The words "NOT SEE" on a license plate may not appear offensive - until you say it (sounds like Nazi) and display a swastika above it.

But that's what Shawn Calpito, of San Diego,Calif., chose for his car's plates. A viewer sent a photo of the plates in to ABC 10News.

Calpito did not answer the door when ABC 10News arrived at his house last night. Both front and back plates had been taken removed from his car. The Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed to ABC 10News that Calpito did own the car.

"On October 31st the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sent the vehicle owner a notice cancelling the plates and requesting they be surrendered," said the California DMV's Office of Public Affairs in Sacramento.

"It's racism in the same way that the Southern flag is a symbol of racism to African-American descendants. It's hate speech," said Mike Buchman, communications director of Solid Ground, a non-profit agency that targets institutional racism as one of the key root causes of poverty.

"This stuff's out there, and if you want a better world, you have to point it out."

Shawn Calpito declined to comment when reached by ABCNews.com.