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The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles announced thousands of personalized license plates were rejected from January to October in 2022. Data for November and December was not available yet.
License plates with phrases like "LA KILLA," "2@BADASH," and "MR.CRAZY" were three of over 5,000 denied by TxDMV, according to Fox 26 Houston.
Though vehicle owners pay extra for personalized plates, guidelines have to be followed in order for the plates to get approved. State guidelines say Texas license plates can contain letters, numbers, spaces and symbols like hyphens, periods, hearts, stars or the state silhouette, but cannot have indecent, vulgar or derogatory content.
Some people do try to outsmart the system by omitting or adding letters, creatively using symbols and disguising forbidden phrases such as "TATTD*AF." Other vehicle owners are a little more bold and will submit requests with blatant swear words, Fox 26 said.
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"Godfather of Soul" James Brown's Texas license plate on his tour bus reads "B Proud" at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 6, 1969 in Newport, Rhode Island. (Julie Snow/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Even if the reference is not derogatory, plates can also be rejected for references to race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, drugs, crime, law enforcement or military branches.
TxDMV also said plates can be rejected if it conflicts with a current or proposed plate pattern issued by the state, if the plates are "objectionable," "misleading," or "indecent."
The department said references to publicly or privately funded colleges or universities are allowed.
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The license plate says it all on "Fusion of Contradiction" during the Everyone's Art Car Parade May 14, 2005 in Houston, Texas. (Dave Einsel/Getty Images)
Some of the license plates denied over the past year include:
SHE MAD, COOLAF, F@RT, SCAM, SHECAPN, BADAZZ, SAV4G3, ROADRG3, UR NEXXT, SADGRL, ASHOOOL, SNAZZY B, KONVICT, STONED1, STONERR, KSSTHIS, COKANE, SPICEGL, TOOTED, NO EFFS, N4KD, NF*GVN, GOT BUNS, JAN-6TH, F BDN, OLD MANS, FELLON, TOESUKR, VENGNC, SMKE*EM, 4MAGA, BYE@H8RZ , IM PSSD, UPRISE, FN FANCY , TX AF 1, URDONE4, SHITTYB, BLU BLLS, SKMYBLS, 69BLUE, and ST@NER.
Numberplate on a car of the Ewing Family from the CBS primetime soap Dallas at The Cattle Barons Ball Sept. 24 1986 at Southfork Ranch, Dallas, Texas. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)
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The department said Texans are proud of their distinctive character and a personalized license plate is just another way to showcase that pride.
The state has offered specialty license plates since 1965.