DVLA releases list of banned number plates including 'anti-British sentiments that might offend'
Many controversial combinations of letters and numbers are included on the DVLA's banned list
GETTY
The DVLA has unveiled its list of banned registration plates which will be blocked from circulation ahead of the release of new plates next year.
Based on data from a Freedom of Information request, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will be banning a number of new number plates next year.
Drivers can expect to see further number plate changes within months with the rollout of the new "25" series.
In keeping with tradition, the "25" identifiers will be rolled out on March 1, 2025, while the "75" tag will arrive on forecourts next September.
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New number plates are rolled out twice a year, with the next release being in March 2025
GETTYThe DVLA can withhold a set of vehicle registration numbers that it considers to be potentially offensive, distressing or provocative.
This can include combinations of words and letters that represent swear words, references to terrorism, references to drugs or references with racist or sexist connotations.
Some of the banned plates include references to war like AR25 WAR, EU25 WAR, GB25 WAR, GO25 WAR.
Mark Trimbee, CEO of Regtransfers, commented: "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."
Several "wildcard" plates are also banned if they contain a partial string of characters and numbers that can be considered offensive.
Some of these include *25 HAG, **25 HAT, **25 LAG, **25 LUT, **25 PAS and **25 TAB due to their rude or ableist connotations.
Plates like **25 RUS and **25 UKR have been banned in response to the ongoing Russian war with Ukraine, while plates referencing Hamas were banned in August ahead of the "74" plate release.
Trimbee added: "As well as the usual sex and violence references, there are those subtle combinations that don't seem to convey a clear meaning at first sight.
"With a little thought, however, we see how numbers such GB25 BAD, GB25 BOM, and GB25 SHT could seem to convey anti-British sentiments that might offend some. To ban or not to ban is obviously a bit of a balancing act."
He noted that some plates with a "fairly obvious" sexual reference are allowed, although others which are more specific have been withheld from being used on the road.
The DVLA hosts online auctions roughly once a month where drivers can get their hands on personalised number plates with unique and rare meanings.
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Drivers can buy unique and personalised number plates from the DVLA
PAMost recently, the DVLA released more than 150,000 fixed-price prefix personalised registration numbers which have never been assigned or offered for sale before.
Some examples of the new prefix registrations include A25 CYA, B25 TOM, C26 DAN, D25 OMG, E26 CAT, F25 CBR, F26 ORD, G25 GEM and H25 NRY.
The auction is set to start on the DVLA's personalised number plate website from 10am on Tuesday, October 1.
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