The orange plate is a 40 × 30 cm retroreflective plate fitted to the front and rear of a vehicle carrying dangerous goods under ADR. A blank plate shows that the vehicle is carrying dangerous goods. A numbered plate carries the hazard identification number (Kemler code) at the top and the four-digit UN number at the bottom; numbered plates are mandatory for tankers and bulk loads.
Dimensions and design of the plate
- The base is 40 cm, the height 30 cm and the black border 15 mm; the surface is retroreflective.
- The plate may be divided in the middle by a horizontal black line 15 mm thick.
- The digits are black, 100 mm high, with a stroke thickness of 15 mm.
- If there is not enough surface on the vehicle, the dimensions may be reduced to a minimum of 300 × 120 mm with a 10 mm border.
- The plate must not come loose when exposed to fire for 15 minutes and the digits must remain legible; it must stay in place even if the vehicle overturns.
Blank plate or numbered plate?
| Mode of carriage | Front and rear | Sides |
|---|---|---|
| Packaged goods (boxes, drums, IBCs) | Blank orange plate | Not required |
| Tanker or bulk vehicle carrying a single substance | Numbered plate | Not required if the front and rear plates are numbered |
| Multi-compartment tanker carrying different substances | Blank plate | The numbered plate for each compartment on both sides of that compartment |
| Tanker carrying only UN 1202, 1203, 1223, 3475 or jet fuel (1268, 1863) | The number of the most dangerous substance, i.e. the one with the lowest flash point | Not required |
| Tank container, bulk container | Blank plate on the vehicle | On the sides of the container; if not visible from outside, also on the sides of the vehicle |
Commonly seen numbers: 33/1203 petrol, 30/1202 diesel, 23/1965 LPG, 80/1830 sulphuric acid. How the code is read is explained in the entry Kemler code. The number is taken from column 20 of Table A, and the UN number from column 1.
When is an orange plate not required?
- For packaged goods, if the total dangerous goods on the vehicle are below the 1000-point threshold in 1.1.3.6; the calculation is illustrated in the entry ADR transport category.
- If the load consists only of limited quantity (LQ) packages; in this case, once the total gross mass exceeds 8 tonnes, the LQ mark is displayed instead of the orange plate; details are in the entry limited quantity.
- If the goods are carried as excepted quantities (EQ).
What happens after unloading?
Empty tanks, tank containers and bulk vehicles that have not been cleaned or degassed keep their plates; the hazard persists in the residue. A plate that no longer relates to the goods carried, however, is removed or covered. The cover must conceal the plate completely and remain effective after 15 minutes of fire. A truck that carries paint on the outbound trip and loads textiles on the return misleads emergency responders in an accident if it leaves the plate uncovered. An orange plate must also remain on the rear of a loaded trailer that is uncoupled from its tractor unit.
How does it differ from a placard?
A placard is a diamond-shaped class label with sides of at least 25 cm, displayed on containers and tanks and on the sides and rear of the vehicle; it shows the hazard class of the substance. The orange plate, by contrast, is rectangular and indicates that the vehicle is carrying dangerous goods and, if numbered, which substance it is carrying. Tankers display both. The appearance of the class labels is shown in the entry ADR hazard labels.
Common mistakes
- Using a plate that is not fire-resistant or comes loose easily; the plate must stay in place and legible for 15 minutes under fire.
- Fitting blank plates front and rear on a single-substance tanker and also forgetting the side plates
- Not covering the plate on the return trip
- Interchangeable digits slipping or falling off on the road
In dangerous goods (ADR) transport, the plate arrangement is one of the first items on the pre-loading vehicle checklist.