【Car Knowledge】Regulation of License Plate Font and Size
🚗 Let me tell you: the license plate is not a decoration, it is an identity card
Hong Kong's license plates are like your "identity card." According to the Transport Department, the font, color, size, and spacing of the license plates are all clearly regulated. Unauthorized alterations, reductions, or additions are prohibited.
The police and the Transport Department will use camera enforcement and road patrols to conduct inspections, so if you fail to comply, you may be fined at any time.
1️⃣ Legal basis
The license plate specifications are based on the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations ( Cap. 374E ) and the Transport Department's technical guidelines.
Key requirements include:
- To use the "Charles Wright" font (Hong Kong version)
- Must meet size standards (letter height, width, stroke width, spacing)
- Must use reflective baseboard with the specified color
2️⃣ License plate color regulations
| Vehicle location | Background | Font color |
|---|---|---|
| Front | White reflective | black |
| Rear | Yellow reflective | black |
📌Important Points :
- The color must be reflective material certified by the Transport Department
- No gradients, shadows, or patterns
- Must be able to clearly reflect light at night
3️⃣ Size standards (taking private cars/most vehicles as an example)
Single line plate
- Total license plate height : 110 mm
- Height of letters and numbers : 79 mm
- Letter width : 57 mm
- Stroke width : 14 mm
- Horizontal spacing between characters : 11 mm
- Top and bottom margins : 13 mm
- Left and right margins : 13 mm
Double line plate
Commonly used in motorcycles or small cars:
- Line height : 64 mm (letter height approximately 57 mm)
- Other proportions remain the same as the single-line
📌Special circumstances :
- For some classic cars/special models, the size can be adjusted upon application, but the proportions must still be maintained.
- Motorcycle license plates have a specific size and cannot be directly reduced using the size of a private car.
4️⃣ Font requirements
- Must use the standard Charles Wright font (close to the British standard, but the Hong Kong version has slightly thicker strokes)
- Letters must be capitalized (A–Z) and numbers must be Arabic numerals (0–9)
- There should be a standard spacing between words and numbers, not too crowded or too wide.
- Non-standard symbols (such as stars, dashes, hearts) are not allowed.
5️⃣ Common violations⚠️
- Changing the font yourself 🚫 For example, using a cursive font or bold artistic font will easily make it difficult for the camera to recognize it, which is definitely against the rules.
- Reduce the size 🚫 Some people shrink the text to a very small size to make it look better, but this is actually illegal.
- Some people like to apply carbon fiber film or black chrome to the words , which will affect the reflective effect and is also against the rules.
- The spacing is inconsistent 🚫 In order to make it "more beautiful", the spacing between characters is shortened, which makes it easy to be copied.
- Fake reflectors 🚫 Some Taobao tablets do not meet the reflectivity standards and will become dark at night. If you are caught, you will be fined.
6️⃣ Consequences of Violations
- According to the Road Traffic Ordinance, using non-compliant license plates may result in a fine or even refusal of vehicle inspection.
- Fixed fines of up to HK$5,000 , with points deducted in certain circumstances (e.g. intentional obstruction)
- During the vehicle inspection, the inspector will ask you to replace the license plate with a compliant one, otherwise you will not pass the inspection.
7️⃣ Editor's Tip✅
- Find a licensed manufacturer : The Transport Department has a list of approved manufacturers, so going with the right one is the safest bet.
- Don't blindly change the appearance of the car : beautiful does not necessarily mean legal, especially the special license plates used at car shows cannot be used on the street.
- Check the reflectivity regularly : especially the rear license plate of a motorcycle, which can be too dirty or oxidized to reflect light.
- Be careful of loose screws on motorcycles : Loose screws can cause the license plate to tilt, giving the impression of being deliberately obscured.
❤️ Summary
📌 Hong Kong license plate regulations are very strict, with standards for font, size, color , and even reflectivity. 📌 Non-compliance can result in fines or even failure of vehicle inspection. 📌 Don't trust cheap Taobao products; safety and legality are the most important.
