If you take a moment to really examine some of the personalized license plates on the road, you’ll notice that not all of them are as harmless as they first appear. In fact, some carry hidden meanings that, once revealed, can stir up quite a bit of controversy. That’s exactly what happened recently with a license plate in Nevada that quickly went viral.

The plate displayed the message “Go back to California,” and once people realized what it said, it exploded in popularity on Facebook, gaining over 80,000 likes. While some people found it humorous and reflective of local frustrations about population shifts, others saw it as an unwelcoming and inappropriate message to display in public. The attention it received caught the eye of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, and they ultimately made the decision to recall the plate. Their reasoning was that the message crossed the line of what is considered acceptable for a state-issued item. This incident isn’t isolated. Across the country, state DMVs are constantly monitoring and reviewing applications for personalized license plates.

While these vanity plates give drivers a fun way to express their personality, humor, or interests, not all applications make it past the review process. Each submission is carefully screened for content that could be seen as offensive, inappropriate, or suggestive of illegal behavior. Some of the more notorious examples of rejected plates include ones like “SAUC3D,” which may seem like just a fun twist on the word “sauced,” but could imply intoxication, and “RAMP4GE,” which can be interpreted as promoting aggression or violence. Then there are others like “F4K3 T4XI” and “BUYAGRAM,” both of which hint at illicit or adult-themed activities. These kinds of messages may be coded or cleverly disguised using numbers and symbols in place of letters, but the DMV review teams are trained to spot these attempts. They’re tasked with making sure that any message displayed on a license plate meets community standards and doesn’t create confusion, offense, or promote harmful behavior.

Interestingly, data shows that men are more likely than women to request personalized plates. For many, it’s a fun and unique way to add personality to their vehicle—whether it’s a reference to a favorite sports team, a beloved pet, a hobby, or a clever play on words. Some drivers use their plates to highlight their profession, while others use them for humor or social commentary. But as creative as some of these ideas might be, not all of them are appropriate for public roads. That’s why the DMV review process exists: to act as a filter between personal expression and public decency. The review panels often use online tools, slang dictionaries, and even crowdsourced platforms to stay up to date with current language trends, pop culture references, and slang that might be hidden in a vanity plate. Even when applicants think they’ve outsmarted the system by using numbers or abbreviations, the reviewers are often quick to catch on. In some cases, plates are even approved at first and later recalled if someone complains or if the true meaning becomes clearer over time. There are also times when a plate might be rejected simply because it could be misinterpreted, even if the applicant didn’t intend for it to be offensive. Some people try to appeal these decisions, but most of the time, if a plate has the potential to be misunderstood or cause discomfort, it’s pulled. The Nevada license plate with the anti-California message is just one example of how these personalized plates, while fun and often creative, can cross a line and stir up strong reactions. It also highlights the ongoing balancing act between free speech and public responsibility. Personalized plates are meant to be a form of self-expression, but because they are issued and displayed by the state, there are limits to what they can say. So, the next time you spot a clever or questionable license plate on the road, take a second look—you might just discover a hidden message that’s either brilliant, offensive, or somewhere in between.