How to Mount an LED Light Bar on Your License Plate

An LED light bar or set of LED driving lights is one of the best upgrades you can make for a safer, more confident and more enjoyable night-time driving experience. The problem for some drivers is that most mounting options mean making permanent changes to your vehicle: cutting into the grille, drilling into the roof or bumper, or fitting a roof rack or bull bar. If your car is leased, new or you'd simply rather keep it as the manufacturer intended, none of those may feel like the right choice for you.

The good news is, if the above applies to you, you can still install an LED light bar via mounting in your license plate area. In this guide, we'll explain how our license plate mount kits work, what to check before you buy, and show three real installations on three different vehicles.

What Is an LED Light Bar License Plate Mount?

A license plate mount is a set of brackets that uses your vehicle's existing license plate area as the mounting point for a driving lamp or LED light bar. The brackets sit behind or around the plate, and the lamp is positioned just above or below it. Because you're working with a mounting area that's already there, the installation is far less invasive than some of the other typical mounting methods.

What Are The Benefits:

1. It's quick to fit: With the right preparation, a license plate mount takes less than 10 minutes to install.

2. It's discreet: The brackets tuck behind the plate and lamp, so the finished install looks like it belongs on the vehicle.

3. It's versatile: Most kits can be configured to sit above or below the plate, close to the vehicle or offset from it, so they suit a wide range of vehicles and lamp sizes.

4. It's reversible: This is the main reason many drivers choose a license plate mount. The installation only needs a few small screw / bolt holes behind the plate area, so you can add serious lighting performance without major, irreversible modifications. That makes it a popular choice for lease cars and new vehicles.

5. It's road-legal: Our Lazer license plate mount kits pair perfectly with our low-profile Linear & Glide range of high-performance LED lightbars, with both offering functionality for road-legal use where local regulations permit.

In-built within each Glide lamp is a Dynamic Dip mode which provides a smooth transition between high and low output modes. The low output mode permits driving in compliance with UNECE Regulation 149 (Double E-Mark) where local laws require.

The Linear lamps also feature dual output functionality via the Linear E-Mark Cap, which when attached to the lamp enables the operation of low-output mode. The Linear-6, Linear-12, Linear-18 and Linear-24 Elite are all UNECE Reg 112 Approved with Class B certification. The Linear-18 Elite and Linear-24 Elite are also double E-Marked. For more information on keeping your lighting setup road legal, please view our dedicated blog here.

What To Check Before Installation:

Is your bumper sturdy enough?

Give the bumper a firm shake and a tap where the lamp will sit. If it flexes or drums noticeably, the lamp may vibrate while you're driving, which can be distracting. On less rigid bumpers, our stay bar kit can be used to add support and reduce vibration.

What is your bumper made from?

This determines which fixings to use. Self-tapping screws suit strong engineered plastics such as PC-ABS. For polypropylene bumpers, rivets give a more secure hold.

Where are your parking sensors / radar systems?

Many modern cars have front parking sensors and/or radar systems (linked to cruise control for example) close to the license plate. Your lamp mustn't block them, which may decide whether it goes above or below the plate and what size of lamp fits.

Should the light bar go above or below the license plate?

Mounting higher generally gives better lighting performance and a longer reach of light. Mounting below the plate suits vehicles where sensors or styling make the upper position impractical.

Cut or no-cut?

Most license plate installs need no cutting at all. For the most flush finish, some vehicles need a section of the lower grille removed. That is a permanent change, so decide how tight to the vehicle you really want the lamp (see the Mini Cooper example below for an example).

Will your license plate stay visible?

Whichever position you choose, the plate must remain fully visible and unobstructed once the lamp is fitted.

License Plate Mounting Example Installations:

1) Above The License Plate:
Vehicle: Ford EcoSport
Light Fitted: Glide Elite
Mount Kit Used: Licence Plate Mount (Glide)

On this small SUV, a front parking sensor sits beside the license plate, so we mounted the lamp above the plate to keep the sensor clear. We used the Glide Elite, a 20" curved LED light bar, with the dedicated Licence Plate Mount (Glide). The lamp sits tight to the front grille and follows the vehicle's contours for a factory-fitted look. The higher position also gives a greater distance of usable light.

2) Below The License Plate:
Vehicle: Skoda Kodiaq
Light Fitted: Linear-12 Elite PL
Mount Kit Used: Licence Plate Mount (Pair)

This SUV has parking sensors on both sides of the plate, so a larger lamp could interfere. We chose the compact Linear-12 Elite PL and mounted it below the plate using the universal Licence Plate Mount (Pair). It's a completely no-cut installation: a few pilot holes and the cable fed through the grille for a clean finish.

3) Below The License Plate - flush mounted:
Vehicle: Mini Cooper
Light Fitted: Glide Elite PL
Mount Kit Used: Licence Plate Mount (Pair) combined with Glide Side Mount Kit

For the cleanest possible finish, this Mini Cooper install combines the universal Licence Plate Mount Kit with Glide Side Mounts. Offsetting the Glide Elite PL further back pulls it in tight to the vehicle. The trade-off is that a section of the lower grille has to be cut away. Grille designs vary, so check that the area is suitable, and that there's no wiring behind it, before you make any cuts.

Watch the video above for a full step-by-step walkthrough of each installation.

Which Kit Is Right For You And Your Vehicle?

Search for LED light bar license plate mounts online and you'll find plenty of ultra-slim, compact options designed to fully blend in and almost disappear on the front of your car. They do look neat, but that smaller footprint often comes with a compromise: smaller lamps, less light, and less of the distance and spread you need for a truly transformative night-time drive.

At Lazer, performance has always come first. We started out designing lights for the highest levels of professional motorsport, and the trust we earned on the track soon carried over to the road. Today, we take that same proven performance and adapt it for everyday drivers.

Every Lazer product is designed and manufactured in-house in the UK, the importance of that is that we control the entire process, from initial concept design all the way to final assembly. Each product goes through rigorous testing, and every individual component part is inspected before it's built in. That attention to detail, combined with our engineering expertise, is why our lights last longer and perform better. Our license plate mounts may not be the most subtle on the market, but if you value light output, quality and durability, they're the right choice for you!

So choosing the right solution comes down to what matters most to you:

• If performance comes first, and you want the most light without permanent changes, a Lazer license plate mount is the right choice.
• If you want high performance and a fully flush, factory-fitted look, and you're happy to modify your grille, our vehicle-specific Grille Integration Kits give you the best of both, but if we dont offer one for your vehicle, a installation similar to the Mini Cooper example is your best bet.
• If a barely-there look is your top priority and grille integration isn't an option for your vehicle, a smaller, more discreet license plate solution may suit you better.
  
  

Our License Plate Mount Kits:

For most driving lights: Licence Plate Mount (Pair)

This universal kit (NPM03) mounts a single lamp or a pair, in a range of sizes. It's made from lightweight folded aluminium with a black powder-coat finish, and the brackets weigh just 225 g but carry up to 5 kg. It's compatible with the majority of our lights and comes with both rivets and self-tapping screws.

For a Glide light bar above the plate: Licence Plate Mount (Glide)

This dedicated kit (NPM-GLIDE) is made from stainless steel and bolts into pre-drilled threaded holes on the underside of the lamp, so the brackets are barely visible. An Anti-Theft Fastener Kit is available separately. To mount a Glide below the plate, use the universal Licence Plate Mount with Glide Side Mounts.

By rotating and inverting the brackets, you can achieve a wide range of positions to suit almost any vehicle. For questions on the right setup for your vehicle, please get in touch via sales@lazerlamps.com or call +44 (0)1992 677374.

FAQ

How long does it take to fit a license plate light bar mount?

Fitting the mount itself takes under 10 minutes. Allow extra time for marking out, drilling pilot holes and wiring the lamp.

Can you fit a light bar on a lease car?

A license plate mount is one of the most lease-friendly ways to add driving lights, because it avoids cutting or major drilling and can be removed later. Lease agreements vary, though, so it's always worth checking your terms, or asking your leasing company, before making any changes to the vehicle.

Do I need to drill holes to mount a light bar on my license plate?

You'll need to drill a few small pilot holes (we used a 2 mm drill bit) behind the plate area. Most installs need no cutting, though some flush-fit installs require part of the lower grille to be removed.

Is it legal to mount driving lights on the license plate in the UK?

Your plate must remain clearly visible and unobstructed, and your lamps should be road-legal. For more information on keeping your lighting setup road legal, please view our dedicated blog here.

Will a license plate mount vibrate?

It depends on how rigid your bumper is. Test it by shaking and tapping the mounting area. If there's noticeable movement, a possible solution may be our stay bar kit, which would add support and reduce vibration.

Can I mount two lights on a license plate mount?

Yes. The universal Licence Plate Mount (Pair) can be used for a single lamp or a pair.

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