The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has banned 210 number plates from UK roads in a major crackdown on offensive registrations. The banned plates include combinations that spell out explicit words, make threatening references, or allude to ongoing global conflicts.
Mark Trimbee, CEO of private number plate company Regtransfers, noted that the DVLA prohibits certain combinations to prevent drivers from displaying harmful messages. He said: '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.'
Among the banned plates are those using the number 5 to resemble an S, such as '**25LUT', '**25HAG', and '**25HAT'. Others spell out words around the numbers, including 'AA25HOL', 'BA25TAD', and 'FA25NNY'. Threatening combinations like '**25TAB' and 'GB25KLL' have also been removed.
The DVLA has also blocked plates referencing international conflicts, such as '**25RUS' and '**25UKR' related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as 'GA25ZAA' reflecting Middle East tensions, and 'YS25WAR' and 'EU25BOM' referring to war and bombs.
The restrictions apply to both new and private number plates. Drivers must ensure plates are road legal—made of reflective material, white at the front and yellow at the rear, with no obscuring patterns. Non-compliance can lead to fines up to £1,000, MOT failure, and three licence points.
