  Surveys for nearby low-luminosity dwarfs tend to avoid the crowded regions of
the Galactic Plane. We have devised near-infrared colour-magnitude and
colour-colour selection criteria designed to identify late-type M and
early-type L dwarfs within 12 parsecs of the Sun. We use those criteria to
search for candidates within the regions of the Galactic Plane (|b| < 10^o)
covered by the Second Incremental Release of data from the Two-Micron All Sky
Survey. Detailed inspection of the available photographic images of the
resulting 1299 candidates confirms only two as ultracool dwarfs. Both are known
proper motion stars, identified in the recent survey by Lepine et al (2002).
Despite the low numbers, the inferred surface density is consistent with
comparable surveys at higher latitudes. We discuss the implications for the
luminosity function, and consider means of improving the efficiency and scope
of photometric surveys in the Plane.
