Is car wrapping legal in the UK?
Car wrapping has grown in popularity in recent years. It provides vehicle owners with an easy way to temporarily change the look and feel of their car.
Car wrapping has grown in popularity in recent years. It provides vehicle owners with an easy way to temporarily change the look and feel of their car.
You can choose car wraps in many different colours and patterns, and it can be more cost effective than an entirely new paint job. It is also unlikely to cause any damage to the car’s original paintwork, and it’s easily removable too.
However, is car wrapping legal in the UK? And who do you need to tell if you choose to alter the appearance of your vehicle in this way?
In this article, we explore the legalities behind car wrapping, as well as the ways in which it could impact you as a driver.
Are car wraps legal?
In short, yes - car wraps are perfectly legal in the UK, regardless of whether the vehicle is fully or partially wrapped. Car wrapping is considered to be a temporary modification to the standard factory specification of your car.
The only restriction is that you cannot get car wraps that may mislead other road users into believing that your vehicle is a police car.
Does wrapping a car increase insurance costs?
While it is completely legal, wrapping your car may impact how much you pay for your insurance - but why?
Since car wrapping can make your vehicle more visible, especially if you choose a wrap in a bright colour or pattern, it could be argued that it would then be a more likely target for theft or vandalism. As a result, you could expect your insurance premium to increase.
Who do you inform if you wrap your car?
Regardless of whether you’re wrapping your car for the first time or you’ve done it before, it’s important that you notify the relevant people. So, who exactly do you need to inform of your newly wrapped vehicle?
Do you need to tell DVLA about your new car wrap?
You must notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that you have wrapped your car as soon as possible. The DVLA states that, if the colour of a vehicle has been changed, it must be registered. Although you are not permanently changing the original colour of your car, wrapping it does mean that you are altering its appearance, therefore you must register the change accordingly.
To do this, you will need to complete relevant paperwork, and you will also need to update the car’s vehicle log book, otherwise known as the V5C.
If you fail to inform the DVLA and your vehicle is stolen, police authorities will not have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the appearance of your vehicle, making it more difficult for it to be located.
Do you have to notify your insurance company of car wrapping?
Aside from the DVLA, you should also notify your insurance company if you wrap your car. Ideally, you should do this in advance of wrapping the vehicle to ensure that your policy will still be valid afterwards.
If you wrap your car but fail to inform your insurance company, it’s likely that you’ll be in breach of the terms and conditions of your policy. This could then mean that your cover is revoked, and any claims you make could be refused.
Keeping your insurance provider updated on your plans to wrap your car will ensure that you are suitably protected.
