Is Your Number Plate Mounted Legally?

What Every Aussie Caravan and 4WD Owner Needs to Know

Every road-legal vehicle in Australia needs a number plate. For most 4WDs, the front plate is easy, it bolts straight onto the bullbar or bumper and doesn’t need a light. But when it comes to the rear number plate, things can get tricky.

Add a rear bar, spare tyre carrier, bike rack, or caravan hitch, and suddenly there’s nowhere legal or visible to put your number plate. We've seen plenty zip-tied to jerry can holders, or tucked under bumpers with no light. That might look OK on the tracks, but it’s not legal in Australia, and could get you fined, knocked back at rego, or uncovered by insurance in a worst-case scenario.

What’s the Law Say?

Australian road rules are different in each state, but the Australian Design Rules (ADRs) set the base standard. These are federal laws that every vehicle must follow, and they’re very clear when it comes to number plates.

Here’s the quick version:

The rear number plate must be mounted upright, in line with the axles
It must be between 300mm and 1300mm off the ground
It has to be clearly visible from 20 metres away at a 45° angle
It needs a white, colourless light shining directly on the plate
That light must not shine backwards like a reversing light

If you miss any of those points, especially the plate light, you could be running illegal.

The Rear Bar Problem

One of the biggest problems comes from aftermarket rear bars. Many of them don’t include a proper number plate mount or ADR-compliant light. Some leave it out altogether. Others put the plate in an awkward or blocked spot.

A good example is the JK Jeep Wrangler which mounts the plate in the rear bumper from factory, but when you upgrade to an aftermarket bar, there’s nowhere legal to put it. People zip tie the plate to the spare tyre, but there’s no light, and that’s not legal. Tough Toys has designed a universal relocation bracket that works for 4WDs and caravans. It’s got a proper LED plate light built in and fits heaps of 5-stud and 6-stud wheel patterns.

What started as a solution for Jeeps has now become a go-to fix for caravans and campers too, especially after people realised just how many trailers are sold with poor or illegal number plate setups.

How To Make Your Setup Legal (The Easy Way)

Instead of stressing about where to mount your plate or how to wire in a light that meets ADRs, we’ve done the hard work for you.

Our Tough Toys Universal 4WD & Caravan Rear Number Plate Relocation Bracket:

Fits most common 5-stud and 6-stud wheels (Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Jeep, Suzuki, etc.)
Works on caravans, camper trailers, rear bars and more
Includes an ADR-compliant white LED number plate light
Simple wiring that you just hook it into your tail lights or parkers
Keeps your plate visible, legal, and tidy

It’s perfect for any 4WD or trailer where the factory plate mount is no longer usable and it saves you the hassle of custom brackets, dodgy wiring jobs, or expensive fines.

Play It Safe and Stay Compliant

Mounting your number plate properly isn’t just about avoiding fines. It’s about being safe, seen, and covered by your insurer. Authorities take plate visibility seriously, and so should you.

Make sure your plate: