More car license plates are banned then you realise. Some of which would surprise you.
Many motorists think of license plates as simple things. Just a bunch of numbers and letters pumped out by some computer in the dark depths of the DVLA headquarters. However, what many of us overlook is the thorough censoring job done by the DVLA to ensure that no naughty, offensive number plates make it out into the public. With every new wave of new plates, this year being the new “19” plates, thousands of new combinations deemed too offensive for public roads are removed from the pile in order to keep Britain polite and politically correct.
New 2019 banned number plates
Here are just some of the most recent number plate bans for 19-reg plates:
- DO19 POO
- DR19 GGS
- CR19 MES
- FR19 PLY
- FE19 ATE
- LV19 NAL
- SH19 HOT
- BO19 OCK
- EA19 DKS
- NO19 BER
- HU19 DCK
- BU19 GER
- BE19 END
- OR19 ASM
Some may leave you scratching your head, leaving you thinking “how on earth is that offensive”. The thing about these plates is that some of them wouldn’t appear rude if you saw them in public, it’s only when you’re told that they’re banned number plates that you look for rudeness within them. Then, it becomes clear why these plates didn’t pass the inspection.
Some plates banned in 2018
Last year’s 18-reg plates also saw some interesting combinations, making some more amusing words:
- BL68 JOB
- CA68 OMB
- BA68 TRD
- BL68 JOB
- AT18 TTY
- AD18 OLF
- BO18 CKS
- BR18 ERY
- CC18 BNP
- PU18 BES
- RO18 BER
What could be considered even more interesting are the rude number plates that didn’t get banned and are currently on sale for very optimistic amounts of money. For instance, a plate reading “PEN 15” is currently priced at an eye-watering £70,000 online! One of the most expensive rude plates ever is the “ORG 45M” plate, apparently on sale for a staggering £105,000. Even if you’ve got a Ferrari 458, that obscene number plate will still be worth over half of the car’s value! You’ve got to be either incomprehensibly rich or just quite stupid to buy a tacky number plate for that kind of money. Or both!
There’s clearly a real demand for these kinds of car license plates, so by banning them, the government is effectively losing out on potential revenue from each ludicrous sale.
It’s not just swear words and bedroom references that are feeling the force of the ban hammer. Not too long ago in the middle of 2017, the plate “JH11 HAD” was taken away from its owner after it was reported to the police by the man’s own boss.
The DVLA seem to be very cautious, some would say they’re overly sensitive. Plates such as JE55 US, PR15 SON and WA15 TED have all either been banned or deleted before they even made it onto cars.
Other plates that are so obscure anyone would struggle to see how they’re offensive, have still been banned. The DVLA aren’t taking any risks when it comes to offending people!
Here are just some of the number plates deemed too “offensive” for the DVLA to allow:
- PA65 EDO
- DO65 GNN
- RU65 MOT
- UP15 ONN
- UK15 FWF
- BP15 ARD
- PP15 CRK
- OL15 PRC
- HE15 FWF
- ED15 MOT
- DO15 PRC
- BA15 SDD
- RU64 FKC
If anyone could enlighten us to the meanings of these “outrageous” license plates, please let us know in the comments.
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