One of the most popular times for Brits to buy a car is when the new number plates launch in March and September of each year, with many happy to wait a few months to get the latest registration.
However, whilst many motorists are currently deciding what car they would like to own, complete with a set of the upcoming ’25’ plates, there are a number of registrations that have been banned by the DVLA.
Mark Trimbee, CEO of the private number plate company Regtransfers, highlighted that some combinations of letters and numbers get banned to prevent drivers buying a car with an offensive set of plates.
He explained: “It’s always entertaining to see some of the plates deemed inappropriate by the DVLA, but there are also those that remind us why this is a necessary process.
“Personalised number plates are an excellent form of self-expression, but they shouldn’t be used to display genuinely harmful messages or views.”
No fewer than 210 number plates have been banned by the DVLA, with many spelling out explicit words that use the 5 as an S.
These include ‘**25LUT’, ‘**25HAG’, and ‘**25HAT’, in addition to some words that are spelled out around the numbers, such as ‘AA25HOL’, ‘BA25TAD’, and ‘FA25NNY’.
Some terms that could be considered as threatening have also been removed, including ‘**25TAB’ and ‘GB25KLL’.
The DVLA has also prevented motorists buying a number plate that makes reference to a number of ongoing conflicts elsewhere in the world.
These include plates that refer to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including ‘**25RUS’ and ‘**25UKR’.
Other registrations that reflect tensions within the Middle East, such as ‘GA25ZAA’, alongside more general combinations that reflect war, like ‘YS25WAR’ and ‘EU25BOM’, have also been removed.
The restrictions enforced by the DVLA also apply to drivers thinking about adding a private number plate for their current model, with other regulations ensuring that the new registration is visible to all road users and ANPR cameras.
In order to comply, the plates must be made from a reflective material, white on the front and yellow on the rear, and not have a pattern that could obscure the letters and numbers.
If a number plate is considered to be not road legal, the vehicle’s owner could face fines of up to £1,000 alongside other complications such as MOT failure and three licence points.
