TMR rejects nearly 4000 personalised licence plate combinations

Drivers have attempted to slip thousands of inappropriate licence plates past the state government. Here’s what you can’t print on your plate, and how much it will cost you if you try.

Thousands of personalised licence plates rejected by the Personalised Plates Queensland and the Department of Transport and Main Roads in the past year.

According to data obtained by News Corp, in 2023 PPQ issued almost 125,250 personalised plate combinations in a wide range of designs and colours while it denied 3901 requests, or about 3 per cent, for plate content that was considered inappropriate.

A TMR spokesman said that while personalised plates were a great way for Queenslanders to customise their vehicle, care must be given to ensure they met standards of public decency.

“There is no cost to a customer if the application is rejected,” he said.

“The PPQ team will work with any customer to ensure an alternative plate can be found. “However, customers who continue to submit repetitive requests for inappropriate content, may be subject to a cancellation fee if the order has been progressed online.”

This cancellation fee is $100.

Personalised plates have become increasingly popular as a result TMR and PPQ must update their lists of banned words.

They are also empowered to recall previously issued plates if they become offensive retrospectively.

“Personalised plate policies are updated to reflect current community and social norms and to meet Queensland drivers’ expectations,” the TMR spokesman said.

“We also have the legislative power to require a person to return a personalised plate that was already issued, if it is considered to be obscene, indecent, contrary to the public interest or likely to cause offence to a reasonable person.”

According to the PPQ website, plates are banned if they:

● Promote unsafe, violent or harmful behaviour, particularly on the roads, and plates referencing weapons

● Promote alcohol, illegal drugs or criminal activity

● Are propagandistic, discriminatory, or could offend members or citizens of a distinct culture or a particular religion, nation, race, or minority status

● Could be considered offensive to Government Departments

● May be defamatory, in breach of any laws, regulations, rules, codes or third party rights or otherwise objectionable in the absolute discretion of PPQ

● Create ambiguity in identification of a vehicle, or enables mistaken recognition of a vehicle and/or its occupants.

TMR said it did not keep comprehensive records of rejected personalised plates.

Other states have banned plates including PI55ED, I SPEED, 5ATAN, H8TRED, 4P1AY and RAC3M3.