Banned 76 plates: over 500 combinations ruled too offensive for UK

28 Aug. 2026 · Updated 3 Sept. 2026 · Steven Jackson OBE, Founder, New Reg Limited

More than 500 combinations from the new 76 registration series have been quietly removed from issue after a specialist DVLA panel ruled them too rude or offensive to appear on public roads, according to a trade report.

The DVLA convenes a review panel twice a year, ahead of each new registration batch, to go through thousands of possible letter and number sequences. The panel's job is to catch any combination that could be read as obscene, aggressive or otherwise unacceptable before plates are ever offered for sale. Examples cited in the report include SH76 TTY and GO76 WAR, which illustrate the range of concerns the panel considers, from crude language to phrases that could be read as incitement.

For anyone who already holds a cherished registration, the banned list has no bearing on the value or validity of marks already assigned. The restrictions apply only to combinations that have never been issued, meaning no existing owner is affected by this round of withdrawals.

Where the list does matter is for buyers watching the 76 series closely. If a particular combination caught your eye before the release date, it is worth knowing that a portion of sequences will simply never become available. The panel's decisions are final, and withdrawn combinations do not resurface in later series.

Banned 76 plates: over 500 combinations ruled too offensive for UK

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