DVLA has released a list of banned car number plates, which is an impressive 49 pages long, and within that list are present number plates such as VA61ANA, BL03 JOB, JE55US, P15 OFF, PR15 SON, PU15 SSY, SH15 TTY, UP15 BUM, and 15LAM.
According to the authority, these registration numbers have been banned owing to political, racial and religious sensitivities or simply because they have been regarded as being in poor taste. Decision on suspension of registration numbers is taken twice a year by Sensors – members of a DVLA steering group from across the agency.
Two plates – PEN 15 and ORG 45M – have been surprisingly allowed and according to DVLA registration numbers like PEN 15 were issued many years ago when vehicle registration was carried out by local authorities.
Personalised registration plates brings a hefty chunk of financial earnings for the DVLA each year. In a recently concluded auction, DVLA netted a whopping £105 million for the Treasury through the sale and auction of personalised registrations. Just last week, a registration number KR15HNA was sold at auction for £233,000.
Some of the other banned plates over the years include P15 OFF, WE11 GAY, FU11 SHT, UP15 BUM, WA15 TED, JA11 BOY, JA11 BRD, ST11 BRN and AK1 LLAH. Religious plates are also banned, including KO12 AAN, 15 LAM, MU55 LEM, JE** SUS, J**1 HAD, or any combination of JEW.
One such plate banned on religious grounds was 15LAM because it was deemed “inappropriate”. A DVLA spokesman said: “Registration numbers are withheld in instances where if displayed on a number plate they are likely to cause general offence or embarrassment”, as quoted by The Guardian. You can find the entire list of banned registration plates here.
