Emoji numberplates are now a thing in Queensland

The Queensland government will begin issuing number plates with emojis on them, a move that will no doubt thrill phone-addicted millennials and that one aunt you have who seemingly spends every waking moment on Facebook.

Available to order from March 1, the emoji-emblazoned plates will cost $475 for a new plate, or $165 as a redesign of an existing personalised number plate. Only combinations of two numbers and three letters can be used, with the emoji always positioned on the far right of the plate – no using it as a cheeky substitute for an 'O'.

3

In case you were wondering, the emoji symbol doesn’t form part of the car’s registration number either. A shame for those who like to listen to police frequencies for fun.

Queensland’s emoji plates are bound to divide opinions on whether the monetisation of smartphone culture by state-level bureaucracy is either business genius or the highest form of cringe, but the Sunshine State certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on such things.

3

After all, Vicroads beat Queensland to the punch when it rolled out its “I Love” plates several years ago, which place the letter ‘I’ and a red heart symbol ahead of a two to five-letter word.

Depending on who you ask, the heart emoji plates are either saccharine or cute – but drive around Melbourne’s suburbs and you’re bound to see more than a few.

They might not have the highest pricetags for a number plate - that bar is already eye-wateringly high - but they are an easy way for road authorities to generate a little more dosh.

Oh and before you ask, there are only five emojis available to Queenslanders – the classic smiling emoji, a sunglasses-wearing variant, a heart-eyes emoji, a suggestive winking face and the crowd favourite, 'crying while laughing'.

Regrettably, 'smiling pile of excrement' and 'eggplant' are not presently offered.