Full Breakdown
Florida Senior Receives Controversial License Plate
7/16/2026, 3:49:54 AM
Incident Overview
Nancy Dello Stritto, a 77-year-old resident of Pompano Beach, opened a vehicle-registration renewal notice and discovered a new Florida license plate bearing the characters “SQZ A55.” She said the configuration can be read as a crude phrase and described her reaction as “ballistic.” Dello Stritto plans to keep the plate for now but intends to notify the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about the issue.
Plate Production and Distribution
Florida license plates have been manufactured at a state prison in North Florida for nearly a century before being distributed through county agencies. Dello Stritto’s plate arrived in the mail from the Broward County Property Tax Collector’s Office, which handles plate issuance for the region. The exact process that allowed the “SQZ A55” configuration to pass inspection remains unclear.
Official Response
A manager at the Broward County Property Tax Collector’s office confirmed that the county will replace any plate deemed offensive at no cost to the vehicle owner, and that replacements can be obtained at the office in Plantation.
Community Reaction
Within Dello Stritto’s retirement community, opinions are split. While she expressed discomfort with the plate, her sons, their friends, and many neighbors have encouraged her to retain it, noting an informal vote of 16 to 1 in favor of keeping the plate. She acknowledged the humor the situation has generated, saying she can “handle it” and may even enjoy the occasional honk.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I don't think a senior who is almost 77 will be driving around with a plate that has that to say,” — Nancy Dello Stritto
- “When I saw that, I went ballistic. I said, ‘How could that pass inspection?’” — Nancy Dello Stritto
- “I'm resigned to it; maybe it was destined for it to be on my car,” — Nancy Dello Stritto
- “An office manager confirmed that Broward County will replace a plate deemed offensive for free at their Plantation office.” — Broward County Property Tax Collector’s office manager
