In the upcoming month, the second series of number plates for 2024 will hit the streets. Regtransfers, seeking transparency, submitted a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA to obtain the list of numbers they plan to withhold from this series, a routine practice aimed at preventing offensive or provocative registrations from circulating.
DVLA's filtering of number plates prior to release is customary, undertaken with the aim of avoiding potentially offensive or contentious combinations from appearing on vehicles. This practice is well-established, with DVLA regularly implementing it and our reporting on such occurrences being routine. However, DVLA faces a dilemma: if offensive plates slip through their scrutiny, they risk public backlash; yet, if they implement censorship, they still face criticism.
Occasionally, despite expectations, plates thought to be withheld are released. Notably, Regtransfers has handled and sold numerous such examples, like PEN 15 and ORG 45M. In rare cases, DVLA issues a registration but later retracts it from sale. For instance, the acquisition of BO11 LUX by a Chesterfield resident resulted in DVLA initially withdrawing the plate, only to reverse the decision following complaints to the Secretary of State for Transport.
A variety of sensitive topics prompt plate censorship, including references to violence, drugs, crime, sex, racism, sexism, politics, religion, and controversial individuals. Despite efforts, DVLA's censorship decisions sometimes appear inconsistent, with seemingly innocuous combinations withheld while unexpected ones are released, occasionally fetching high prices in auctions.
The upcoming release of 74 plates follows this pattern. Registrations resembling violence, racial slurs, LGBTQ+phobic insults, and sexual references are among those withheld. Notable examples include *S74 BBR ("Stabber"), *S74 BBY ("Stabby"), and AT74 CKU ("Attack you"). The full list of exclusions from the May 2024 release is provided in the table below, with a reminder that 74 plates can only be displayed on eligible vehicles registered on or after September 1st, 2024.
Banned List:
| **74 ARD | BA74 DYK | FA74 WAH | HA74 PAK | RE74 RDD | ST74 BBN |
| **74 NAL | BB74 STD | FF74 GAT | HA74 PKY | RE74 RDS | ST74 BBR |
| **74 NUS | BE74 END | FF74 GGT | HA74 UKR | RE74 RDU | ST74 BBS |
| **74 RSE | BJ74 STY | FF74 GGY | HA74 USA | RE74 RDX | ST74 BBY |
| **74 RTS | BL74 CKY | FF74 GTS | HA74 WAR | RE74 RDZ | ST74 BED |
| **74 WAT | BL74 WJB | FF74 GTT | HH74 ATE | RE74 RRD | ST74 BER |
| *H74 MAS | BO74 C** | FF74 GTZ | HH74 LER | RE74 TAD | ST74 BES |
| *J74 HAD | BO74 KKS | FF74 GUT | HH74 NAZ | RE74 TRD | ST74 BNG |
| *S74 ABS | BO74 KKZ | FF74 NGE | HH74 TEU | RR74 PE* | ST74 BRS |
| *S74 ABU | BU74 SHT | FK74 RUS | HH74 TEX | RR74 PED | ST74 BRZ |
| *S74 ABZ | BW74 NKY | FK74 UKR | HH74 TEZ | RR74 PER | ST74 BSS |
| *S74 BBB | BY74 RUS | FL74 NGE | HH74 TLR | RR74 PES | ST74 BZZ |
| *S74 BBD | BY74 UKR | FU74 BOR | HH74 WAR | RR74 PEU | SU74 CDE |
| *S74 BBN | CH74 NKY | GA74 AAA | HH74TED | RR74 PEX | TA74 BAN |
| *S74 BBR | CO74 ORD | GA74 AJU | HO74 CST | RR74 PEY | TR74 DDS |
| *S74 BBS | CR74 PLE | GA74 ASH | JJ74 HAD | RU74 UKR | TR74 DSS |
| *S74 BBY | CR74 PPL | GA74 BOM | JY74 HAD | SH74 AGS | TR74 NNY |
| *S74 BED | CU74 MUF | GA74 BOY | KN74 FED | SH74 AGZ | TT74 NNY |
| *S74 BER | CU74 NOB | GA74 CMP | KN74 FER | SH74 GED | TT74 WAT |
| *S74 BSS | EA74 DCK | GA74 DAD | KN74 FES | SH74 GER | TW74 WAT |
| *S74 BZZ | EA74 DKS | GA74 DED | KN74 FEU | SH74 GGD | TY74 NNY |
| *S74 MBO | EA74 DYK | GA74 GAS | KN74 FEX | SH74 GGS | UB74 STD |
| *W74 NKR | EA74 FWF | GA74 HAM | KN74 VED | SH74 GHM | UB74 TCH |
| *W74 NKS | EA74 GAL | GA74 HEL | KN74 VES | SH74 GHR | UF74 GAT |
| AA74 LAH | EA74 GRL | GA74 JEU | KN74 VEU | SH74 GSS | UF74 GGT |
| AA74 RYN | EA74 HER | GA74 JUD | LE74 ZAA | SH74 GUU | UF74 GGY |
| AA74 YAN | EA74 MEE | GA74 KLL | LE74 ZAR | SH74 TDD | UF74 GTT |
| AB74 ORT | EA74 MME | GA74 NAS | LE74 ZAS | SH74 TED | UF74 GTZ |
| AB74 STD | EA74 MOT | GA74 NAZ | LE74 ZAY | SH74 TTS | UF74 GUT |
| AB74 USD | EA74 MUF | GA74 OUT | LE74 ZAZ | SH74 TTT | UH74 ATE |
| AB74 USR | EA74 MUM | GA74 SED | LE74 ZBO | SH74 TTY | UH74 TED |
| AD74 RKY | EA74 NAN | GA74 SSD | LE74 ZER | SH74 TTZ | UH74 TER |
| AF74 GAT | EA74 NOB | GA74 WAR | LE74 ZRR | SH74 TZZ | UH74 TES |
| AF74 GGT | EA74 POO | GA74 ZAA | LE74 ZRS | SK74 NKK | UH74 TEU |
| AF74 GGY | EA74 PWP | GB74 BAD | LE74 ZZA | SK74 NKS | UH74 TEX |
| AF74 GTS | EA74 VAG | GB74 BOM | LE74 ZZR | SK74 NKY | UH74 TEZ |
| AF74 GTT | EA74 VAJ | GB74 DED | MU74 DER | SK74 NKZ | UK74 UKR |
| AF74 GTZ | EA74 YOU | GB74 DWN | NA74 TZE | SK74 NNK | UK74 YKE |
| AF74 GUT | EU74 BAD | GB74 FKT | NA74 TZY | SL74 GGS | UN74 RUS |
| AH74 OMO | EU74 BOM | GB74 HTR | NO74 LEZ | SL74 GGY | UN74 UKR |
| AJ74 HAD | EU74 FWC | GB74 KLL | NO74 RUS | SL74 GGZ | UP74 KEY |
| AL74 WAR | EU74 OFF | GB74 KLR | NO74 UKR | SL74 GSS | UP74 KYZ |
| AN74 BLK | EU74 RUS | GB74 KLS | OF74 GAT | SL74 GYY | UP74 RUS |
| AN74 LEZ | EU74 SHT | GB74 RUS | OF74 GOT | SL74 GZZ | UP74 UKR |
| AN74 LGB | EU74 UKR | GB74 SHT | OF74 GTT | SL74 PER | UP74KYS |
| AN74 LZR | EU74 WAR | GB74 UKR | OF74 GUT | SL74 SHH | UR74 CST |
| AN74 PAK | FA74 DCK | GB74 WAR | PE74 ADO | SL74 SSH | US74 WAR |
| AN74 PKY | FA74 DYC | GG74 SED | PE74 RVT | SL74 UTS | UT74 NNY |
| AN74 USA | FA74 DYK | GG74 SSD | PE74 VRT | SL74 UTZ | WA74 RAB |
| AN74 VAX | FA74 GAT | GO74 RUS | PP74 KEY | SP74 SSS | WA74 RUS |
| AP74 KEY | FA74 GTS | GO74 SHT | PP74 KKY | SP74 STC | WA74 UKR |
| AP74 KKY | FA74 GTT | GO74 UKR | PP74 KYS | SP74 STK | WH74 WAR |
| AP74 KYS | FA74 GUT | GO74 WAR | PP74 KYY | SP74 ZES | WW74 NKZ |
| AP74 KYZ | FA74 LLY | GR74 OPE | PP74 KYZ | SP74 ZZY | XT74 NNY |
| AR74 YAN | FA74 NNY | HA74 BLK | PR74 CCK | SP74 ZZZ | YB74 TCH |
| AT74 CKU | FA74 NOB | HA74 BOY | PR74 CKK | ST74 ABB | YE74 RUS |
| AT74 NNY | FA74 PRC | HA74 GAY | PR74 CKS | ST74 ABS | YE74 UKR |
| AU74 STC | FA74 PRK | HA74 JUW | RA74 PER | ST74 BBB | YE74 WAR |
| AW74 NKY | FA74 TOS | HA74 LGB | RE74 ARD | ST74 BBD | YS74 WAR |