The DVLA is set to ban over 450 number plates when new designs are launched from Monday. Every year, new DVLA plates are issued on September 1, with the latest ‘75’ plates set to launch within days.
However, the DVLA goes through and removes certain designs from circulation before their release, with a staggering 464 taken off the roads this year. The DVLA removes plates to ensure that no possibly offensive topics appear on vehicles across UK roads. It means designs such as ‘BA75 ARD’ and ‘OR75 GY’ have been removed by officials to ensure they don’t end up stuck on vehicles.
BigWantsYourCar explained: “It’s easy to forget how many new number plate combinations are generated every year, but some of them accidentally form offensive or inappropriate words. The DVLA screens these out before they ever reach the roads to avoid complaints, reputational issues, and to protect future resale value.”
Other phrases which have already been flagged by the DVLA include ‘AR75 RSE’, ‘SH75 TTY’ and ‘EU75 WAR’. Even politically sensitive phrases have been scrapped with ‘NO75 LAB’ and ‘NO75 LEZ’, referencing the UK’s low-emission-zones, also removed.
Iain Reid, head of editorial at Carwow, also explained that it was vital that officials removed designs which risked causing “genuine offence”.
He said: “Personalised plates are always a source of creativity – and sometimes controversy. Every release brings a wave of cheeky, clever, and occasionally questionable suggestions that the DVLA has to sift through. While most are light-hearted, it’s important the system filters out anything that could cause genuine offence. With each new series, it’s fascinating to see where the line is drawn.”
Motorists hoping to evade the rules and use a banned phrase are unlikely to get away with it. Experts suggest that police officers can confiscate the designs and drivers could be slapped with a fine of up to £1,000.
Vehicles can automatically fail an MOT test if the vehicle number plates are not compliant. In these circumstances, road users could find that their car insurance policy is invalidated in another major blow.
The DVLA has previously said: “The vast majority of registration numbers are made available, but we withhold any combinations we believe could cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste.”
