FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
🟩 Are your plates fully road legal in Ireland?
Yes — all plates listed as “Fully Road Legal” on our website meet every Irish road and NCT requirement.
This includes our 3D Gel Irish Font Plates (with Blue IRL badge, County name, and dash included) and our 4D 3mm Irish Font Plates.
Both are NCT compliant and made to official Irish standards for font, layout, and reflectivity.
🟨 What makes a number plate road legal in the Republic of Ireland?
To be fully road legal, a number plate must:
Use the Irish standard font
Include the Blue EU IRL badge on the left-hand side
Display the County name in Irish
Include the dash in the correct position
Feature black characters on a white reflective background (front and rear)
Follow correct size and spacing regulations
⚠️ Plates with coloured text, tinted or grey backgrounds, or decorative fonts are not NCT compliant.
🟥 Do Irish cars have yellow rear plates?
No. In the Republic of Ireland, both front and rear plates must have white reflective backgrounds.
Yellow rear plates are used in the UK, not in Ireland.
🟦 Are 3D and 4D plates legal in Ireland?
✅ Yes — our 3D Gel Irish Font Plates (with Blue IRL badge, County name, and dash included) and our 4D 3mm Irish Font Plates are fully road legal and NCT compliant.
They meet all requirements for font, colour, and reflectivity under Irish law.
⚠️ Other 3D or 4D plates — for example, coloured, tinted, or non-Irish font styles — are not legal and are sold as show plates only.
⚫ What are “Show Plates”?
Show Plates are decorative or custom plates that don’t meet Irish road regulations — for example, those with coloured gel, tinted acrylic, or novelty fonts.
They’re perfect for car meets, exhibitions, or photoshoots, but not legal for road use.
⚙️ What are NCT-compliant plates?
NCT-compliant plates meet all Irish road standards for font, reflectivity, spacing, and EU IRL identification.
At Only Plates Ireland, our fully compliant range includes:
3D Gel Irish Font Plates – Fully Road Legal
4D 3mm Irish Font Plates – Fully Road Legal & NCT Approved
Pressed Irish Font NCT Plates
Standard Irish Reg Plates
💨 How long does delivery take?
All orders are dispatched from our Dublin HQ via DPD.
Nationwide delivery takes 2–4 business days, and you’ll receive tracking information once your order has been shipped.
🧾 Are your legal plates NCT approved?
Yes. All plates marked as Fully Road Legal are NCT approved and meet all Irish vehicle registration standards.
🛑 Can tinted, grey, or carbon-style backgrounds pass the NCT?
No. Plates with tinted, grey, carbon-style, or darkened backgrounds are not permitted in Ireland and will fail the NCT.
All road-legal plates must be white reflective — both front and rear.
🛠️ Where are your plates made?
All of our plates are made in Ireland, designed and assembled at our Dublin HQ using premium materials for quality and durability.
🟩 Are your plates fully road legal in Ireland?
Yes — all plates listed as “Fully Road Legal” on our website meet every Irish road and NCT requirement.
This includes our 3D Gel Irish Font Plates (with Blue IRL badge, County name, and dash included) and our 4D 3mm Irish Font Plates.
Both are NCT compliant and made to official Irish standards for font, layout, and reflectivity.
🟨 What makes a number plate road legal in the Republic of Ireland?
To be fully road legal, a number plate must:
Use the Irish standard font
Include the Blue EU IRL badge on the left-hand side
Display the County name in Irish
Include the dash in the correct position
Feature black characters on a white reflective background (front and rear)
Follow correct size and spacing regulations
⚠️ Plates with coloured text, tinted or grey backgrounds, or decorative fonts are not NCT compliant.
🟥 Do Irish cars have yellow rear plates?
No. In the Republic of Ireland, both front and rear plates must have white reflective backgrounds.
Yellow rear plates are used in the UK, not in Ireland.
🟦 Are 3D and 4D plates legal in Ireland?
✅ Yes — our 3D Gel Irish Font Plates (with Blue IRL badge, County name, and dash included) and our 4D 3mm Irish Font Plates are fully road legal and NCT compliant.
They meet all requirements for font, colour, and reflectivity under Irish law.
⚠️ Other 3D or 4D plates — for example, coloured, tinted, or non-Irish font styles — are not legal and are sold as show plates only.
⚫ What are “Show Plates”?
Show Plates are decorative or custom plates that don’t meet Irish road regulations — for example, those with coloured gel, tinted acrylic, or novelty fonts.
They’re perfect for car meets, exhibitions, or photoshoots, but not legal for road use.
⚙️ What are NCT-compliant plates?
NCT-compliant plates meet all Irish road standards for font, reflectivity, spacing, and EU IRL identification.
At Only Plates Ireland, our fully compliant range includes:
3D Gel Irish Font Plates – Fully Road Legal
4D 3mm Irish Font Plates – Fully Road Legal & NCT Approved
Pressed Irish Font NCT Plates
Standard Irish Reg Plates
💨 How long does delivery take?
All orders are dispatched from our Dublin HQ via DPD.
Nationwide delivery takes 2–4 business days, and you’ll receive tracking information once your order has been shipped.
🧾 Are your legal plates NCT approved?
Yes. All plates marked as Fully Road Legal are NCT approved and meet all Irish vehicle registration standards.
🛑 Can tinted, grey, or carbon-style backgrounds pass the NCT?
No. Plates with tinted, grey, carbon-style, or darkened backgrounds are not permitted in Ireland and will fail the NCT.
All road-legal plates must be white reflective — both front and rear.
🛠️ Where are your plates made?
All of our plates are made in Ireland, designed and assembled at our Dublin HQ using premium materials for quality and durability.
You can either fit your plates yourself using one of the below methods, or you can have them professionally fitted free of charge at our office in Malahide Road Industrial Park. Just call, WhatsApp or email us at the details below after placing your order.
You can either fit your plates yourself using one of the below methods, or you can have them professionally fitted free of charge at our office in Malahide Road Industrial Park. Just call, WhatsApp or email us at the details below after placing your order.
Fitting Your New Plates
Plate Frames (Recommended)
01
We highly suggest using our plate frames because it's a hassle-free method. You won't need to drill any new holes in your plates. Our frames fit perfectly with the holes your car already has. Once the frame is attached, the plate easily clips in and stays secure, thanks to the frame's bottom lip.Caps & Screws (Supplied Free)
02
For a smooth installation using screws, we advise using your current number plates as a guide. This ensures the screw holes align perfectly on your new plates (Please avoid drilling through any numbers on the plate!).Follow these steps:
1. Lay your new number plate face down on a flat surface.
2. Place your current plate, also face down, atop the new one.
3. Align the plates precisely. Mark the hole locations from the existing plate onto the new one using a marker.
4. Once marked, remove the current plate and drill at the marked spots on the new plate.
5. After drilling, you're ready to attach the new plate to your vehicle.
Adhesive Tape (Supplied Free)
03
1. Ensure no old adhesive pads remain on the vehicle. If found, they should be fully removed.2. Clean the area where the plate will sit, eliminating dirt or grease that could hamper adhesion.
3. Peel the backing off the sticky pads and attach them evenly to the plate's rear.
4. Depending on the vehicle's surface curvature (rear usually being flat and front having a slight bend), you may need additional pads.
5. After placing all pads, remove their secondary backing and carefully position the plate on your vehicle.
6. Apply firm pressure for 10-15 seconds when affixing the plates.
Important: Sticky pads bond instantly upon contact. This means alignment needs to be precise from the get-go. If realignment is required, we advise using new pads since the initial ones will have diminished adhesiveness.
Pro Tip: For best results, install in mild, dry conditions. Cold, damp surfaces aren't ideal. If it's cold, pre-warming the area with a hairdryer for 30-40 seconds can help.