New cars will be branded with '23' plates from this month, but there are certain combinations of letters and numbers that are banned.
Every six months, before new plates come into circulation either on September 1 or March 1, the DVLA outlaws a range of registrations that could also be read as rude words.
The driving authority meets twice a year to examine potential registration plates to find any that may show “combinations of numbers and letters where we consider that they may cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste.”
Now, thanks to a freedom of information request, auto retailer carwow have obtained the list of '23' plates to reveal which ones are always considered rude, as well as some that may be seen as offensive in the current cultural climate, reports Hull Live.
For instance, being met with a car's licence plate in front that says GO23 HEL or EA23 POO isn't exactly what most drivers would like to see. While other plates such as BA23 TRD, BO23 OKS and MU23 DER are also likely to cause perennial offence.
More recent political events, like Brexit and Russia's war on Ukraine have led to plates such as RU23 UKR, NO23 RUS and YE23 WAR being suppressed, however, alongside CO23 ONA and EU23 BAD.
Rude number plates that might slip through the DVLA’s net ahead of the change can also be rescinded at a later date, although the organisation highlights that “the vast majority of registration numbers are made available”, as most are unlikely to cause offence.
Some number plates such as 'TO23 ERR' and 'AA23 OLE' were also reportedly banned by the DVLA in case they caused offence on the road. More rude plates include BL23 JOB, EA23 VAJ and FA23 NNY.
Carwow's consumer editor, Hugo Griffiths, said: "Personalised number plates are a huge business, bringing in £2billion for the Treasury since the DVLA started selling them in 1989, with around 400,000 cherished plates sold each year.
"Despite this lucrative revenue stream, there are some plates that are simply too rude for the road.
"And while few would argue against the suppression of offensive number plates, the biannual meetings where DVLA staff sit down and deliberately come up with rude combinations must be one of the highlights of the organisation’s calendar.
"Even for those not interested in personalised registrations, changing your car during the March and September plate-change months can be a wise idea, both for people wanting to have the latest reg, and for bargain hunters who could get a good deal on a car with the previous registration."
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