‘People can get really creative’: Here’s a list of words and phrases banned from Sask. licence plates

Personalized licence plates are a common sight on Saskatchewan roads, but there’s a long list of words and phrases that are deemed too inappropriate to be printed.

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) has been compiling a list of restricted words or phrases since personalized plates started in the province in the 1980s. Initially, it received lists from other jurisdictions that were already offering the plates.

“People can get really creative with what they’re trying to put on licence plates,” Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson with SGI, said. “If you read the entire [list] you’ll probably want to wash out your eyeballs.”

Words can be added to or removed from the list as culture shifts and meanings evolves.

“Some of them violate our standards,” McMurchy said. “Generally we won’t allow people to get a licence plate if it’s offensive or if it indicates illegal behaviour.”

Words and phrases that have sexual, drug, alcohol, criminal, racial and political connotations, slang or advertising are not allowed.

“This list is only used as a reference,” McMurchy said. “A slogan is not rejected just for being on the list. Each slogan is considered at the time of application.”

If a plate is rejected, the driver can appeal the rejection.

“SGI does have an internal committee made up of employees from a number of different nationalities, backgrounds, ages in different parts of the company that review that slogan and determine whether or not that plate should be allowed,” McMurchy said.

The list contains thousands of proposed and rejected licence plates.

Some include: