The DVLA has unveiled the complete list of number plates banned in 2024, including contentious plates like *W24 NKR, SL24 GSS, and SH24 GED, due to their inappropriate connotations.
The introduction of new vehicle registrations in March and September means vehicles registered after March 1 will include ‘24’ in their registration, and those after September 1 will feature ‘74’. With millions of plates issued in each new series, it’s inevitable that some combinations may form words or phrases considered rude or offensive.
To prevent such occurrences, the DVLA thoroughly reviews all potential number plates, disqualifying any deemed offensive from being issued.
Tony Clark, an authority on number plates and Marketing Manager at Plates4Less, sought to uncover the DVLA’s list of prohibited plates through a Freedom of Information request, specifically targeting those banned for the ‘24’ series launching on March 1.
This inquiry revealed a list packed with hundreds of plate combinations ruled as inappropriate, including BO24 LOK, FA24 NNY, AS24 HLE, SH24 GGY, SK24 NKZ, and PE24 VRT.
Tony commented, “Rude or humorous private plates have always been popular, and can be a lot of fun. People choose private plates like these to customise their vehicles without personalising them. Some want to shock and others want to amuse their fellow road users”.
He also remarked, “Sometimes, the DVLA restrictions just lead to people being more creative, and trying to find rude plates that the DVLA didn’t think to ban.”
Plates4Less reports a high frequency of searches for rude or offensive words, with an average of 345 such searches daily. Notably, searches for the ‘C word’ rank as the 29th most common, with around 21 daily searches, while ‘F*ck’ is searched for 12.42 times per day.
Tony added, “Customers use our website just to find funny plates and share them with friends, which we encourage! We even have a sharing tool built-in to make this easier.
“Outside of rude registrations, some of the most popular searches we get are names, like Sam, Dan, and Amy.”
Though the DVLA strives to keep offensive registrations off the roads, Plates4Less has curated a list of risqué yet legal plates, including S3XXX, OH69, FUN, OO69AAH, and PEN155. For more information, click here.