A bit of fun from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias:
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office rejected more than 300 vanity and personalized license plates in 2024.
The office received 60,537 requests for vanity and personalized plates last year, including the 335 that were denied because of their inflammatory or offensive nature or because they were difficult to read.
The rejected plate requests this year include: HOKTUAH, GYATT, MUNCH, BICHIN, JAGWEED, BADARSE, AXEHOLE, ILLCUTU, HOHOHOE, ABADMF, WEENIE, DUCKOFF, SHIDDED, UGEWANG, and THICCAF.
“Illinoisans consistently display a great deal of creativity when choosing their customized license plates, but the plates that hit the road must meet the standards of good taste and decency,” Giannoulias said. “Our team are well-versed in lecherous language and sneaky swearing, all of which are rejected and placed on our permanent prohibited list.”
The Secretary of State’s Office oversees the process that allows Illinoisans to request specific vanity or personalized license plates for their vehicles. According to state law, the office has the authority to reject any application for personalized or vanity plates that “creates a connotation that is offensive to good taste and decency” as stated in Illinois’ Vehicle Code.
“Illinoisans consistently display a great deal of creativity when choosing their customized license plates, but the plates that hit the road must meet the standards of good taste and decency,” Giannoulias said. “Our team are well-versed in lecherous language and sneaky swearing, all of which are rejected and placed on our permanent prohibited list.”
The Secretary of State’s Office oversees the process that allows Illinoisans to request specific vanity or personalized license plates for their vehicles. According to state law, the office has the authority to reject any application for personalized or vanity plates that “creates a connotation that is offensive to good taste and decency” as stated in Illinois’ Vehicle Code.
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| Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias |
The office flags combinations of letters and numbers that can be construed as lewd or offensive, including expletives, racial epithets, sex and drug references and allusions to violence. In some cases, like MWMWMWM or OOQQOO, plates were rejected this year because they are difficult to read and could pose problems for law enforcement.
The Secretary of State’s office maintains an ever-growing rejection list, which currently stands at more than 8,015 license plate combinations.
Illinois vehicle owners pay an extra $94 for a new vanity plate, which contains all letters. They pay an extra $47 for a new personalized plate, which is a combination of letters and numbers.
Currently, a total of 811,351 vehicles are registered in Illinois with vanity or personalized license plates to Illinoisans. Of this number, 294,324 are vanity plates and 531,035 of the plates are personalized plates.
Most Illinoisans use the office’s popular Pick-a-Plate feature on the website – apps.ilsos.gov/pickaplate – which allows the applicant to type in different combinations of letters, or letters and numbers, to see if they are available for purchase.
The Secretary of State’s office maintains an ever-growing rejection list, which currently stands at more than 8,015 license plate combinations.
Illinois vehicle owners pay an extra $94 for a new vanity plate, which contains all letters. They pay an extra $47 for a new personalized plate, which is a combination of letters and numbers.
Currently, a total of 811,351 vehicles are registered in Illinois with vanity or personalized license plates to Illinoisans. Of this number, 294,324 are vanity plates and 531,035 of the plates are personalized plates.
Most Illinoisans use the office’s popular Pick-a-Plate feature on the website – apps.ilsos.gov/pickaplate – which allows the applicant to type in different combinations of letters, or letters and numbers, to see if they are available for purchase.
