New list of BANNED number plates of 2024 that DVLA deem ‘too rude’ for the road revealed
THE DVLA has revealed the full list of banned number plates for 2024, with are deemed "too rude" for the road.
As the second series of 2024 registration releases next month, seller has secured a list of banned plates.
Designs on the banned list include BE74 END, BL74 WJB, BO74 CCK and BU74 SHT. Others are ST74 BER, TT74 WAT and WW74 NKZ.
UB74 TCH, AN74 USA and AT74 CKU will also be removed from production, according to the experts.
Each year, DVLA updates the identification numbers on number plates to reflect the year.
UK number plates consist of a two-letter "memory tag", a two-digit ID number and then three random letters or numbers. The memory tag shows where the car was first registered.
For example, registrations beginning with the letter L are from London, while B plates are from Birmingham.
Then the ID tag refers to the year of registration.
These are updated twice a year, once in March and once in September.
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This system has been used since 2001, with older cars having a different system.
In this case, this means motors coming onto the market this year will see the third and fourth digits of their plate reading '24' rather than '23'.
However, this obviously presents hundreds of new opportunities for jokers to play around with their numbers, or even for innocent manufacturers to accidentally end up with racy registrations on their products.
References to controversial politics, wars or any kind of discriminatory language need to be picked up by the agency's specialists.
The team meets twice a year at DVLA HQ in Swansea, Wales, to comb through the upcoming options and give anything dodgy the axe.
They look out for any plates that "may cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste", obviously quite a broad category.
The agency also reserves the right to pull any registrations from circulation at a later date if they are missed.
This year in particular has been a challenge, with the 4 in 24 resembling the letter A, opening up a world of possibilities for those looking to sneak an inappropriate plate through.
For example, numbers including '24 NUS' and 'W24 NKR' have been cut given their proximity to some unsavoury language.
The same will have to be done again in September when the equally problematic 74 tag comes into circulation (as the September registrations use an ID tag of the current year plus 50).
While the bans won't impact the average driver too much, private plate buyers must keep a close eye on the list.
Plate trading is big business, with single registrations fetching big bucks at auction.
RegTransfers added: “The DVLA faces a tough, ongoing battle to find a balance between people's right to free speech and their duty to keep the public area polite.
“As society evolves, so does the language and symbols considered offensive, and while there may be disagreements about some decisions about what is offensive or censorship, the goal is to apply standards without violating people's rights.
“People will definitely keep talking about these kinds of rules, which are a reflection of bigger issues like morality, freedom, and respect in our constantly changing society.”
Other designs banned from the upcoming release include 74 NAL, 74 NUS, 74 RSE and 74 WAT.
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S74 ABU, S74 BBR, W74 NKR and W74 NKS have also been removed meaning motorists cannot secure these for their own vehicles.