Came across this in my Facebook newsfeed today regarding rejected California license plates:
https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/rejected-vanity-plates/
ONW2BYB was my personal favorite given the brazen application explanation. Any other examples of rejected license plates?
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Quote from: 1 on March 29, 2019, 10:42:24 AM
Must log in to continue.
Swapped out to the site URL instead of the Facebook one.
GOVTSUX, allegedly, possibly in Illinois.
For "DICKOUT"
"Applicant Explanation: Celebration of my son moving out of the house"
(https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/023/021/e02e5ffb5f980cd8262cf7f0ae00a4a9_press-x-to-doubt-memes-memesuper-la-noire-doubt-meme_419-238.jpg)
Maybe 20 to 25 years ago the Washington Post had an article about a woman in Maryland whose plate had been issued but was then revoked. The combination? CUNTESS. She claimed it meant "Countess," like the title of nobility (a count's wife), and that she simply had to omit one letter due to the space limitation. I don't think anyone believed that and I was very surprised they ever issued it in the first place.
I remember seeing a plate locally that said "UDAM RYT" around 2000. My dad knew the owner, who apparently knew someone that worked for DMV.
NJ from a 2012 OPRA request (https://www.governmentattic.org/7docs/NJ-BannedPlates_2012.pdf)
Some more that were specifically allowed due to those dammned 8thiests (https://www.nj.com/news/2016/08/woman_can_now_use_8theist_license_plate.html)
Since when is monkey a euphemism for vagina? Excuse me while I go spank my monkey.
Fox 13 published a whole list of rejected Utah vanity plates going back 5 years.
From sex to hate speech, here's the list of rejected vanity plates in Utah (https://fox13now.com/2018/02/05/from-sex-to-hate-speech-heres-the-list-of-rejected-vanity-plates-in-utah/)
Here's a few that were rejected in CT:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5014541-License-Plates-Edited-Web.html#document/p1
Rejected plates in Wisconsin. Unfortunately they make you click for each one.
https://www.tmj4.com/homepage-gallery/75-rejected-rejected-wisconsin-personalized-license-plates#id68
And FIB is in there.
In one locally-famous case, somebody got Virginia DMV to issue a specialty plate, with EATTHE custom text preceding "Kids First" on the bottom line (https://jalopnik.com/i-fought-the-dmv-to-keep-the-worlds-greatest-license-pl-5727846). Alas, later the DMV humorlessly revoked the tag.
One that didn't get rejected in Missouri was, "12 HUNG."
I saw this years ago on a late model Corvette. Maybe today it wouldn't be issued.
I read somewhere that, "3M TA3." is banned in most states.
Quote from: oscar on March 29, 2019, 02:59:44 PM
In one locally-famous case, somebody got Virginia DMV to issue a specialty plate, with EATTHE custom text preceding "Kids First" on the bottom line (https://jalopnik.com/i-fought-the-dmv-to-keep-the-worlds-greatest-license-pl-5727846). Alas, later the DMV humorlessly revoked the tag.
Yet the guy in Alexandria who has the "Kids First" plate with the message "PDOFIL" appears still to have it. I have no idea why anyone would want to put that message on a license plate.
I was behind a car that had "MRCAFYA" a year or two ago.
I still think the best one that got through was a Florida regular issue plate.
(https://www.snopes.com/tachyon/images/photos/risque/graphics/a550rgy.jpg)
Quote from: Throckmorton on March 29, 2019, 03:02:39 PM
One that didn't get rejected in Missouri was, "12 HUNG."
That makes me think of a jury.
Quote from: Big John on March 29, 2019, 02:44:53 PM
Rejected plates in Wisconsin. Unfortunately they make you click for each one.
https://www.tmj4.com/homepage-gallery/75-rejected-rejected-wisconsin-personalized-license-plates#id68
And FIB is in there.
I found a big list of WI plates of rejected & accepted plates:
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/it-s-ok-to-be-naked-but-most-body-parts/article_32120660-6d01-564a-8f88-95c2b5a3add3.html
I don't understand what half of the rejected plates mean. Does this mean I am old?
FIB rejected... I would think that Wisconsin would want something anti-Illinois.
Quote from: 1 on March 30, 2019, 08:56:56 AM
FIB rejected... I would think that Wisconsin would want something anti-Illinois.
They know what it means. On the other hand, I saw an Illinois plate that was "NO FIB" .
Our government also bans certain plates. Here's some examples.
BA57 ARD
J1 HAD
TE57 CLE
I read somewhere, I think the Washington Post, that Virginia's DMV uses the California DMV's list of banned combinations because California allows more characters per plate than Virginia does. It's not perfect, though, because of people who use the plate itself to add to the message. That sometimes slips through, like a guy who used the split-V UVA plate (it has the "V-Virginia" logo on the left) to use the preprinted "V" together with "AGINAS" to spell a euphemism for a part of the female anatomy. Apparently the DMV doesn't factor in the plate itself–similar to the infamous Florida plate where the orange made it look like "ASSORGY."
MN had a controversy a few years ago because someone got one through that appeared to be a statement meant to target a particular religious group. His were revoked and triggered a subsequent review of all previously issued vanity plates resulting in 39 more sets being cancelled as a result.
Sweden uses a XXX ### plate system, and they have several banned letter combinations. These include several words, including bad words. The one that caught my eyes was ETA, due to the now-defunct Basque terrorist group.
A few years ago, Washington added a fourth digit and has started going through the alphabet again starting with AAA0000, all scrunched together. I wonder if they issued the ANU5### series, because nobody wants to see a big ANU5 on their rear end bumper.
Quote from: Brandon on March 30, 2019, 02:50:44 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 30, 2019, 08:56:56 AM
FIB rejected... I would think that Wisconsin would want something anti-Illinois.
They know what it means. On the other hand, I saw an Illinois plate that was "NO FIB" .
Which could also mean "no lie."
From Sunday's
Democrat and Chronicle (https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/columnists/andreatta/2019/03/29/pittsford-doctor-victor-poleshuck-ny-dmv-objectionable-personalized-vanity-license-plate-andreatta/3302197002/):
QuoteThrough some 35 years and eight successive New York State Department of Motor Vehicles commissioners, Dr. Victor Poleshuck enjoyed his custom license plate: "XX XY."
For the retired obstetrician and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester, the plate was a conversation starter and a subtle homage to his profession.
...
But he couldn't explain a letter he received recently from the DMV informing him that his long-held plate was being rescinded because it was "objectionable."
(The DMV backed down after the newspaper inquired.)
Quote from: GenExpwy on April 01, 2019, 02:06:41 AM
From Sunday's Democrat and Chronicle (https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/columnists/andreatta/2019/03/29/pittsford-doctor-victor-poleshuck-ny-dmv-objectionable-personalized-vanity-license-plate-andreatta/3302197002/):
QuoteThrough some 35 years and eight successive New York State Department of Motor Vehicles commissioners, Dr. Victor Poleshuck enjoyed his custom license plate: "XX XY."
For the retired obstetrician and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester, the plate was a conversation starter and a subtle homage to his profession.
...
But he couldn't explain a letter he received recently from the DMV informing him that his long-held plate was being rescinded because it was "objectionable."
(The DMV backed down after the newspaper inquired.)
You can't really teach a computer to take context into account. So your choice is (a) a whole lot of obscene license plates or (b) the occasional situation such as the above.
Quote from: abefroman329 on March 31, 2019, 08:03:03 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 30, 2019, 02:50:44 PM
Quote from: 1 on March 30, 2019, 08:56:56 AM
FIB rejected... I would think that Wisconsin would want something anti-Illinois.
They know what it means. On the other hand, I saw an Illinois plate that was "NO FIB" .
Which could also mean "no lie."
With a University of Wisconsin license plate bracket?
Massachusetts, at some point recently, was at 2XXX ## for their plates.
I happened to see one that was 2WAT ##
Say that out loud as one syllable, realize that there are probably close to a hundred given the 2 digits at the end, and wonder how that random one was allowed to slide through.
Connecticut should have a bigger list of rejects soon, as 7-letter plates finally made it to our state a few years ago.
I finally found an ANU5### series plate. The state has a sense of humor after all.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51313142644_bc310bd61e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mbngzW)
"3JOH22A" is a classic one that didn't get rejected and made it onto mainstream memes.
Quote from: SkyPesos on July 15, 2021, 01:33:29 AM
"3JOH22A" is a classic one that didn't get rejected and made it onto mainstream memes.
ASSHOLE backwards?
3M TA3
Ontario operates with 4 letters as well, but U doesn't get used in any plate so the ANU-5 situation would never happen here lol
Kentucky has an "AZZ" series of passenger car plates and I'm a bit surprised they let that go.
I saw an out-of-state personalized plate -- unfortunately I can't remember what state -- 4 F SAKE. I presume that's another way of saying what's commonly abbreviated on Twitter as "FFS." For Fudge's (only I didn't say fudge) Sake.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 20, 2021, 10:28:16 PM
(only I didn't say fudge)
I said
the word.
The big one.
The queen mother of dirty words.
The F dash dash dash word!
Quote from: hbelkins on July 20, 2021, 10:28:16 PM
Kentucky has an "AZZ" series of passenger car plates and I'm a bit surprised they let that go.
(https://www.15q.net/cdn/nb87.jpg)
Quote from: kphoger on July 21, 2021, 09:37:59 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 20, 2021, 10:28:16 PM
(only I didn't say fudge)
I said the word.
The big one.
The queen mother of dirty words.
The F dash dash dash word!
Do a Google Image Search for "autocorrect duck". It's all the same idea, but there's quite a wide variety in how it's presented.
Back before smartphones, my cell phone always rendered my friend Jordan's name as "Korean" in T9. Now that I'm back to using a T9 dumbphone again, I'm admit that I'm a little disappointed that it doesn't do that. I still call her "Korean" when I see her, as a nod to the past.
Quote from: 1 on July 21, 2021, 09:41:34 AM
Do a Google Image Search for "autocorrect duck". It's all the same idea, but there's quite a wide variety in how it's presented.
Would "DUCK OFF" be rejected as profanity-adjacent?
Quote from: kurumi on July 21, 2021, 12:19:28 PM
Would "DUCK OFF" be rejected as profanity-adjacent?
http://duck-off.com/
Quote from: kphoger on July 21, 2021, 12:24:30 PM
Quote from: kurumi on July 21, 2021, 12:19:28 PM
Would "DUCK OFF" be rejected as profanity-adjacent?
http://duck-off.com/
QuoteDuck Off reduces the surface tension of swimming pool water and ducks and geese cannot comfortably float on the surface.
Wait, wouldn't that mean humans would
also be unable to comfortably float on the surface? (Not that I do that too often when I get in the pool, but still.)
I imagine some states, perhaps in the Bible Belt, would have an aversion to issuing 666?
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on July 15, 2021, 01:04:27 AM
I finally found an ANU5### series plate. The state has a sense of humor after all.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51313142644_bc310bd61e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mbngzW)
That's fantastic. I can't help but think of this from Arrested Development.
(https://lonelybrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/a-new-start.png)
Or this from Seinfeld: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tujqM2u-BVo
Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 22, 2021, 07:05:29 PM
I imagine some states, perhaps in the Bible Belt, would have an aversion to issuing 666?
I'm guessing the tag office would have no problem
issuing them, but they might be hard pressed to find a driver who actually wants to
accept them.
Quote from: kphoger on July 23, 2021, 09:01:15 AM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 22, 2021, 07:05:29 PM
I imagine some states, perhaps in the Bible Belt, would have an aversion to issuing 666?
I'm guessing the tag office would have no problem issuing them, but they might be hard pressed to find a driver who actually wants to accept them.
I've heard stories about people not wanting to accept a plate with 666 on it. Responses in the issuing agencies' office range from accommodating their request, to saying "we have to issue them in numerical order" so the customer has to wait until someone who doesn't mind the number accepts that plate, and then they can get one.
Personally, it wouldn't bother me. Of course, I work in a town where the only local prefix for years was 666. I've gotten a few comments over the years when I've given people the number here.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 23, 2021, 09:45:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on July 23, 2021, 09:01:15 AM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 22, 2021, 07:05:29 PM
I imagine some states, perhaps in the Bible Belt, would have an aversion to issuing 666?
I'm guessing the tag office would have no problem issuing them, but they might be hard pressed to find a driver who actually wants to accept them.
I've heard stories about people not wanting to accept a plate with 666 on it. Responses in the issuing agencies' office range from accommodating their request, to saying "we have to issue them in numerical order" so the customer has to wait until someone who doesn't mind the number accepts that plate, and then they can get one.
Personally, it wouldn't bother me. Of course, I work in a town where the only local prefix for years was 666. I've gotten a few comments over the years when I've given people the number here.
Early in my telephone career, I was a telephone installer for the local Bell. One of the cities I worked in had 666 as one of their prefixes. Over a 3 year period, I had a handful of people refuse new service because they had been assigned a 666 number and we then had to do an expedited change order to get them a number in one of the other prefixes, which caused a one or two day delay in getting them service.
Quote from: catch22 on July 23, 2021, 08:43:53 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 23, 2021, 09:45:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on July 23, 2021, 09:01:15 AM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 22, 2021, 07:05:29 PM
I imagine some states, perhaps in the Bible Belt, would have an aversion to issuing 666?
I'm guessing the tag office would have no problem issuing them, but they might be hard pressed to find a driver who actually wants to accept them.
I've heard stories about people not wanting to accept a plate with 666 on it. Responses in the issuing agencies' office range from accommodating their request, to saying "we have to issue them in numerical order" so the customer has to wait until someone who doesn't mind the number accepts that plate, and then they can get one.
Personally, it wouldn't bother me. Of course, I work in a town where the only local prefix for years was 666. I've gotten a few comments over the years when I've given people the number here.
Early in my telephone career, I was a telephone installer for the local Bell. One of the cities I worked in had 666 as one of their prefixes. Over a 3 year period, I had a handful of people refuse new service because they had been assigned a 666 number and we then had to do an expedited change order to get them a number in one of the other prefixes, which caused a one or two day delay in getting them service.
666 was and probably still is a prefix for lafayette (or is it lyons?) colo...
The prefix for my office phone number is 666.