From 1 October, Belgium’s vehicle registration authority will be able to cancel personalised number plates carrying offensive or prohibited messages.
Under a royal decree published in the Belgian Official Gazette at the end of September, the Vehicle Registration Directorate (DIV) will gain the legal power to withdraw plates deemed contrary to public order.
Personalised plates are already banned if they are offensive, discriminatory, xenophobic or racist, glorify terrorism, or contain an overt political reference. Since the start of 2025, the DIV has refused 1,050 problematic combinations, according to the Ministry of Mobility.
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Some plates, however, have slipped through the net. One example was the combination “7-OKTOBR,” which caused controversy last year.
Until now, the administration had no legal basis to remove such plates once issued and had to rely on the driver agreeing voluntarily to change them.
The new rules will allow the DIV to cancel any plate that incites hatred, refers to violence or war crimes, or otherwise breaches public order, even where the meaning is concealed.
Before doing so, the administration will contact the owner and offer a free replacement plate. The motorist will then have 30 days to respond.
If the owner refuses or does not reply, the DIV will proceed with the cancellation.
An appeal can also be lodged during that 30-day period. In that case, the file will be passed to the federal mobility minister, who will have 30 days to make a decision.
The appeal will not suspend the measure. This means that anyone who uses the full appeal process will have to keep their vehicle off the road for around two months.
If the plate is ultimately cancelled after an appeal, the owner will no longer be entitled to a free replacement.
