Rejected Florida license plates: These custom license plates were scrapped in 2023

ORLANDO, Fla. - Turns out, you cannot have whatever you want on your vehicle's license plate. Dozens of requests for personalized license plates were rejected last year by the State of Florida in 2023.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) receives hundreds of requests yearly, many of which are later deemed obscene or objectionable. In those cases, the department will recall the plate.

Floridians once again got creative last year with their vanity plate submissions. 

Some of the plates placed under review and/or rejected include "BYE FHP," "LIL WEWE," "POOPIE1," and "P14Y BOY," to name a few. Content warning: These were the personalized license plates that we were comfortable sharing in the image gallery below. However, some of the others were rather explicit (viewer discretion advised).

The department offers specialty license plates, special plates, and personalized plates. Specialty plates are optional plates available to Floridians that benefit various organizations and the causes they represent. Special plates are a "subtype" of specialty plates. Some specialty plates are eligible to be personalized, with an additional $15 annual fee for each personalized plate. More information on these plates, along with images, is found on the FLHSMV website.

What is the review process for personalized license plates in Florida?

Personalized license plate orders are reviewed for obscene or objectionable material by staff in tax collectors or FLHSMV offices when initial applications are processed and also screened through the department's Inventory Control Unit. 

How do you file a complaint about an objectionable license plate in Florida?

Customers can contact FLHSMV or their local tax collector's office to file a complaint should they encounter a plate that is obscene or objectionable.

How do you dispose of a license plate in Florida?

In Florida, license plates belong to the state and must be returned if the decal on the plate is unexpired and insurance is not maintained. Failure to surrender a valid license plate when your insurance is canceled or expired will result in the suspension of your driver's license.  The state also warns that scammers could get hold of an improperly discarded license plate to go through tolls, run red light cameras, or be used in the commission of a crime.