I'm having a shot at doing my car driving test, so I need L plates. As they're just a white square with a red L, I'm too tight to pay for fancy-schmancy magnetic plates from Halfords (£6.99!), and I can't find a decent template to download to print my own, so I've made one, which will hopefully be useful for others too.
I did find this rather delightful 'Diagram of distinguishing mark to be displayed on a motor vehicle whilst being driven by a person holding a Provisional Licence' from 1937, which gave me the dimensions, which fortunately haven't changed in eighty years.
To use this template:
- Download my L plate PDF. Print in colour on A4 - two for a car, one for a motorbike.
- Cut into a square according to the marks. It should have come out at around seven inches square.
- Laminate. (Most offices seem to have laminating machines - ask your friendly receptionist, or ask a friend who works in an office with a friendly receptionist)
- Cut the excess lamination, leaving a border of 5mm (don't cut into the paper as the lamination will come apart and let water in). Leave extra border of 2cm on the sides you intend to tie to your vehicle.
- Use a hole punch to punch holes into these extra borders.
Here's examples of one for tying to a front bumper, and one for tying to a motorcycle mud flap. Tie them very securely as the wind is harder on them than you might think. Cable ties work well.
