Identical license plates on cars: myth or reality?

Have you ever noticed that the license plates on two different cars look exactly the same? Or maybe you thought that someone “deliberately copied” your number? This topic raises a lot of questions among car owners - from simple curiosity to serious concerns for the safety of their vehicles. There are many myths circulating on the Internet: some claim that Duplicate numbers are not possible Due to the strict accounting system, others are sharing stories of "clones" on the roads.

In fact, the issue of matching license plates is much more complicated than it seems. This is where technical nuances intersect. traffic police, legal aspects of vehicle registration and even the psychological factor - why it seems to us that we see “our” license plate on someone else’s car. In this article we will figure out can two numbers really be the same?, how this happens in practice, and what to do if you are faced with such a situation.

Spoiler: the system for issuing license plates in Russia is designed to minimize overlaps, but the theoretical probability of a duplicate still exists - and it is not associated with traffic police errors, but with the peculiarities of human perception and fraudulent schemes. Next are the details.

How license plates are formed in Russia

To understand whether matching numbers are possible, you need to understand the principles of their formation. In Russia there is a system approved by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 399 of 2013 (with subsequent amendments). According to it, a standard license plate consists of:

• 🔤 Series (3 Cyrillic letters: for example, AVE)
• 🔢 Numbers (3 digits: e.g. 123)
• 🏴 Region code (2–3 digits: e.g. 77 for Moscow)
• 🇷🇺 Flag of the Russian Federation and designations RUS (on new signs)

At first glance, there should be enough combinations for millions of unique numbers. For example, only for the series AVE 123 with region code 77 there are no options - but if you consider all the possible alphanumeric combinations, the room for maneuver is enormous. However, there are nuances:

⚠️ Attention: In Russia prohibited for use letters that can be confused with numbers or other letters (for example, Z, Oh, H). This reduces the number of possible combinations.

In addition, numbers are not issued randomly, but according to a certain algorithm. For example, in one region, all combinations with the letter are used first A in the first position, then with B and so on. When three digit digits run out, a fourth digit is added (for example, A123B becomes A1234). It's called serial exhaustion.

Theoretical probability of matching numbers

Mathematically, the probability that two cars will receive absolutely identical numbers (including region code) tends to zero. However, if we talk about partial coincidence (for example, A123BE 77 and A123BE 99), then this is quite possible. Let's count:

• 🔤 Letter part: 12 valid letters (excluding Yo, y, Hard Sign, , y and "forbidden" Z, O, H) → 12 × 12 × 12 = 1728 combinations.
• 🔢 Digital part: 10 × 10 × 10 = 1000 combinations (for three-digit numbers).
• 🏴 Region code: about 100 active codes (from 01 up to 99, plus 1xx for new regions).

Total: 1728 × 1000 × 100 = 172,800,000 unique numbers. It would seem that this is enough for all the cars in the country. But!

The problem is that in Russia there are more than 60 million cars (according to traffic police data for 2026). This means that theoretically There are enough combinations, but in practice in some regions (for example, in Moscow or St. Petersburg) the numbers begin to run out. In such cases, the traffic police introduces additional episodes (for example, four-digit numbers or new letter combinations).

Why do we think we see “our” license plate on another car?

Most often, “matching” numbers are optical illusion, associated with the characteristics of human perception. Here are the most common reasons:

• 👀 Pareidolia: our brain strives to find familiar images. If you often see your number, then you subconsciously “look” for it on other machines, mistaking similar combinations for identical ones.
• 🔤 Similar letters: for example, B and B (Cyrillic vs Latin), N and N, or A and A with different font.
• 🎨 Number color and design: black signs on a white background are perceived differently than white on black (for example, taxis). This creates the illusion of a “different” number.
• 🚗 Car model and color: if the car is the same make and color as yours, the brain “thinks up” the coincidence of the number.

Psychologists even identify a separate phenomenon - Baader-Meinhof effect (or new car syndrome). The point is, after you buy a car (or get a new license plate), you suddenly start noticing similar cars everywhere. This is not a coincidence, but selective attention.

If you're sure you saw exact duplicate your number, don’t rush to panic. First check:

Take a photo of the license plate and car (with the date and time in the photo)|Write down the make, model and color of the car|Check the area code to see if it is different|Compare the letters to see if there are any differences in font or symbols (e.g. B vs B)|Contact the traffic police for an official check (through the public services portal or in person)-->

Real Duplicate Cases: When Possible

Although the system for issuing numbers in Russia is built on uniqueness, there is three scenarios, in which two cars can have the same number plates:

1. Manufacturing errors: It is extremely rare, but there are cases when two identical plates are printed at a plate production plant. This is usually discovered during registration.
2. Fake numbers: Fraudsters make copies of other people's license plates to disguise stolen cars or evade fines. This criminally punishable (Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
3. Re-registration while maintaining the number: If the owner sells the car, but keeps the number (under the new rules this is possible), and then registers another car with the same number, it is not technically a duplicate, but it can cause confusion.

The most dangerous case is deliberate duplication for fraudulent schemes. For example:

• 🚔 Penalty “clones”: They put the number of another car on the car so that the fines go to the “victim”.
• 💸 Insurance fraud: A duplicate number is used to stage an accident.
• 🚗 Theft and resale: the stolen car is assigned a “twin” number to complicate the search.

If you become a victim of such fraud, you must:

⚠️ Attention: If a duplicate number is detected do not try to stop the car yourself or conflict with the driver. It can be dangerous! Instead:

1. Record the number, make and model of the car in a photo/video.
2. Submit an application to the traffic police via gosuslugi.ru or in person at the branch.
3. If you suspect fraud, contact the police with a request for verification under Art. 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

How to check your number for uniqueness

If you are concerned about duplicates, you can check the uniqueness of your number yourself. Here are the official and unofficial methods:

Verification method	How to do	Reliability
Check via Public services	Request an extract from the vehicle register using your number	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Contacting the traffic police	Personal visit to MREO with passport and STS	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Online services (for example, Autocode)	Enter the number on the website to check your history	⭐⭐⭐ (data may be incomplete)
Check via Insurance Union	Request history of insurance claims by number	⭐⭐⭐⭐

The most reliable way is request an extract from the vehicle register through Public services. To do this:

1. Log in to the portal gosuslugi.ru.
2. Go to the section “Transport and driving” → “Vehicle registration”.
3. Select “Get vehicle information” and enter your vehicle details.
4. The statement will indicate how many cars are registered to this number (should only be your vehicle).

💡

If you are buying a used car, be sure to check its history by license plate number through the services Autocode or CarVertical. This will help identify possible problems with documents or duplicate numbers.

If the statement shows more than one vehicle to your number, this is a reason to immediately contact the traffic police. This may be a technical error or fraud.

What to do if your number has been copied by scammers

If you discover that your number is being used on another machine (for example, you started receiving fines for someone else’s violations), follow the following algorithm:

1. Collect evidence:
   • Take a photo of your “double” (preferably with you in the background for scale).
   • Make a video recording the license plate number, make and model of the car.
   • Keep receipts or receipts for fines you did not commit.
2. Submit an application to the traffic police:
   • Via Public services (section “Reception of applications”).
   • Or in person at the branch where the vehicle is registered.

   In your application please indicate:

   Please check the uniqueness of the license plate number [your number], as it is used on another vehicle (make, model, color: [specify]). I ask you to take measures to identify the owner of the duplicate and bring him to justice.

3. Contact the police:
   • If there are signs of fraud (theft, forgery of documents), write a statement under Art. 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Forgery of documents”).

Change number (optional):

• If the situation repeats, you can contact the traffic police to replace the license plate (the service is paid, about 2,000 rubles).

Important: if you start receiving fines for other people's violations, they can be appealed. To do this:

1. Within 10 days from receiving the fine, file a complaint on the website traffic police or through Public services.
2. Attach evidence (photo, video, extract from the vehicle register).
3. Indicate that at the time of the violation your car was located in a different location (attach data from the DVR or receipts confirming your location).
💡

If your number has been copied by scammers, you are not responsible for their crimes. The main thing is to quickly record the fact of duplication and contact the traffic police.

Is it legal to have two identical numbers?

In Russia prohibited register two vehicles with the same license plates. However there is two legal exceptions:

1. Saving the number when selling a car:

   Since 2020, the owner can keep the license plate when selling the car. In this case, the new owner receives a different number, and the old one remains with the previous owner. If he then registers another car with this number, technically it is not a duplicate, since the first car has already been deregistered.

   Example: You sold Lada Vesta with number A123BE 77, but they kept the number for themselves. A year later we bought Kia Rio and registered it to the same number. It's legal.

2. Special series for government agencies:

   Some departments (for example, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB) have the right to use special series of numbers (for example, AMR, AMO). In rare cases, such numbers may coincide with “civilian” ones, but with a different area code.

In all other cases, the same numbers are either technical error (which the traffic police are obliged to correct), or fraud.

⚠️ Attention: If you buy a car with a “nice” license plate (for example, AAA 777), make sure that it was not previously registered to another vehicle. You can check this through an extract from the registry or service Autocode.

Conclusion: should you be afraid of duplicate numbers?

To summarize, we can say the following:

• ✅ Technically the probability of two identical numbers (taking into account the region) tends to zero thanks to the traffic police issuing system.
• 🔍 Most often “matches” are errors of perception (similar letters, color, car model).
• ⚠️ The danger is only intentional duplicates related to fraud (theft, fines, insurance fraud).
• 🛡️ You can protect yourself: check your number regularly through Public services, record suspicious cases and promptly contact the traffic police.

If you do encounter a duplicate, don't panic. The vehicle registration system in Russia is designed so that such cases are identified and eliminated. The main thing is don't ignore the problem, since the consequences (from other people’s fines to problems with theft) can be serious.

Remember: your license plate is a unique identifier for your vehicle. And if it suddenly turns out to be not so unique, this is not a reason for fear, but for careful inspection and action.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about identical numbers

Can two cars have the same number plates in different regions?

No, even in different regions the numbers must be unique. The traffic police system eliminates the repetition of combinations of letters and numbers, regardless of the region code. However visually the numbers may appear the same if only the code is different (for example, A123BE 77 and A123BE 99).

What should I do if I start receiving fines for other people’s violations?

Urgently file a complaint with the traffic police via official website or Public services. Attach evidence that your car could not have been at the location of the violation (for example, receipts from a gas station in another city or data from a DVR). Also request that the number be checked for duplicates.

Is it possible to change the number if it matches someone else's?

Yes, you can contact the traffic police to replace the license plate. This is a paid service (about 2,000 rubles), but it guarantees that the new number will be unique. To replace you will need:

• Owner's passport
• STS and PTS
• Application for replacement numbers

The procedure takes about 1–2 hours.

How do scammers use duplicate numbers?

Basic schemes:

1. Penalty “clones”: They put your number on their car so that fines are sent to you.
2. Insurance fraud: they fake an accident with your license plate number in order to get insurance.
3. Theft and resale: the stolen car is assigned a “twin” number to complicate the search.

If you have become a victim of such a scheme, contact the police with a statement under Art. 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Forgery of documents”).

Is it possible to check if my number is being used on another machine?

Yes, there are several ways:

1. Request extract from the vehicle register through Public services.
2. Check the number history through services Autocode or CarVertical.
3. Contact the traffic police with a request to verify the uniqueness of the number.

If the statement shows more than one vehicle for your number, this is a reason to contact law enforcement agencies.