Motorists face £1,000 penalties as the DVLA moves to prohibit certain number plates (Image: Sergio Amiti via Getty Images)

Motorists face £1,000 penalties as the DVLA moves to prohibit certain number plates, with a fresh list of banned combinations revealed for 2026 due to concerns over offensive or inappropriate content.

The DVLA , responsible for maintaining approximately 53 million driver records alongside more than 47 million vehicle records, markets personalised registration plates via its online platform.

Twice yearly, it scrutinises incoming number plate options, determining which combinations warrant withholding based upon whether they might constitute insults, profanities, sexual innuendos, drug references, racist, sexist or LGBTQ+ implications, in addition to select politi

See Full Page