Vehicle graphic laws in the UK

Getting graphics added to a business vehicle is a popular promotional choice, for a number of reasons. The first of those is the fact that it is one of the cheapest forms of advertising available. Relatively speaking, having the graphics applied does not cost much, and they tend to last for a long time once they are in place.

The second reason why a lot of businesses choose it is because of the promotional reach it provides. Vehicle graphics will be seen by hundreds of people every single day.

If you are thinking about adding them to your business vehicles, there are laws you must comply with though.

Placement of graphics

There are certain parts of a vehicle where graphics cannot be placed. To start with, they cannot be added to the windows. This is for safety reasons, as they would obscure the view of the driver. Anything that will prevent the driver from seeing the road clearly is against the law in the UK. Breaking that law can bring a hefty fine, or even more serious consequences.

A second law regarding the placement of graphics decrees that they cannot obscure registration details. This means the registration number, licence plates and lights. This is because they are used by the police and traffic enforcement to identify vehicles.

Style of graphics

There are laws concerning what vehicle graphics are allowed to look like too. You cannot add graphics that resemble official signage, such as that used to identify the emergency services. This is classified as misleading the public and will lead to legal penalties if you do not comply with it.

Content of graphics

The content of vehicle graphics is also subject to legal regulation. You must comply with the guidelines set out by the Advertising Standards Authority. They cover more than one aspect of advertising content:

Public decency

Your vehicle graphics cannot violate standards for public decency. That means they must not feature offensive content, such as bad language.

Truthfulness and accuracy

The graphics must also abide by advertising standards regarding truthfulness and accuracy. Any claims made by the text should be possible to verify and should not feature false or exaggerated information.

At Ainsley Signs, we can provide vehicle livery in Manchester that is fully compliant with the law. Get in touch for details.