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The plate reads 37OHSSV upright. Turn it upside down and its characters spell a censored profanity—that visual joke is why a Perth Kia Sportage’s number plate attracted attention online, according to PerthNow.
What does 37OHSSV mean upside down?
The plate’s red characters are designed to resemble a censored swear word when viewed upside down. The trick depends on rotating the whole plate: read normally, the characters are simply 37OHSSV. PerthNow’s 12 March 2024 report identifies the vehicle as a Kia Sportage and describes the upside-down reading as the reason the image caught people’s attention.
The report says Facebook user Jeffrey submitted the image to Bell Tower Times 2.0. It does not identify the vehicle’s owner, so the submitter should not be assumed to be the driver or owner.
Why did the plate go viral?
PerthNow reported that the post had received more than 2,000 shares and almost 1,000 comments by the time its story appeared on 12 March 2024. Those numbers are the article’s snapshot from that date, not a current count. The report described reactions as mostly appreciative and reproduced comments including “This is so clever and hilarious” and “That’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
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How could a plate with that reading be approved?
The available reporting does not explain why this individual combination was approved, or whether reviewers considered its upside-down meaning. It is therefore not evidence that officials deliberately allowed the joke or that the plate slipped through a known loophole.
Transport WA says the Chief Executive Officer reserves the right to refuse an optional plate application. Its listed grounds include offensive, sensitive or contentious connotations; negative political or anti-law references; likely promotion of hatred; and characters that are ambiguous or not easily identifiable. Those are general refusal criteria, not an account of the decision on 37OHSSV. See PlatesWA.
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How often are personalised plates refused in WA?
For the financial year covered by PerthNow’s July 2023 report, Western Australian Department of Transport figures cited by the newspaper showed more than 37,000 applications and almost 1,000 applications deemed too offensive. These are figures reported in 2023, not current annual totals. The report named GEN3CID, SAUC3D and RAMP4GE among rejected examples, and said applications were assessed by a plate review group. Reasons included drug or alcohol connotations, anti-law associations, or content considered offensive and inappropriate for public display.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you apply for a personalised plate yourself?
The Government of Western Australia’s application page says to choose a plate design and check availability before applying. It also says production takes three to four weeks after an application, and that optional and personalised plates are unavailable for taxis, buses and other vehicles that require specific identifying numbers. The page was last updated on 5 December 2022, so check the current service details before relying on those steps. Visit the WA Government’s optional and personalised plates page.
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