HOUSTON – Texans applied for thousands of personalized license plates in 2025, but nearly 2,000 were stopped by the state before they could ever be bolted onto a bumper.
According to Texas Department of Motor Vehicles data, the agency rejected 1,951 personalized plate requests statewide last year after determining the messages violated state rules governing public license plates.
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The rejected submissions ranged from profanity and sexual innuendo to coded references and combinations that could confuse law enforcement or offend the public.
TxDMV reviews every personalized plate request under the authority granted by the Texas Transportation Code and state administrative rules.
The agency does not consider the applicant’s intended meaning.
When Did Rejections Happen?
The number of rejected plates fluctuated throughout the year, with noticeable increases in the fall.
According to TxDMV data:
| Month (2025) | # of Plates Rejected |
|---|---|
| January | 182 |
| February | 137 |
| March | 155 |
| April | 172 |
| May | 171 |
| June | 185 |
| July | 150 |
| August | 155 |
| September | 172 |
| October | 193 |
| November | 130 |
| December | 149 |
| Total | 1,951 |
October recorded the highest number of rejections, while February had the fewest.
TxDMV does not publicly attribute monthly spikes to specific events or trends.
Examples of Rejected Plates (PG-13 Version)
Many denied plates did not contain explicit profanity but were rejected for implied or coded meanings.
Examples from the 2025 rejection list include:
U SMOKED - The plate suggests drug use or intoxication, which is prohibited under TxDMV rules even without specifying a substance.
UHATIN - When read aloud, the phrase can be interpreted as an insult or harassment directed at others.
U MAD HA - The plate implies taunting or confrontational language that TxDMV considers objectionable in a public setting.
Y U UGLY - TxDMV rejected the plate as a direct insult targeting others, which violates rules against derogatory language.
NLYFAN5 - The plate appears to reference adult content platforms. TxDMV guidelines prohibit plates that imply sexual content or services.
DAAAAAM - While not explicit, the exaggerated spelling can be interpreted as a profanity substitute or suggestive exclamation.
TxDMV rules state that if a reasonable person could interpret a plate as vulgar or inappropriate, it can be denied.
Here’s the full list of rejected license plates from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Some of the words or themes in this document may be offensive to some readers.
Most Common Rejection Themes
Based on a review of the rejected plate list, several patterns appear repeatedly:
- Sexual references or innuendo - This includes numbers, abbreviations or slang commonly associated with sexual acts.
- Phonetic spellings - Plates designed to sound out a word or phrase when read aloud are frequently rejected.
- Drug or alcohol references - Even vague or abbreviated suggestions of intoxication or illegal substances are prohibited.
- Coded or disguised language - Replacing letters with numbers or symbols does not bypass state review.
- Potential law enforcement confusion - Plates that resemble official codes, instructions or emergency language may be denied.
TxDMV guidelines emphasize that ambiguity does not protect a plate from rejection.
What Does The Law Allow?
Texas law requires TxDMV to offer personalized license plates, but gives the agency broad authority to reject specific combinations.
Under the Texas Transportation Code and Title 43 of the Texas Administrative Code:
Drivers may use letters, numbers, spaces, and approved symbols. Plates must be unique statewide. TxDMV may deny any plate it determines is objectionable to the public.
The agency is not required to consider personal explanations or alternate meanings provided by the applicant.