Canberra car enthusiasts call for Japan-style number plates in the ACT
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania all offer Japanese-sized ‘JDM’ number plates – now Canberra’s imported car owners want to be able to buy plates which fit their valuable vehicles.
A group of car enthusiasts in Canberra are petitioning for the Australian Capital Territory Government to introduce Japanese-style custom number plates – a move which has already been adopted in half of Australia’s jurisdictions.
While a majority of cars sold in Australia are able to fit government-issued number plates – which have a ‘standard’ measurement of 372mm wide by 134mm tall – some imported cars from Japan feature bumpers designed for smaller number plates.
As first reported by local publication The Riotact, Canberran car enthusiast Rob Taylor has opened an online petition for the ACT Government to follow the lead of its surrounding states by offering ‘Japanese Domestic Market (JDM)’ style number plates.
Mr Taylor claims owners of imported JDM cars – such as his Japan-only Mazda RX-7 Type R Bathurst R – are forced to either modify their car’s bumpers to suit (which can reduce the car’s value) or bend their number plates to fit the smaller holder.
According to the ACT’s road transport regulations, it is illegal to alter a number plate by obscuring, defacing or otherwise making it illegible – doing so can result in a $213 fine.
“In order to comply with the regulation, this leaves the option of modifying the vehicle, which many owners loathe to do given the rarity of their vehicles, the cost and difficulty in modifying the vehicle, the impact to the value of the vehicle – and most importantly to the owner – their love of their vehicle as it is,” Mr Taylor’s petition submission says.
“Across the ACT there is a vibrant, enthusiastic, and extensive Japanese Domestic Market car community who would be more than happy to pay this premium to remain in line with current regulations and to keep their much-loved vehicles in showroom condition.”
While the Mazda RX-7 was sold in Australia – with bumpers from the factory to accommodate standard Australian number plates – imported examples such as Mr Taylor’s Bathurst R edition have different plate holding dimensions, as seen below.
Despite selling European-sized number plates for a one-off fee of approximately $535, the ACT is yet to follow New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania by offering Japanese-sized plates – which measure 305mm wide by 155mm or tall.
In Queensland, the JDM number plates cost $495. In New South Wales, the one-off price is $335 however there is a recurring annual fee of $499.
Victorians pay the highest one-off price for the special number plates – forking out $545 – while Tasmanian motorists have to pay $459.
Since opening on July 10, Mr Taylor’s petition has received 334 signatures from ACT motorists, and is sponsored by Johnathan Davis – a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
After the petition closes on September 30 it will be referred to the Minister for Transport, though if more than 500 signatures are received, it will be referred to an “appropriate (Legislative) Assembly committee.
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