Importers of American cars often end up using untidy motorbike sized plates and other odd items made up by various sign companies.

Here in the UK, the authorities try to restrict the purchase of number plates to only specialist suppliers they can monitor in true Big Brother style. They want certain sized fonts and often a postcode at the bottom of the manufacturer. Who wants that? Big daft fonts designed to fit on standard rectangle number plates squeezed onto small plates?

A few years ago there used to be a company called “States Plates” that used to make up my pressed aluminium style plates. They went bust in the last recession.

I found a place up in Manchester who would make UK style acrylic plates, but they always wanted copies of logbooks, licences and other stuff before they would make it. If the names didn’t match or you didn’t have the correct documents to hand, it was a pain in the arse.

The debate rages on about what is and isn’t legal with font spacing for cars. I have found that as long as it looks pretty reasonable and can be read, nobody really cares. When was the last time you saw a traffic cop with a tape measure examining font sizes? Exactly!

I have now found a number plate supplier where one can circumvent all the crap usually associated with buying number plates. They make German pressed aluminium ones, American pressed aluminium ones, and proper white and yellow acrylic ones made to the correct size for US number plate apertures, and more importantly, they will use a sensible looking font for the size you specify.

The trick to not having to tip up loads of documents is to simply tick “show plate” at the start of the buying process. This removes the requirement for them to have copies of all your documents to satisfy Big Brother.

We have used them many times for cars we have imported and never yet have I been disappointed. The banners to specific areas of their sites for different types of plates are below:

For American sized UK plates, go here:

For American style pressed aluminium plates go here:

For classic car black/silver number plates go here:

Remember to tick “show plate” to reduce bureaucracy and paperwork, and expect them in a few days! How easy is that?

Having sourced your car in the US, you need to get it shipped over. Shipping time will be about 4-6 weeks. Either the shipper or the shipping agent you use will arrange dockside clearance which has a few nominal fees attached. You have to pay your Import Duty before or on collection of the car, based on the declared value.

You will be asked if you want ro-ro (roll on, roll off) shipping or container shipping. Ro-ro is cheaper; containers more expensive. Its your choice. Personally I use ro-ro, it costs less, the car arrives sometimes covered in crap but a car wash is a fiver.

Some people howl, “containers are the only safe way”. Think about that. A container is lifted off and shunted around the goods yard by cranes. How good did the shippers strap it down? Will it move? Somebody has to be paid to “unpack” the container. (That means untie the ropes and drive it out) That will cost more money and some hairy arsed dock worker will still be driving your car.

I have yet to have a car damaged by ro-ro. I have had cars damaged in containers. Your mileage may vary.