Recorded in
3.2% 0% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 3,551,290 records across 1,468 models.
Lamps & electrics → Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps)
The Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) MOT failure is recorded in 3.2% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 3,551,290 records across 1,468 models. A typical repair costs £5–£20. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Volvo C30 records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
0%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£5–£20
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed. Parts only: £6–£18.
What Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) means on an MOT
Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) is an MOT inspection item in the lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the manual. The tester records it when they see the condition the description names — here, when registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps). A registration plate must be clean, legible and secure, and read exactly as issued. The failure is reported against that rule, so the page uses the tester's own wording.
How common is Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) on an MOT?
Recorded in 3.2% of every MOT test in our data — 3,551,290 records across 1,468 models. That is 3% in every hundred tests, which puts Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 3,551,290 records for this item, 0.0% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous), 100.0% are minor.
Other things testers write about this item
Testers do not all write the same thing. These are the exact DVSA strings from the records for this item, each with how many tests it was written on — the page's keyword vocabulary comes straight from them.
- Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction — 1,377,121 records
- Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps — 1,036,502 records
- Stop lamp with a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning — 469,096 records
- Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning — 316,523 records
- Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning — 177,673 records
- Registration plate lamp(s) does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps — 156,825 records
- Reversing lamps inoperative — 118,725 records
- Registration plate lamp(s) missing in the case of multiple lamps or light sources — 60,737 records
- Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced — 60,642 records
- Stop lamp lens defective which has no effect on emitted light — 54,411 records
What does it cost to fix Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps)?
A typical repair on this item costs £5–£20 at UK prices, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. The bracket is our estimate from reported prices and parts, rather than a DVSA figure — see how it is built on the method page.
How the price brackets are built · full repair cost list · add it to your fail-sheet total.
The part behind the price
Fitted, our bracket is £5–£20. The part itself is £6–£18. The price is mostly the part.
A number-plate lamp — the small lamp that lights the rear plate. "Multiple lamps" means more than one has failed, which is usually the whole unit or a corroded holder rather than a bulb.
What to buy
One lamp unit, or a pair if the housing is corroded. Check the fuse and the holder first: a bulb that fails twice in a year is a water ingress problem, not a bulb problem.
| Tier | Brands | Parts price |
|---|---|---|
| Bulb If the holder is sound. Buy two. | Osram, Philips, Ring | £2–£6 |
| Lamp unit typical The usual fix once the holder has corroded. | Pattern OE units | £6–£18 |
| LED unit Longer life; check it is E-marked for road use. | Osram, Philips LED retrofits | £12–£30 |
The premium tier can cost more than the whole typical bracket above. That is not a mistake in either figure: the bracket is a typical job, not a ceiling — and this is the point at which a quote tells you which part the garage is actually fitting.
Fitting it
Five minutes with a screwdriver on nearly every car — which is why this is the cheapest item on the whole list and a £5–£20 fitted bracket.
On the retest
The plate lit, white light only, and the lamp not obscured or flickering.
Parts prices are our survey of UK parts prices in 2025 money, for registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps), and exclude delivery, VAT differences and the fitting — see how these figures are built.
Models that record Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Volvo C30 and Citroen DS4 lead the list: Volvo C30 records it on 13.3% of its tests. The rate, not the volume, is what matters here — a model with 20,000 tests can outrank one with a million.
| # | Model | Rate | Tests | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volvo C30 | 13.3% | 88,275 | — |
| 2 | Citroen DS4 | 11.9% | 40,514 | — |
| 3 | Renault Kangoo | 11.0% | 221,971 | 3.4× · year by year → |
| 4 | Chevrolet Captiva | 10.9% | 23,583 | — |
| 5 | SsangYong Tivoli | 10.2% | 22,644 | — |
| 6 | Vauxhall Antara | 9.9% | 79,960 | — |
| 7 | SsangYong Korando | 9.6% | 26,069 | — |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz Citan | 9.5% | 76,454 | — |
| 9 | Citroen Dispatch | 9.5% | 180,027 | 3.0× · year by year → |
| 10 | Citroen Berlingo | 9.3% | 696,815 | 2.9× · year by year → |
| 11 | Nissan NV200 | 9.3% | 100,010 | 2.9× · year by year → |
| 12 | Toyota Hi-Ace | 9.2% | 24,156 | — |
| 13 | Fiat Scudo | 9.1% | 32,202 | — |
| 14 | Chevrolet Spark | 9.0% | 56,981 | — |
| 15 | Toyota Hiace | 8.9% | 23,078 | — |
| 16 | Peugeot Partner | 8.8% | 564,170 | 2.8× · year by year → |
| 17 | Peugeot 207 | 8.8% | 541,214 | — |
| 18 | Honda Fr-V | 8.8% | 27,466 | — |
| 19 | Renault Laguna | 8.6% | 36,948 | — |
| 20 | Citroen C4 | 8.6% | 504,935 | 2.7× · year by year → |
Which years of car record Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps)
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.8% |
| 2011 | 5.2% |
| 2012 | 4.6% |
| 2013 | 3.8% |
| 2014 | 3.2% |
| 2015 | 2.5% |
| 2016 | 1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.4% |
| 2018 | 1.0% |
| 2019 | 0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.3% |
| 2023 | 0.4% |
| 2024 | 0.2% |
These are rates by year of registration from 2010 to 2024, not year of test, so the curve mostly reflects age — a recent car has barely been to a test station. Compare models at the same age instead.
Frequently asked questions about Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps)
How common is Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) on an MOT?
It is recorded in 3.2% of all MOT tests — 3,551,290 records across 1,468 models.
Does Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
0.0% of the records for it are a fail, 0.0% were fixed at the test, 100.0% are minor and 0.0% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) most often?
Volvo C30 and Citroen DS4 head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Volvo C30 records it on 13.3%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps)?
Typically £5–£20 fitted, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. That is an estimate from reported prices, not a DVSA figure.
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