GREENVILLE, N.C. — The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday approved a woman’s request for a specialty license plate to honor her wife, after initially turning her down.

The state DMV initially told Amy Bright of Greenville it had the right to deny any license plate it deems ‘‘offensive to good taste and decency.’’ DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup said Wednesday he approved the plate, saying it was a mistake to reject it in the first place.

Bright told WFMY-TV in Greensboro she applied for a plate reading ‘‘LSBNSNLV,’’ for ‘‘lesbians in love.’’

Jessup said in a statement that he left a voice message for Bright to apologize and to let her know about her request being approved.

Bright had said she would sue if an appeal was denied.

‘‘I think that’s ridiculous. I’m trying to celebrate the love I have for my wife, so I don’t see how that’s in poor taste,’’ she said prior to the DMV reversal. ‘‘How can a celebration of love be in poor taste?’’

The agency’s initial statement to the television station didn’t address Bright’s request specifically. It also said the US Supreme Court has determined that license plates are ‘‘government speech,’’ giving the state agency ‘‘broad discretion in refusing to issue a plate with an indecent word or message.’’ The DMV said it has rejected more than 7,000 license plate requests over the years.

Bright noted that her request had no curse words or hate speech. She said she previously had a plate reading ‘‘OUTLSBN,’’ for ‘‘out lesbian.’’ She thinks the rejection reflected someone’s personal feeling, rather than a governing principle.

Associated Press