Goodbye to the GB sticker: British motorists driving into Europe need to display new 'UK' number plates and stickers on their cars from TODAY
Motorists driving their cars into Europe will from today need to display a new UK number plate or sticker, with the traditional GB sticker used on the back of cars no longer valid from 28 September.
Anyone intending to use their UK-registered motors in Europe with a GB number plate will need to display a new 'UK' sticker, or have to order fresh number plates with the UK symbol displayed on the left-hand-side.
The change is intended to be more inclusive of Northern Ireland in the wake of Brexit but sparked fury from drivers and motoring groups who have since bemoaned the loss of the long-running GB emblem.
Car sticker rule change from today: Britons driving their cars into Europe from today will need to display new number plates or stickers showing 'UK' as the traditional 'GB' sticker is now no longer valid
In July, the UN said it had received 'a notification stating that the United Kingdom is changing the distinguishing sign that it had previously selected for display in international traffic on vehicles registered in the United Kingdom, from 'GB' to 'UK''.
Any penalties for non-compliance with the new rules will be dependent on specific countries, though Halfords warned earlier this year that motorists failing to display the correct 'UK' badge on their vehicles could be 'refused entry'. 'From 28 September, British motorists travelling abroad will be legally required to display a UK sticker on their vehicle, in place of the old GB one,' a spokesperson claimed.
'Failure to adhere to the new regulations may lead to refusal on entry and holidays ruined.'
The change to 'UK' will come just nine months after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps committed to a redesign to replace the EU's stars with a Union Jack on 'GB' number plates following Britain's split from Brussels.
Shapps then notified the UN in the summer that the marking would be changed from 'GB' for UK-registered vehicles to be more inclusive.
The change is intended to be more inclusive of Northern Ireland in the wake of Brexit but sparked fury from drivers and motoring group who have since bemoaned the loss of the long-running GB emblem
Drivers with a number plate like this will need to have a 'UK' sticker on the back of their car. Halfords says some may be refused entry without the correct sticker displayed
The AA bemoaned the loss of the 'famed' GB sticker and said it amounted to 'losing another element of British motoring'.
Edmund King, the organisation's president, told the Telegraph in July: 'From a heritage point of view, we have lots of classic cars, such as Jaguars, Spitfires, and so on, that have metal GB signs on the rear of the car.
'Now I don't propose that they take them off but what they will now have to do is have a tacky plastic UK sticker alongside it.
'So from a historic perspective, we have lost the tax disk on the windscreen and we are now losing another element of British motoring, the famed GB sticker.'
The motoring group said the new rule change meant its stock of around 50,000 GB stickers have since been rendered worthless.
The AA bemoaned the loss of the 'famed' GB sticker and said it amounted to 'losing another element of British motoring' that has become part of tradition
Edmund King, AA president said it was disappointing that classic cars, like this Jaguar, would now need to have a 'tacky' sticker attached if driven in Europe
Private number plate specialists CarReg also warned those who had invested in personalised number plates with the GB sign included will also need to update their designs or be forced to display a sticker if they plan to use their motor abroad.
Government recommendation now officially states that a number plate that includes the UK identifier with the Union Jack will not need to display a UK sticker.
However, owners of UK-registered cars driven into Europe will need to display a UK sticker clearly on the rear of the vehicle if your number plate has any of the following: a GB identifier with the Union flag; Euro symbol; national flag of England, Scotland or Wales; numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier.
'If you're in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a UK sticker no matter what is on your number plate,' Gov.uk outlines.
'You do not need a UK sticker or number plate to drive in Ireland,' the website clarifies.
The new stickers can be purchased online, with prices start from £1.50
The new UK stickers are available online, in post offices, garages and motor retail specialists including Halfords for around £1.50 to £4.
Like number plates, the EU flag has also been removed from the top left corner of the pink plastic cards, replaced by 'UK'.
A Union Jack was already displayed on the right-hand-side of the photocards before 1 January.
While the old style driving licences are still valid, the new versions will be issued to everyone renewing their photocard or getting one for the first time from 2021.
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