State registration plates (GRP) are the main identifier of a car and its owner. Operating a car without license plates or with license plates of inadequate quality is punishable by a fine or deprivation of a driver's license.

If the numbers are lost, stolen, or become unusable, they must be restored or replaced. Today this procedure at the State Traffic Inspectorate is extremely simplified and takes no more than 2 hours.

When is it necessary to change numbers?

State registration plates (GRP) of a vehicle must comply with the State Standard of the Russian Federation GOST R 50577-93 and be clearly readable from at least 20 meters.

As a result of an accident, under the influence of the external environment and due to improper use, they can become unusable. The following are considered non-conformities to be eliminated:

• mechanical damage, rust, paint peeling, etc.;
• installation in inappropriate places. According to the rules, the GRZ must be installed strictly along the central axis of the vehicle (TS), front and rear.

Also the replacement procedure, i.e. numbers with a new combination of letters and numbers are issued, required when:

• theft;
• loss.

In these cases, in order to prevent further illegal manipulations with lost license plates, contacting the traffic police is mandatory. Otherwise, the numbers themselves can be installed by criminals on stolen cars, and fines for their violations will come to the former owner.

Number recovery (duplicate)

If the GRZs have become unusable, lost or stolen, they can be restored by ordering a duplicate (the same combination of letters and numbers as it was) from companies specially accredited for this work (Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated August 7, 2013 No. 605 “On approval of the Administrative Regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Affairs of the Russian Federation on the provision of state services for registration of motor vehicles and trailers for them").

Then you will not need to re-register the vehicle. When ordering, the owner only needs to present a vehicle registration certificate. Without providing a number that has become unusable. The cost of producing duplicates may be set at the discretion of the manufacturer. But usually it is equal to the cost of replacing plates at the traffic police - 2850 rubles.

The amount of the state duty for issuance, including replacement of lost or unusable:

• GRZ - 2000 rubles (for a motorcycle and trailer - 1000 rubles);
• PTS - 800 rubles;
• Vehicle registration certificate - 500 rubles;
• For making changes to a previously issued vehicle passport - 350 rubles;
• GRZ vehicles"Transit"
  on a metal base, for cars - 1600 rubles;
  on a metal base, for motorcycles and trailers - 800 rubles;
  on paper - 200 rubles.

Thus, the state fee for registration (with a change or issue of a number) will be:

• for a car - 2850 rubles;
• for a motorcycle, trailer - 1850 rubles.

The state fee for re-registration of a vehicle while retaining the license plate from the previous owner will cost 850 rubles.

Penalty for driving with fake license plates

In accordance with paragraph 4 of Art. 12.2 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses dated December 30, 2001 N 195-FZ, driving with fake numbers punishable by deprivation driver's license for a period from 6 months to 1 year.

• compulsory work up to 360 hours (for organized group persons - up to 480 hours);
• correctional labor for up to 1 year (for an organized group up to 2 years);
• restriction or imprisonment or forced labor for up to 2 years (for an organized group - up to 3 years).

Car license plates (or simply numbers) are means for registering a car, motorcycle, equipment special purpose, trailer or other vehicle on the territory Russian Federation and look like special signs consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, usually printed on a metal plate (although there are exceptions) or on the vehicle itself.

According to the rules, the license plate must be installed on the front and back parts vehicle. The only exceptions are motorcycles and trailers, which must only have a number on the back.

License plate format

Most of the license plates currently used in our country are made according to the 1993 standard (GOST R 50577-93). Slight deviations from this standard have registration numbers belonging to route vehicles, vehicles of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as numbers of trailers, motorcycles and equipment working in construction.

The number of characters on numbers made according to the standard is 3 letters and then 3 more numbers. The letters are the series of the registration plate, and the numbers are its number. The license plate may not contain any letter from the Russian language: to be applied to identification plate TS only those Cyrillic letters are allowed that have analogues in the Latin alphabet - A, B, E, K, M, N, O, P, S, T, U and X. To the right of the standard number there is a separate quadrangle, in which there are: below – the flag of the Russian Federation and the abbreviated name of our country in English (RUS), and above them – the numerical index (code) of the region of the Russian Federation where this vehicle was registered. All numbers on the registration plate are larger than the letters.

Regional license plate codes

According to traffic regulations, all vehicles must be properly registered. Each subject of the Russian Federation (region, territory, republic, as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg) has its own numerical code, which is common to all vehicles registered within the given subject. The number of sets of numbers that a certain region can have is limited and, according to GOST, is just over 1.726 million pieces. There are no numbers consisting only of the digit “0”.

In the first years after the introduction of new numbers, only numbers from 01 to 89 were used to designate regions (this is exactly the number of subjects there were in Russia at the beginning of 1993), but every year the number of registered vehicles increased, and numbers with possible combinations of letters and numbers it was not enough. To “plug this gap”, in 1998 they began to use numbers that began with “9”, but they soon ended. In 2005, three-digit regional indices were used.

After the new GOST came into effect, old-style registration plates were not taken out of circulation, and you can still see cars with Soviet-era license plates on the roads. These are white license plates containing 3 letters and 4 numbers (1980 models) and black numbers with 4 numbers and 3 letters (1958).

Types of license plates of the Russian Federation

Vehicle registration plates. As already noted, the new GOST came into force in 1993 and assumed a license plate format containing a letter, 3 digits, then 2 more letters and a region code. A year later, the Russian flag and the inscription “RUS” appeared on the license plate (however, plates of the 1994 model in some regions began to be issued only with the onset of the 2000s).

Until mid-2008, a license plate belonging to a truck or bus transport, had to be duplicated on the back of the vehicle in large letters and numbers. This requirement is not mandatory at this time.

Registration plates issued to trailers. The format of such a number is 2 letters followed by 4 numbers. Just like trucks, until mid-2008 it was mandatory to duplicate the license plate on the back of the trailer, but this rule has now been abolished.

License plates for registration of motorcycles, mopeds, scooters and scooters. Must be made of a square plate with reflective properties, on which 4 numbers are applied on the top line, and 2 letters on the bottom line. In addition, the region code is placed at the bottom right, and a little higher is the abbreviated name of our country in English (RUS).

Registration plates for tractors and their trailers, as well as other agricultural, road-building and self-propelled equipment. The format of the number is practically no different from the previous paragraph (motorcycles): a reflective square with 4 numbers (on the top line), 2 letters (on the bottom line) and a region index in the lower right corner.

Transit registration plates- intended for vehicles deregistered or not yet registered with the traffic police. The modern format of such a number is 2 letters, then 3 numbers and then 1 more letter. These numbers and letters are written on thick paper, which has the property of a background glow in the “ultraviolet”. This is done so that the security fibers are visible, confirming the authenticity of the license plate. For the same purpose, a hologram sign is placed in the upper left corner. Since this number is made of paper, it is laminated on both sides for durability.

The modern format has replaced the old ones transit numbers. These square-shaped license plates, made of paper, were placed under the windshield and rear windows TS. The old transit license plates had to be replaced because they were “not visible” to the cameras that were introduced into widespread use and automatically record violations. And the tinting of the windows also made this number less readable.

License plate of vehicles irrevocably leaving the borders of the Russian Federation. These registration plates are intended for cars that are exported from Russia. The license plate format is 2 letters and then 3 numbers, and the letter “T” is placed on the left side of the number.

License plates of vehicles belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The standard for such a number appeared in 2002. The number has a blue background, and the following is written on it in white:

• 1 letter and then 4 numbers for cars and trucks;
• 3 numbers, then 1 letter for trailers;
• 4 numbers above and 1 letter below - for motorcycles.

On the right side of the registration plate, as with ordinary vehicles, the index of the region of registration is placed. The only exception is vehicles owned directly by the Ministry of Internal Affairs: their index is 77.

Registration license plates belonging to the vehicles of foreign diplomatic and trade missions. The symbols are painted in white, the background of the sign is red. The main meaning of such a license plate lies in three digits that correspond to the state code by special classification, and the subsequent one or two English letters. The letter part is deciphered as follows:

• CD– a car with such letters on the number belongs to (or is registered in the name of) the person who heads a specific diplomatic mission (ambassador or other diplomat vested with his authority);
• CC– such a letter designation indicates that this vehicle is registered in the name of the person heading the consular department or mission;
• D– this letter indicates that the car is under the jurisdiction of a diplomatic mission, consular office, organization with international status or belongs to a person who works in these organizations and has the status of a diplomat;
• T– in this case, the vehicle is registered by a person who is an administrative and technical employee of a diplomatic mission, consulate or international organization, that is, does not have diplomatic status.

License plates for registration of vehicles belonging to military units or other formations of executive authorities of the Russian Federation at the federal level. The license plates for the vehicles described are non-reflective, have a black background and white letters and numbers. For cars and trucks, the format is as follows: 4 numbers and then 2 letters; the format of registration plates for motorcycles, trailers and other special equipment is similar to the corresponding civil vehicles.

As for the index, which is applied on the right side of the license plate, it does not coincide with the table of codes for Russian regions. The number written in place of the region number means that the transport belongs to a specific Russian military district, branch of the armed forces or federal government authority in which military service is provided.

Head of the Center for Security Issues traffic(Research Center for Traffic Safety) The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Oleg Portashnikov told the Kommersant publication about the upcoming large-scale reform of automobile and motorcycle registration plates. The previous GOST is already outdated, which creates a number of inconveniences for vehicle owners.

This is especially true for motorcycles, most of which are foreign-made. The area for the rear number, installed by the manufacturer, is smaller in size than the Russian sign (245 by 160 mm), as a result it is necessary to use adapter frames, which are not reliable enough and can be torn off by the air flow. Many bikers, when attaching a license plate, do not use adapters at all, but simply bend the edges of the license plate, which is a violation. The new GOST plans to revise the dimensions of a motorcycle license plate so that it meets Western standards.

The same applies to Japanese and American passenger cars with non-standard places for attaching signs. The standard holes on the plates sometimes do not coincide with the holes on the license plates, and drilling additional holes in the license plate is not allowed; this is punishable by a fine of 500 rubles. The standards should be revised to allow holes to be made in certain areas of license plates. The issue of introducing rectangular rear license plates as standard for the standard mountings of a number of foreign cars is also being considered.

For vintage cars, they offer, as in some other countries, to issue their own registration numbers. Owners of such cars will have to comply with a number of conditions: drive only on weekends, away from expressways, at a certain distance from the owner’s place of residence, etc. The same applies to cars for competitions, for which certain signs and special conditions of use should also be introduced.

New license plates have already been developed in the Russian Automobile Federation, and the press service of Rosstandart confirmed that the revision of GOST-50577 is included in the standardization plan for 2017.

License plates for regional traffic police departments are purchased approximately once a year by the Special Purpose Center for Traffic Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The last few tenders (separately for each federal district) were held in the summer of 2016. For example, in the Central Federal District the competition was won by the capital's Znak JSC, and in the Northwestern Federal District - by Printing House No. 2 LLC.

“Za Rulem.RF” asked whether cargo carriers have problems installing license plates? Maxim Bochkov, director of procurement of transport services at FM Logistic, responded that such a problem as the impossibility of securing a state sign freight transport No. The main thing is to firmly fix the number during installation on the prepared frame and revise it when releasing the car onto the line. He believes that the innovation will be viewed in business as irrational, with additional costs at the expense of vehicle owners. If we further analyze the costs, they may also affect the costs of video recording equipment (setting up equipment or replacing it), which is already pre-configured to the current standard of state signs.

SergeyYanchuk, General Director of Advance-Auto, AutoSpetsCenter Group of Companies: “New cars sold through dealerships, have standard sizes areas for numbers. As for the “Japanese” and “American” cars imported privately by car owners, there are now fewer and fewer such cars on Russian roads. However, you should not forget about them. In my opinion, the introduction of new license plate sizes is a useful initiative, since there will be no need to install additional mounts on cars. In addition, the reliability of any additional structures is far from 100% and raises the risk of losing license plates. The same goes for motorcycles.”

• While the city authorities are expanding the zone paid parking in the city, some car owners have found a way not to pay for parking near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation: they simply rent license plates from cars.
• Last fall, the work of the traffic police department in Zelenograd was paralyzed by dealers who learned about the arrival of a beautiful series of VOR license plates in the 777th region.

Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

Amendments being developed by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation suggest reducing the size of registration plates for motor vehicles, also similar rear numbers owners of American and Japanese cars. Another change could presumably include vintage and sports cars’ own state marks.

The Research Center for Road Safety Problems has initiated the development of a new edition of the state standard for license plates, Kommersant reports with reference to the head of the center Oleg Portashnikov. He noted that one of the problems is that the area for the rear number plate on foreign-made motorcycles is too small (245 mm x 160 mm). The frame adapters used do not have sufficient reliability: there are often cases when signs were bent and torn off due to the wind flow on high speed. The new edition assumes that the “motor numbers” will be closer to Western standards.

Revision of GOST is also possible for passenger cars of Japanese and American origin, since many of them have non-standard places for attaching license plates. It is proposed to allow car owners to make additional holes in the signs, and also for foreign cars they can make rectangular rear numbers for their standard mounts.

Special numbers may appear on cars participating in competitions and vintage cars. They will allow the former to drive on public roads during the rally, and the latter to operate on special conditions, for example, travel only on weekends, stay away from highways, within a certain distance from the place of residence of the owner and others.

Sketches of new license plates developed in the Russian Automobile Federation were sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The department noted that the revision of GOST-50577 is included in the standardization plan for 2017. The approval of the national standard is expected to take place in October 2018, and 3 to 18 months after that the document should come into force.

In the summer of this year, the Kolesa.ru portal reported that. According to the initiative, the agency should only assign a number, and each car owner will have it produced in specialized workshops at his own expense.

As we wrote earlier, the Research Center for Road Safety Problems of the Russian Federation began to develop. New GOST license plates should appear in the fall of 2018. It was reported that the sketches state numbers, carried out according to the new GOST, are ready and awaiting feedback from representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Today, the first sketches of license plates made according to a new type have appeared on the Internet. The photographs of the sketches show several options for numbers, their dimensions and style of execution.

At the moment, several options are being considered for what license plates might look like. For example, according to one of the proposed sketches, the region code can be moved from the right corner to the left side of the license plate. Another variation considers the possibility of completely refusing to specify this code.

For vintage cars, sports cars, motorcycles, as well as mopeds, they plan to introduce certain types of state registration numbers. On the futuristic side, the possibility of using polymer license plates and radio frequency detection (probably to track fugitive violators) is being discussed.

Several more innovations will be changes in the size of license plates for motorcycles, the introduction of square-shaped rear license plates for cars imported from the USA and Japan, of which there are many representatives on the country’s roads today. And finally, if the Research Center nevertheless abandons the numbers of the new “square” standard for American and Japanese cars, most likely it will indicate standardized places for drilling ordinary license plates, because, as you know, on cars from the USA it is very difficult to attach a regular license plate to a non-standard bracket . And by law, drilling license plates yourself is prohibited.