Personalized licence plates have been a hit with many motorists since they were first introduced in B.C., but a surprisingly large number of requests don’t make the cut each year.

For example, you won’t see BLU BYU, SHIRAZ, and HELL NO on a licence plate in B.C. anytime soon. They were among the 3,135 personalized licence plate slogans that were rejected by ICBC in 2022.​

In total, ICBC received 9,467 slogan requests for personalized licence plates last year, with 67 per cent approved and 33 per cent not making the cut. Slogans are rejected if they do not meet ICBC’s guidelines and criteria or if they are deemed objectionable; for instance, if they are discriminatory, sexually suggestive, abusive, or derogatory in any language.

Intellectual property requests (such as trademarks) are also not allowed, nor are references to risky driving behaviour and speed or speeding. Anything to do with the use or sale of legal or illegal drugs is prohibited, as are alcohol-related words or brands, or the effects of drugs or alcohol.

Every personalized licence plate application that ICBC receives is thoroughly reviewed by a dedicated team to ensure the plate is acceptable for display on a vehicle in B.C. Among the requests that were rejected in 2022 were suggestions including:

1. ZOOOOM​

​2. U2SLOW

3. BLU BYU

4. SHIRAZ

5. HELL NO

6. BLURRR

7. VIRUS

8. LYTMUP

​​9. XLR8

10. SUPC​HG

11. DEMON

12. BADASS

The full list of rejected personalized plates in 2022 is available at https://bit.ly/3HAoISx.​​ (Note: Some slogans may be offensive to some.) Worth noting is that if a personalized plate is approved, and is later the subject of a complaint or is determined to be obscene, it can be recalled.

“We’ve seen increased interest in personalized plates in the last few years,” says Sandy-Anne Dodig, ICBC’s Manager of Insurance Operations Support. “Personalized licence plates can be a fun and creative way to express yourself, and are available for regular passenger vehicles, motorcycles, vans, light trucks, and motor homes.”

ICBC recommends that B.C. drivers who are interested in a personalized licence plate review the criteria and guidelines before submitting their application. They can be viewed at http://bit.ly/40BLDFN, which also contains more information on personalized licence plates and how to apply.

editorial@accjournal.ca
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