Attaching number plates on bumper covers without drilling..

Hello all How are others attaching their metal number plates onto their expensive bumpers? I as wondering what the law is and if it is possible to attach without drilling holes into the bumper.

I have seen on other cars (I do not currently have this on my car) L-shaped brackets that come from the center bumper vent and up that allow you to mount the plates.

Use 3m double sided tape. Done it for years.

Brilliant - thanks!

This can vary by State - if it is a new car in Victoria, dealers are required to affix registration plates in a “permanent” manner as part of VicRoads registration requirements - some years ago, I sourced a set of a Lakin number plate frames for a new Golf GTI so asked the dealer to use 3M tape to affix the plates temporarily - received a firm refusal despite undertaking to return the car so they could satisfy themselves the plates were permanently affixed.

I used  a really strong Velcro to hold mine on never had any problems with it

Quotes source post: 359924

I seriously doubt police have the desire or need to look what the plates are attached with….

Quotes source post: 359924

Yep, thats the same as I have been told in NSW. The brackets I mentioned above had a U-shaped section that slipped over the top of the front opening which could be tightened with a bolt that went through both "legs" of the U shape and the plates bolted to the brackets. This was a "permanaent" fixing solution that passed inspection

It's a totally ridiculous argument to say suitable adhesive is not 'permanamt'.  Mine had personalised plastic ACT plates attached with tape and it took me HOURS to remove them!  Far more permanent than a couple of cheesy self-tappers into plastic inserts.  Doesn't mean that a cranky copper might not try to book you for it though.  But in my experience, I would shy away from 3M simply due to the massive drama getting them off! My car had the square holes in the bar but no plate bracket and no plastic nut inserts for the square holes.  I found a suitable insert at Supercrap Auto and screwed my NSW Euro plates on, just put a curve into the front plate to match the bumper and allow for the missing plate mount (which looks naff anyhow).

Yep Steve totally agree mate. Issue is however the Police and the courts in NSW aka. a "cranky copper" and "Nanny-State Magistrate" seems to have a different view. Ask me how I know The below is from the matter summary from when this happened to me, however the TL:DR is mechanical fixings are required in NSW and the hours you took to remove could be seen as simply required for "cosmetic purposes" such as not damaging the paint etc., which it seems is not a mitigating factor when affixing a NSW number plate. So I was fined for this offence, that being not having a plate properly affixed to a motor vehcile in operation. The Police and Prosecutor citied the NSW Road Transport (Vehcile Registration) Regulation 2017 - Regulation 25 - Display of number-plates that requires: Number plates must be permanently fitted to vehicles in an upright position and parallel to the vehicle’s axles, and not more than 1.3 metres above ground level. Number plates must not be obscured, defaced or otherwise not legible. The numbers on number plates must be clearly visible from any point that is up to 20 metres from the number plate, and within an arc of 45 degrees from the surface of the vehicle In the eyes of the court that heard the matter, adhesive is not permanent method of affixing a number plate for a number of reasons including that is can be quickly and easily removed without additonal tools, with a minimum of effort and/or limited damage to the mounting point(s) to the vehicle. Paint damage is superficial and not a mitigating factor. Whereas, a mechanical fixing, even if that is by the means of screws (plural as a single can be challenged) that can be easily removed with an appropriate tool, is deemed under the law as a "permanent fixing", as such a fixing to be deemed permanent should require an individual to perform a deliberate and meaningful act to remove the plate that cannot be simply and expediatently removed by action (a person willingfull or negligently ripping it off) or accident (miscellaneous impact from road debris etc.). Additionally, adhesive can fail due to temperature and poor surface preparation etc. further allowing it be easily removed by impact or manual intervention be a person with immediacy, including the owner or/and driver of the vehicle

Yes I had a similar roadside discussion with the boys in blue when I was driving a friend's 1972 911ST replica. This car had a number plate decal on the bonnet - which was infinitely more visible than a plate on the bumper. When we questioned them their inspections of the car  went to the Michelin TB tyres , the harnesses, the exhaust etc etc etc. We were defected on the spot and given 2-3 hours to get back to my mates place at Pymble ( Sydney). Sometimes "resistance is futile", you just need to know when to fold em ( as per the Kenny Rodgers song)! Justin

Backs up what I figured, ie; 1 - the law is an ass 2 - if plod has his or her back up, sometimes they just want to find some way of inconveniencing you.  Taped on plates give it to them. By the way, completing the circular discussion on point1, my old Saab was written off and the one good thing was that the NSW Euro plates were undamaged.  I visited the car at the holding yard to remove my personal effects but I did not remove the plates.  Later, it took quite a lot of arguing with Pickles to get them to remove the plates and send them back to me (still my property, as I argued with vigour).  When I got them back, they'd been physically torn off the vehicle, leaving the bolts behind, and were completely ruined.  They were obviously making a point, but the same could be used to argue (likely unsuccessfully) that even bolts are not 'permanent' and they *can* be removed without tools.  But yeah... see point #1. When my subsequent Audi was hail damaged, I made sure to swap the rego with the spare car which had crappy yellow plates before it was towed away.

Use 3m tape, then cut down/grind the thread off of a couple of nice domed alloy or stainless bolt heads or similar, then glue onto the plate where plod can't see if there's a thread or not. Sorted 👍 😁

Briliant ! I really like this method of attachment. Thanks