If you've ever thought about customizing your license plate, beware Idaho’s DMV is serious about censorship. In 2025, over 600 requests for vanity plates were denied, not for lack of creativity but because they crossed into offensive territory. From profanity and sexual innuendos to references of bodily functions and violence, the department drew a hard line.
Some classic examples that didn’t make it:
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Profanity & insults: 1DA H0E, N0TDAH0, YUTHAH0
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Sexual innuendo: 0GWANG, B00BIEZ, BJ69R
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Bodily functions: 1FARTD, 0LEFART, B00GIE1
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Violence: FIGHTME, CRDKLR
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Drug references: 0PIATE, 42020, LSDREAM
The Idaho DMV’s process involves review by technical staff and supervisors. If a plate is rejected, applicants can submit up to three alternatives or appeal through a formal hearing. Despite some rebellious hopes, the rules are clear: no punctuation, no special characters, no references to illegal substances or sexual content.
For example, some attempts like “FTHMKDS” or “EFFGAS” were deemed inappropriate. Even the humor or meme-like attempts such as "Hawk Tuah Girl" got canned under their strict guidelines.
While some may see this as overly conservative, the department aims to keep roads free of offensive or inappropriate messages. Yet, amidst all the rejection, one thing is clear the desire for personal expression is alive and kicking