NC rejected 10,000+ personalized plates in 2025, from ‘FAST AF’ to ‘DMPTRMP’

This story references profanity and may be offensive to some readers.

In internet shorthand, “AF” is a blunt intensifier used to emphasize whatever comes before it — a linguistic highlighter that turns “cold” into “cold AF,” and has slipped from group chats into the broader cultural lexicon.

Unfortunately for some, this abbreviation, and others like it, are banned from license plates in North Carolina.

To date, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) has rejected 10,000 license plates with offensive phrases, according to a document with banned plates obtained by The Charlotte Observer.

The most common profanity identified by The Observer was “a**,” with 555 instances, followed by “f***“ with 259 and “sh**“ with 157. Nearly 100 more used slang words referring to male or female sex organs.

A handful of plates also made references to the two most recent U.S. presidents, with rejected phrases like FBIDEN, MAGAFJB, MPEACH45 and DMPTRMP.

Some Gen-Z terms also appeared on the list, such as GYAT (used online and in gaming culture as an exaggerated exclamation of surprise or admiration, often reacting to someone’s appearance), SLAY (to do something exceptionally well or look great) and SUS, often used as an abbreviation for “suspicious.”

Here’s what you need to know.

Rejected NC license plates

Generally, rejected license plates in North Carolina fall under one of seven categories: general profanity, sexual references, references to drugs or alcohol, slurs and hate speech, law enforcement contempt, bodily functions and miscellaneous.

Here are a few rejected plates from each category (again — profanity warning below):

• Sexual references: NUTZ, AZZ
• References to drugs or alcohol: KUSH, REEFER, DRUGDLR, COCAINE
• Slurs and hate speech: NAZI, KILLA
• Law enforcement contempt: FKCOPS, FUGOV, DMV$UX
• Bodily functions: P00P, D00KIE, P1SS, FART
• Miscellaneous: FAST AF, DEVIL, SATAN

How are personalized license plates reviewed?

NCDMV screens personalized license plates through an internal review process that weighs complaints, slang meanings and potential for offense, maintaining a “Do Not Issue” list of banned terms, The Observer reported.

Plates deemed antisemitic or otherwise harmful can be recalled after approval, and while the DMV has recently reversed bans on some words, it retains final authority, noting that license plates are considered government speech and must not shock, offend or harm the state’s reputation.

NC specialty plates

NCDMV offers a wide range of specialty license plates highlighting everything from charities to hobby groups, with more than 100 designs available statewide.

Each plate carries an added fee beyond regular registration costs, and because they’re produced in limited quantities, they can be purchased online, by mail or in person at an NCDMV license plate agency.

NC license plate changes

In 2023, state officials lifted longstanding restrictions on personalized vehicle plates in North Carolina, allowing drivers to use terms and designs that include dozens of LGBTQ-related words and phrases that were previously banned by NCDMV, the Observer reported.

Under the new policy, the DMV will no longer automatically reject plate requests containing specific LGBTQ terminology, provided the messages meet standard decency and appropriateness criteria that apply to all personalized plates.

The creation of this article included the use of AI to categorize the banned plates and was edited by journalists. Read more on our AI policy here.

This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 3:35 PM.

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.