In Western Australia and many places with personalized plates, the review body evaluates each proposed plate combination against criteria such as:
Whether it can be interpreted offensively or derogatorily
Whether it contains or hints at references to drugs, violence, sexual content
Whether it can be read in reverse, mirror view, or stylized font to yield inappropriate meanings
Proximity to existing plate series or confusion with normative plates
Use of protected names, trademarks, or mandated exclusions (e.g. military, religious, government references)
General public decency or “community expectations”
In the case of WA’s transport authority, for example, many plates are knocked back under those rules for being lewd, rude, or crude. The West Australian+2NT News+2 Examples of rejected plates include RAMP4GE, SAUC3D, F4K3 T4X1, and BUYAGRAM. NT News+2The Chronicle+2
Volume of Rejections
The scale is significant: nearly a thousand personalized‑plate applications are rejected yearly for being deemed offensive or inappropriate in WA. NT News+1 That means for every plate that makes it through with cheeky or suggestive content, dozens more are blocked.
The system is constantly on guard: review teams check for creative mindset substitutions — letter/number swaps (e.g. 3 for E, 4 for A), backwards readings, word fragments, mirror readings, and more.
Why Some Slips Through
Even with strong rules, some plates get approved because:
The meaning is hidden or subtle (not obvious at first glance)
The offensive intent isn’t overt or flagged by the algorithm or review panel
Visual tricks, like flipping or mirror reading, are harder for rules to catch
Reviewers may rotate, vary in discretion, or lack capacity to detect every pun or inversion
The system is reactive; some plates are challenged only after being seen publicly
Thus, a cleverly disguised plate like 370HSSV, which hides its true meaning in inversion, can sneak past the filters.
The Psychology & Appeal Behind “Hidden” Plates
