The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has banned 523 new '76' registration number plates before their official launch on Tuesday, September 1.
Officials removed the combinations from circulation over concerns they could cause public offence or promote controversial political, religious, and violent statements on British roads.
The blacklisted registrations include crude sexual terms such as AS76 FKU, BU76 NOB, SH76 TTY, and GO76 FKT. Other prohibited plates refer to sensitive subjects, war, and international conflicts, including GE76 GUN, GO76 BOM, US76 WAR, FK76 UKR, and GG76 HAD.
Bi-annual review process
A specialist panel at the agency reviews every new registration batch twice a year to scrutinise thousands of potential letter and number combinations. The meetings take place in February, just before the March plate change, and in August, ahead of the September age identifier launch.
A DVLA spokesman said: "The vast majority of registration numbers are made available, but DVLA withholds any combinations of numbers and letters where we consider that they may cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste."
The rollout of the '76' series presented specific difficulties for the review team because the numbers seven and six closely resemble letters. Drivers can substitute seven for an 'I', 'T', or 'A', while six can mimic a 'B' or an 'A', allowing motorists to bypass standard filters and construct inappropriate words.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, based in Swansea, manages vehicle registrations across Great Britain. UK registration plates use age identifiers that change twice a year, in March and September, to display the registration period of new vehicles.
Legal penalties and plate restrictions
Motorists who attempt to display prohibited or non-compliant registrations on public roads face immediate police enforcement. Police officers can pull over drivers displaying banned plates such as GO76 FKT, confiscate the registration, and issue a £100 fine on the spot.
Strict legal rules govern the font, size, spacing, and colour of vehicle plates. The official DVLA guide states: "You cannot rearrange or misrepresent the numbers and letters on a number plate to form names or words, so that they are hard to read." The guide notes that actions such as "fixing bolts to change any of the letters or numbers" are illegal.
Drivers caught altering plates face penalties of up to £1,000, and their vehicles will fail the mandatory MOT test. The DVLA guide adds: "In some cases, the registration number may be permanently withdrawn." It also warns: "If you misrepresent a vehicle registration number you will not get back any money that you have paid for the registration number, or any other costs you have to pay. You can't use a registration number to make your vehicle appear younger than it actually is."
Siobhan Doyle from automotive platform Carwow warned that an MOT failure caused by an illegal number plate can lead to wider financial consequences. Doyle pointed out that failing an MOT on number plate grounds is likely to invalidate a motorist's vehicle insurance policy, leaving drivers exposed to further legal penalties if they continue driving.
In Great Britain, an MOT test is an annual safety inspection required for vehicles over three years old to ensure roadworthiness. Carwow is a UK-based digital marketplace for buying and selling new and used cars.
Vehicle reviews and road tests
Alongside registration updates, recent motoring evaluations covered dozens of new vehicles entering the British automotive market, ranging from budget electric models to luxury supercars.
China's best-selling car, the electric Geely EX2, has arrived for road testing in Britain.
Examinations of family cars questioned why British buyers have shifted away from the traditional Vauxhall Astra hatchback. Meanwhile, Chinese brand Lepas introduced its premium L8 SUV to test whether it can stand out among rival premium models.
In the sports segment, tests evaluated the new Honda Prelude two-seat hybrid coupe. British motorcycle manufacturer Norton also reintroduced its iconic Manx R, priced at £20,000.
Off-roaders and micro-EVs were tested, including China's new Bao SUV, positioned as a rival to the Land Rover Defender. Fiat released its £9,000 Topolino electric quadricycle, which features a top speed of 28 mph and a battery range of 46 miles.
Honda developed the sub-£19,000 Super-N electric car to compete against the Renault 5. Higher up the price spectrum, testers drove the £90,000 Polestar 5 electric saloon to determine how it compares with Porsche's Taycan.
Electric SUVs and two-wheelers were evaluated, including the new Jeep Compass EV and Volkswagen's second-generation T-Roc SUV. Honda also launched its first electric motorcycle for British riders.
The £45,500 seven-seat Jaecoo 8 SUV, nicknamed the Temu Range Rover, entered tests alongside China's £100,000 Denza Z9GT, which claims a five-minute fast charge time. Testers evaluated Jaguar's new £120,000 electric car to check for classic Jaguar DNA, while Volvo introduced its EX60 smart electric SUV.
Further road trials featured a high-speed BYD SUV with Porsche-like acceleration, the Porsche Cayenne Electric SUV, and the updated Toyota RAV4. Renault brought back its classic '90s Twingo as a compact electric city car, and Aston Martin tested its £1 million Valhalla hypercar.
Compact and mid-sized SUVs in test fleets included the Toyota C-HR+, the £38,000 Changan Deepal S05 electric SUV, and the BMW iX3 EV, which achieved a 500-mile range. Chinese manufacturer Chery tested its Tiggo 7 hybrid SUV, MG launched two budget EV hatchbacks simultaneously, and BYD released the £30,000 Sealion 5 DM-i plug-in hybrid.
Specialist reviews covered a £140,000 Chinese electric hyper-SUV driven by King Charles, updated Triumph Bonneville motorcycles, and Kia's EV5 family electric SUV. Other vehicles tested were the EM-i Starray SUV, the refreshed 2026 Ineos Grenadier 4x4, Tesla's cheapest £42,000 Model Y Standard SUV, Jaguar's upcoming £140,000 four-door electric GT, and the £50,000 Peugeot e-3008 Dual Motor EV.
Automotive journalists examined whether UK Labour government policy has impacted pick-up truck sales while testing three popular utility models. Supercar reviews featured a £200,000 everyday Ferrari model, while supermini tests included the new Renault Clio, scheduled for a UK arrival in 2027. Further evaluations covered the Citroen e-C5 Aircross, MG S6 EV, Vauxhall Frontera, and Alpine A390 electric cruiser.
Budget and luxury EV reviews included the £22,000 ICaur V23 electric G-Wagon rival, the Geely EX5, and the Volvo ES90 luxury electric saloon. Mass-market EVs tested included the third-generation Nissan Leaf, Hyundai's Santa Fe seven-seater, and Nissan's electric Micra.
Cross-country and executive models tested included the Volvo XC90 and EX30 Cross Country, the Aston Martin DBX S super-SUV, and MG's affordable IM5 and IM6 Tesla competitors. Journalist Ray Massey rode in a Genesis electric limousine to arrive at a wedding on time.
Long-distance plug-in testing saw the Omoda 9 SHS driven across nine countries. High-performance models included the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, an AI-supported Mercedes-Benz CLA electric saloon, the Vauxhall Grandland SUV, the Mini Aceman JCW EV, and the retro Renault 4 EV.
Popular everyday models tested included the electric Ford Puma Gen-E, the budget MG S5 EV, the Vauxhall Mokka, and Dacia's £25,000 Bigster SUV. High-end tests included the £175,000 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster and the Audi Q5, which underwent trials in Morocco.
Final evaluations covered the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo, Citroen's £22,000 e-C3 EV, the high-powered Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre, and the £35,000 Jaecoo 7 SHS Range Rover competitor. Rounding out the testing line-up were the updated Honda Jazz, the open-top Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider, the Porsche Macan GTS family sports car, and the Jaguar F-Type, marking Jaguar's final petrol sports car before transitioning to electric vehicles.
