The driver of a registered vehicle must ensure that the numbers and letters on the vehicle's number plate are clearly visible from a distance of at least 20 m.

Hand-painted plates are not acceptable.

If you have a bicycle rack fitted to your vehicle, and it obscures the rear number plate you can either:

• obtain a bike rack number plate from VicRoads and attach this to the bicycle rack; or
  
• attach the rear number plate from the vehicle to the bicycle rack when it is in use and then return it to the vehicle when not using the bicycle rack.
  
  

It is an offence under the law to:

• drive at night without the number plate on the bicycle rack illuminated at night or not clearly visible from a distance of at least 20 m.
  
• to drive a vehicle with a bicycle rack without a bicycle in it.
  
  

For details see the brochure Bike Rack No Plates [PDF 355 KB, 2 pp]