Honolulu Considers Revising License Plate Rules to Prevent Offensive Personalized Plates
Honolulu, HI – In an effort to prevent offensive and inappropriate language on personalized license plates, the City of Honolulu is considering revising its existing rules.
The Department of Customer Services wants to ensure that offensive plates do not slip through the cracks, following a recent incident involving a recalled license plate.
Personalized license plates, available for just $60, have become a popular way for vehicle owners to add a touch of personalization and fun to their cars.
For many, it also serves as a means of easy identification.
One car owner, who wished to remain anonymous, explained, “I got mine because it’s easy to remember and spot.” Her personalized plate features the word “OK” along with her initials.
However, not all personalized plate applications are deemed appropriate.
Last year, the city rejected approximately 230 applications that were considered inappropriate.
While most plates are deemed acceptable, the city approved around 3,300 personalized plates in the same period.
To address the issue, Honolulu intends to revise the rules governing license plates to provide clearer guidelines on what is considered appropriate and what is not.
The proposed revisions aim to clean up outdated language and explicitly prohibit the use of obscenities or profanity on license plates.
Additionally, the city plans to disallow the use of letters as substitutes for numbers.
The current rules already prohibit prejudice, hostility, contempt, and profanity.
Despite these guidelines, a few offensive plates managed to slip through the cracks, leading to a legal dispute over a recalled license plate.
Opinions on the matter vary among residents.
Some believe that people should have the freedom to express themselves, as long as it does not offend or impose on others.
One resident stated, “I think that’s perfectly fine, you know, as long as it’s not really offending anyone.” However, others argue that certain offensive or profane messages on license plates should not be allowed, especially if they target specific groups or are visible to children.
The city will hold a public hearing on May 24th at 9:00 AM to gather input on the proposed rules.
It seeks to strike a balance between individual expression and maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment on the roads.
The revisions aim to ensure that there are no instances of profanity or offensive language on personalized license plates in the future.
