Kansas issued almost 3,000 personalized license plates last year. These 12 were rejected
This story references profanity and may be offensive to some readers.
Imagine pulling up to a red light and, instead of an innocuous string of numbers and letters, the Kansas license plate ahead of you is insulting you.
Luckily that situation is unlikely, because Kansas has strict rules for what can go on personalized license plates.
Of the 77,000 Kansas passenger vehicle registrations processed during 2023, almost 3,000 of them were personalized plates, according to Zach Denney, spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Revenue.
But you can’t have a plate referencing profanity — like “FK ARND” — or sex — like “WEENERZ.”
Each customized plate must follow the state law, which says the government should reject an application if “the letters or numbers designated by the applicant have a profane, vulgar, lewd or indecent meaning or connotation.”
For cars and trucks, each plate can have up to seven characters, including numbers, letters and spaces, while motorcycles only have space for five.
Kansas denied 1% of its personalized license plate applications, more permissive than Missouri’s 5.7% rejection rate. In addition, the plate fees work differently in each state — the plates cost $45.50 every five years in Kansas compared to $15 each year in Missouri.
For this story, The Star reviewed license plate requests rejected from June 2023 through May 2024, provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Which vanity license plates were rejected in Kansas?
The Star looked through 30 unique license plate configurations that were rejected for violating Kansas statute. Here is a selection of these plates:
BBBADSS
GO2HAIL
POTGUY
GRMPYAF
FUG U
BOTYLKR
IDK WTF
SASSYAF
MLFG3TR
ZROFKS
How does the state review vanity license plate applications?
The state’s vehicle division has a manually updated system that automatically flags potentially profane applications, Denney said.
If someone tells the Department of Revenue about a potentially inappropriate Kansas plate on the street, multiple senior officials might review it. The driver could be asked to return their license plate and receive a different personalized one free of charge.
How do you get a personalized license plate in Kansas?
You can apply for a vanity license plate at your county treasurer’s motor vehicle office by filling out the TR715 form.
A vanity license plate will set you back $45.50, according to KDOR, in addition to regular registration costs.
These plates will soon have a new look. Kansas residents chose a new prairie-themed design for personalized license plates, which is expected to become available in 2025.
Have more questions about oddities in Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
