOT. However if you use the vehicle after dark without a number plate light you would face prosecution if caught
a goldup

You will only get a daytime MOT if you cover the lights and will be prosecuted if out in the dark even if you have lights working.
Ste brown

The usual requirement is if fitted they must work. A kind-of exception is dual high-intensity rear lights where if only one of two is working it must be the offside. If you have two that weren't original equipment and *neither* are working a friendly MOT man may well turn a blind eye. They may also turn a blind eye if only one of the (original equipment) number plate bulbs is working, i.e. you have three duds, although strictly this is reason for failure. A 'daytime only' MOT is a new one on me, http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_110.htm indicates that an advisory notice is issued if a vehicle "either
has no front or rear position lamps or has such lamps permanently disconnected, painted over or masked".
PaulH Solihull

Why didn't you check the lights before presenting it?
A blown bulb can be replaced by the tester under the PRS scheme, but as many of the faults are poor feeds/earths on old cars, the tester may not want to risk it.
Michael Beswick

Paul
That is a daytime only MOT meaning it cant be used other than in sunlight.
Old MOTs had it on them but this is just the new version for the computer ones.
Ste brown

At the last MOT, the tester failed it on the number plate, one bulb out the four was not working. But he more than made up for it by accepting engine data I had downloaded, showing that the engine was older than the car, and only needed a visible smoke emission test.
c cummins

Hi Paul,

Its this if fitted comment I'm interested in and when they became mandatory to the MOT.
Iwan Jones

All MGBs had them fitted as standard- hence they have to work. They never had an option to become a mandatory fitting or not.

Whether in the mists of time they did not have to work, I don't know, but they have had to work ever since I've been a tester.

Nothing has to be retro-fitted to comply with MOT. But if you do fit something, it must work.
The idea of disconnecting/blanking lights off on a B to comply with MOT regs designed for vintage/veteran vehicles (which never had them fitted), would more than likely result in a refusal to test.
Michael Beswick

It's the regulations on construction and use that determine what is mandatory. I believe there was one aspect of rear lighting that became a *retrospective* requirement, possibly the showing of a red light at night, but this was many many years ago and frequently consisted of a single lamp with a red lens showing to the rear and a white lens shining sideways onto the number plate. Number plate lights were mandatory a very long time before MOTs started.
PaulH Solihull

That sounds like a real hassel.
Over here, at least in my State, if your car is over 25 years old and out of production and in good condition you can get an Antique plate. There is a one time $75 charge, and there is NO yearly inspection requirement. Also, I get Antique insurance for $100 a year. I guess they figure if its still running after that long you take good care of it.
William Bourne

Aren't the conditions of use on those plates very restricted though? In some states at least? No limitations in the UK, although you can specify an annual mileage limit on the insurance which lowers the cost. Still more than your $100, but for £200 I get my roadster and V8 fully covered (bar a £100 excess) with unlimited mileage.

It's no hassle, just a matter of keeping things working as they should, i.e. taking good care of it.
PaulH Solihull

At a slight tangent, if the number plate lights dont work with a good supply plus intact bulbs on a chrome bumper see if they are earthed. Amazingly despite the area of metal on display I had to run earth wires on my car. You could measure 12v between the chrome and a good earth before I did this
Stan Best

The most serious restriction is that it is not your only vehicle. Also not a daily driver. Other than that your pretty much good to go.
William Bourne

I had a similar thing with getting my car licensed and back on the road here. There is a regulation that says any vehicle first registered in New Zealand after Jan 1990 must have a rear centre mounted high stop light.

My car, despite being a 1978, was first registered here in September 1990 since it came from overseas. So technically I need a light because the resistration had lapsed and I needed it re-registered. To get through the inspection they fitted one temporarily that hooks over the rear bar of the soft top frame and shines through the back window. It passed with that! I have no idea what happens when the top was down.

As soon as it passed it's initial inspection they removed that light. I could probably get away with not having it now for every subsequent WOF (warrant of fitness that must be done each 6 months). Most testers wouldn't expect a light like that on an MGB and unless they check the actual registration history of the car at every WOF they won't know that technically it is meant to have one.

To avoid problems with the insurance though (I am on limited milage classic insurance) I added my own. I used a period Lucas number plate light and just painted the inside of the glass red. This works very well and doesn't look too out of place. Technically it is probably meant to have the 'proper numbers' but hell, it is a real period light. I'm just repurposing it somewhat and it's definitely safer than not having anything!

Simon

Simon Jansen

Hi Simon,

Check out this site.

http://www.british-cars.net/mgb-technical-bbs/3rd-brake-light-2008013103525021462.htm

Herb
Herb Adler

Hi Herb, yes my auto electrician guy actually got one of those in for me. The Hella metal ones. They are nice quality but it just didn't look right on my car, far too modern. It was quite expensive too. About $90NZ from memory.
Simon Jansen

"if the number plate lights dont work"

Had this problem on mine after restoration too. Perhaps not so surprising as the earthing is from the holder to the surround to the overrider to the bumper to the spring to the iron to the chassis! With decently painted chassis, irons and springs you would have to put star washers on everything to be sure of cutting through. By contrast the tank sender was earthed (until the 77 model year) even though it had a far less tortuous path.
PaulH Solihull

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2010 and 02/11/2010

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