A number of new car registration plates are banned twice a year by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). These plates include anything that is deemed rude or inappropriate, or references crime, racism, politics or religion.
These lists of forbidden number plates are released each year in March and September to coincide with the switch to new plates.
This March saw the introduction of the “25” plates, which has led to multiple number plates making the list due to the way the number resembles the letters “SS”.
Experts at car sales platform Carwow detailed exactly what plates are therefore restricted. Due to the similarity between “25” and “SS” you won’t find any cars that read TO25 ERR” and “AS25 HOL”.
Words related to crime are also not allowed. On the list for this reason are “MU25 DER” and “PE25 ADO”.
Anything associated with the ward in Ukraine is also on the list. This includes “25 RUS” and “25 UKR”. Anything with the word “war” is also deemed inappropriate. “MG25 WAR” and “NF25 WAR” are banned.
Iain Reid, head of editorial at Carwow, commented: “The twice-yearly plate-change always sparks some interest in the new car market, as car buyers get a kick out of having a new number plate and many are willing to wait for one. Many drivers go one step further to express themselves with a personalised plate, but it’s important to ensure not to cause offence.”
Personalised number plates are popular with many drivers. You can buy a personalised registration for your number plates from DVLA online or at auction.
However, it’s important to remember that personalised registration numbers can only be used on a vehicle registered (or about to be registered), taxed and used in the UK.
When it comes to picking your registration number, you can’t make the vehicle look newer than it actually is. “For example, you can’t put an ‘07’ registration number onto a 2003 registered vehicle,” the DVLA says.
DVLA Personalised Registrations also auctions some exclusive registration numbers. Auctions are held about six times a year and reserve prices start from £130. You can bid online, in person, by phone or in writing.
You can buy a personalised registration number from a dealer or privately. If you do this, make sure you receive the V750 certificate of entitlement or V778 certificate of retention.
For more information, visit gov.uk/buy-a-personalised-registration-number#more-information.
The full list of banned 25 number plates, according to Carwow, is:
25 HAG 25 HAT 25 LAG 25 LUT 25 PAS
25 PAZ 25 RUS 25 TAB 25 UKR A25 YAN
J25 EWW J25 EWZ AA25 HLE AA25 HOL AA25 OLE
AA25 RSE AA25 RYN AA25 SOL AB25 ORT AD25 UGY
AD25 UNK AH25 OMO AR25 BOY AR25 EEE AR25 EES
AR25 EEX AR25 EEY AR25 EOL AR25 EXX AR25 EYY
AR25 FUL AR25 FUN AR25 FWC AR25 GAY AR25 HLE
AR25 HOL AR25 LAD AR25 OL* AR25 SE* AR25 WAR
AR25 YAN AS25 BOY AS25 FUL AS25 FWC AS25 GAY
AS25 HLE AS25 HOL AS25 LAD AS25 OL* AS25 STD
AU25 WTS AU25 WTZ AW25 NKR AW25 NKS BA25 TAD
BA25 TRD BA25 TUD BJ25 EXX BJ25 EXY BO25 LOX
CO25 CKZ CR25 PLE CR25 PPL DD25 UGD DD25 UGG
DD25 UGS DD25 UGY DD25 UGZ DD25 UNK EU25 BAD
EU25 BOM EU25 FWC EU25 HTR EU25 OFF EU25 SHT
EU25 WAR FA25 GAT FA25 GTS FA25 GTT FA25 NNY
FF25 KED FF25 KER FK25 EXX FK25 EXY FK25 VAJ
GA25 AJU GA25 BOM GA25 CMP GA25 GAY GA25 HER
GA25 JEU GA25 JUD GA25 KLL GA25 NAS GA25 NAZ
GA25 OVN GA25 YOU GA25 ZAA GA25 ZAX GB25 BAD
GB25 BOM GB25 DED GB25 DWN GB25 FKT GB25 GNG
GB25 GUN GB25 HTR GB25 KLL GB25 KLR GB25 KLS
GB25 MOB GB25 SHT GB25 WAR GO25 HEL GO25 HLL
GO25 SHT GO25 WAR HE25 HEX JE25 US* JU25 CMP
JU25 NAS JU25 NAZ JU25 OVN KR25 PLE LE25 BOO
LE25 BOS LE25 BOX LE25 BOZ LE25 DYK LE25 ZAA
LE25 ZAR LE25 ZAS LE25 ZAX LE25 ZAZ LE25 ZBO
LE25 ZER LE25 ZRR LE25 ZRS LE25 ZZA LE25 ZZR
MA25 WAR MG25 WAR MU25 DER NA25 TZE NF25 NAZ
NF25 WAR NF25 XRW NG25 NOG NO25 LEZ OD25 UGY
OD25 UNK OR25 ASM PE25 ADO PE25 RVT PE25 VRT
PS25 CHO PU25 MAD PU25 SAY PU25 SEY PU25 SYS
PU25 SYY RE25 ARD RE25 TAD RE25 TRD SC25 OTE
SC25 OTM SC25 TUM ST25 ABB ST25 ABS TE25 ROR
TO25 ERR TO25 ERS TO25 ERZ TO25 OFF TO25 POT
TO25 RAH TW25 WAT UA25 HLE UA25 HOL UA25 OLE
The asterisk (*) stands for any letter or number that may appear in that position.
