DVLA to ban hundreds of number plates because they're 'too rude'

The DVLA has barred over 500 numbers plates from being used on cars on British roads due to them containing offensive or inflammatory language.

September 1 will see a new registration age identifier being introduced in the UK, and a specialist panel with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has convened to screen out certain combinations from being used on vehicle registration plates.

There are a lot of different considerations that go into the letters on registrations, with different factors resulting in a plate being screened out.

These include things that could be interpreted as swearing or using bad language, such as 'AS76 FKU' or 'BU76 NOB' for example.

Others might include plates that inadvertently contain racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or misogynistic slurs, or which reference war, violence, or could be offensive towards religions.

An example of a plate which references violence would be 'GE76 GUN', with the seven being a T and the six being an A, meaning that this would be prohibited.

The panel meets twice a year to review the next influx of number plates and screen out any that meet these criteria before they end up on the roads.

It's not just the last three letters either, as the panel has to consider numbers which might be substituted for certain letters.

The DVLA screens out any potentially problematic reg numbers (Getty Stock)

For example, this year the plates contain the numbers '76'. The number seven can be used as a substitute for the letters I, T, or A, while six can also be A as well as B, creating another layer that the panel to consider.

A spokesperson for the DVLA told This is Money: "The vast majority of registration numbers are made available, but DVLA withholds any combinations of numbers and letters where we consider that they may cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste."

This year, 523 combinations have been barred from being used on official number plates, ranging from relatively mild swear words and inappropriate religious references up to extremely serious racial slurs.

As for drivers who want to change their number plate to create a message like this, you could end up failing your MOT or being fined as a result, with the police confiscating the offending plate.

Drivers who tamper with their registration plate could face serious consequences (Getty Stock)

And there are more rules to changing your number plate than those around offensive language as well. Standard number plates, so not a personalised one, contain information about a car's age.

"If you misrepresent a vehicle registration number you will not get back any money that you have paid for the registration number, or any other costs you have to pay," the DVLA's guidance on number plates says

"You can't use a registration number to make your vehicle appear younger than it actually is."

You also have display it clearly, with the DVLA saying: "You cannot rearrange or misrepresent the numbers and letters on a number plate to form names or words, so that they are hard to read. For example, fixing bolts to change any of the letters or numbers."

If you don't properly display your number plate you be fined up to £1,000, and the car would fail its MOT.