The question of changing registration plates on a car arises among drivers for various reasons: from banal wear and tear of plastic to the desire to change an “unsuccessful” combination of numbers. The legislation of the Russian Federation clearly regulates the procedure for changing license plates, but many car owners confuse the concepts of changing a license plate and changing the owner. It is important to understand that you cannot simply change the set of letters and numbers at will - there must be compelling legal or physical grounds for this.
The replacement process is closely related to administrative procedures in the traffic police and requires the preparation of a package of documents. If you are planning sell a car, keep the numbers for yourself or restore them after loss, the algorithm of actions will be different. In this article we will analyze in detail all the legal ways to change license plates, current state fees and typical mistakes that can lead to fines or refusal of registration.
It is worth noting that with the introduction of new GOSTs, the requirements for the appearance of plates have become more stringent. Now, when you receive new signs from the traffic police, you are guaranteed to receive signs of the established form, while private companies can make duplicates only if you have a valid registration certificate with readable data. Unauthorized replacement numbers without making changes to the documents is equivalent to their absence and entails serious consequences.
Reasons for replacing state numbers
The legislation does not provide for a procedure for changing a license plate simply at the owner’s request to improve the “energy” of the car or because the current combination seems ugly. In order to obtain a new set of symbols, there must be objective reasons confirmed by documents or the physical condition of the plates. The main document regulating this issue is Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 399.
The most common cause is physical damage to signs. If the paint has worn off, the metal is dented, or the plate is so deformed that the identification marks are difficult to read, replacement is required. The traffic police inspector on the road has every right to issue a fine for unreadable license plates and send the car to the impound lot until the problem is eliminated. In this case, you apply to the traffic police for the production of duplicates or new signs.
⚠️ Attention: If license plates have been stolen or lost, you cannot simply make a duplicate in a private company. You must first file a police report about the theft, receive a notification ticket, and only then contact the traffic police to cancel old license plates and issue new ones in order to avoid problems with the law.
Another common scenario is car sale. According to current rules, license plates are “linked” to the car, and not to the owner. However, the seller can keep the plates to later install them on a new car. In this case, the numbers on the car being sold actually change - a new random set is assigned to it, and the old one is stored by the seller in the database.
Also, replacement may be required when the design of the vehicle is changed or the region of registration of the owner is changed, although in the latter case it is no longer necessary to change the plates to new ones with the code of a different region - you can leave the old ones if they are in good condition. But if you have moved and want your car to display the license plates of your new region, you will have to go through the re-registration procedure.
- 🚗 Wear or damage: signs are rusted, worn out or deformed.
- 📝 Lost or stolen: the need to cancel old numbers and issue new ones.
- 🔄 Change of owner: the buyer wants new numbers or the seller takes his own.
- 🏠 Change of residence: the owner's desire to have numbers with the region code of the current registration.
Saving license plates when selling a car
Many drivers are wondering how to change the number on a car when selling it in order to keep the familiar combination for themselves. The procedure for storing license plates has become much easier in recent years. Now, to do this, it is not necessary to hand over the license plates for physical storage to the traffic police; it is enough to submit an application to retain the right to use a specific registration plate.
The process begins with the seller and buyer visiting a traffic police or MFC office together. The seller writes an application to preserve the license plates, and the buyer writes an application to register the car with the assignment of new plates. It is important that the numbers stored are in perfect condition and correspond to the current GOST. If the plates are worn or do not meet current standards (for example, an old format), preservation may be refused.
☑️ Checklist for saving numbers
The validity period of the right to the saved number is one year. During this time, you can purchase a new car or motorcycle and install your “old” number on it. If you do not have time to register a new vehicle within a year, the right to the combination will expire and it will go into the general pool for distribution to other citizens. Please note that assigning a saved number to a new car also requires payment of a state fee for issuing signs and making changes to the STS.
When a car is sold, the new owner is automatically assigned new plates if the previous owner took his own. This is a standard procedure that takes minimal time. The buyer receives a new STS and numbers, and the seller receives his old plates (or they remain with him if he did not hand them over) and the right to use them in the future.
Keep numbers only if they are truly dear to you or have value. The procedure for returning them to a new car will require re-payment of state fees for issuing plates and making changes to documents.
Receiving duplicates in case of loss or damage
A situation where a license plate has become unusable or has been lost requires prompt action. If the sign is simply dirty, it needs to be washed. But if the metal is deformed, the coating has worn off to the point of being unreadable, or the sign is physically missing, operating the vehicle is prohibited. If one of the two numbers (front or rear) is damaged, it is recommended to change both at once so that they have the same appearance and degree of wear, although formally the law requires replacing the damaged element.
To obtain duplicates, you must contact a specialized organization that has a license to produce state registration plates. The traffic police no longer issue the plates themselves, but only assign combinations and enter the data into the database. However, if you are changing your numbers due to their loss (theft), you must first obtain a police certificate in order to protect yourself from possible fines from cameras if criminals use the stolen numbers.
| Situation | Where to receive | Required documents | Production time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage/Wear | Private company (manufacturer) | Passport, STS | 15-30 minutes |
| Lost/Theft | Traffic police (assignment) + Company (manufacturing) | Passport, STS, Police coupon | 1 day (traffic police) + 30 min (company) |
| Change of owner | Traffic police (assignment) + Company (manufacturing) | DCT, Passport, PTS, Old STS | On the day of treatment |
When making duplicates in private companies, it is important to check the quality of printing and compliance of the fonts with GOST. Using non-standard fonts, frames that cover part of the characters, or installing duplicates with errors may result in a fine. When checking, a traffic police officer may consider such signs to not meet the standard, which is formally equivalent to driving without license plates.
⚠️ Attention: Never use “airbrushed” numbers or designs over the numbers. Even if the characters are readable, any extraneous image on the reflective-based license plate is a violation and grounds for a fine and revocation of license plates.
Changing the region of registration and code on the numbers
One of the frequently asked questions concerns the need to change numbers when moving to another region. Until 2020, this was a mandatory procedure, but now the rules have changed. You have every right to operate a car with license plates of any region, regardless of where you are registered at your place of residence. This makes life easier for those who often move or work on a rotational basis.
However, many drivers still want to change the region code to the current one. The reasons may vary: from personal preference to avoiding unnecessary attention from inspectors in your home region. To change the region code, you must go through the full procedure of re-registration of the vehicle. In fact, you are selling the car to yourself (in the legal sense, there is no change of owner, but the procedure is similar): the old plates are burned out (or saved), and new ones are issued with the region code of your current registration.
However, if you want to register a car with a “foreign” region code during initial registration or change of ownership, you will be assigned a number with the code of your region of residence. If you are simply changing plates on an already registered car, you will also receive your region code.
- 📍 Link to registration: new license plates are always issued with the owner's registration region code.
- 💰 Cost: The procedure is paid and includes state fees for new signs and STS.
- 📄 Documents: a complete package is required, as when buying a car (TCP, STS, passport, OSAGO policy).
- ⏳ Deadlines: takes one business day, often can be done in a few hours.
Is it possible to leave numbers of another region when moving?
Yes, the law does not oblige you to change numbers with code 77, 78 or 99 to the code of your region of residence. You can drive them as long as they are in good condition, or until you sell the car. They can force you to change them only if the signs become unreadable.
Cost of the procedure and required state fees
The financial side of things is an important aspect to consider when planning to replace your license plates. The cost consists of state duties established by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and the market cost of manufacturing metal plates in private organizations. Prices for state fees are fixed and have not changed for years, while prices for hardware can vary depending on the region and type of room.
If you change plates due to a change of owner or at will (change of region, loss), you will have to pay for the issuance of new registration plates. This is the most significant part of the cost. In addition, changes to the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) must be paid for. If there is no free space left in the PTS to record a new owner (upon sale), payment will be required for issuing a new PTS, although now the PTS is most often electronic and this is not required.
Approximate cost calculation for replacing numbers (2026-2026):1. Issuance of new license plates (2 pieces) - 2000 rubles.
2. Issuance of a new STS - 500 rubles. (plastic) or 1500 rub. (new sample, if applicable).
3. Making changes to the PTS (paper) - 350 rubles.
4. Production of duplicates in the company (if the numbers are damaged) - from 1500 to 2500 rubles. per set.
Total minimum: about 2500 - 3000 rubles.
It is worth noting that when the seller retains the plates when selling a car, the buyer pays the full price for new plates (2000 rubles), and the seller only pays for making changes to the documents on retaining the right to the plate (the amount is small, about 500-800 rubles for issuing a new STS in his name with a mark or similar actions). When you subsequently install the saved number on a new car, the full amount for issuing the signs is paid again.
Savings on state fees are only possible when using the State Services portal (30% discount), however, at the time of writing, the discount is not valid. Follow the latest news on the official portal.
Legal aspects and possible fines
Ignoring license plate replacement regulations can lead to serious legal problems. The most common mistake is driving with unreadable or altered license plates. According to Part 2 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, driving a vehicle with unreadable, non-standard or installed license plates in violation of GOST entails a warning or a fine in the amount 500 rubles. However, if the inspector regards your actions as an attempt to hide the number (for example, a taped-over part of the number), the fine will increase to 5,000 rubles or deprivation of rights will follow for a period of 1 to 3 months.
Particular attention should be paid to the situation with stolen license plates. If you discover that it is missing and do not report it to the police, and then you are stopped on the road, it will be difficult to prove that the license plates are not yours. Moreover, if the stolen numbers are used to commit a crime or violate traffic rules (which is recorded by cameras), questions may arise for you. Therefore, the procedure for reporting loss is critically important.
It is also prohibited to install license plates in places not provided for by the vehicle design. For example, attaching a rear license plate to the glass or in the passenger compartment (if this is not provided by the factory for specific models) may be considered a violation. The number must be installed strictly in the center, on the bumper or a special place on the body, horizontally, without tilting.
⚠️ Attention: The use of various frames with inscriptions that overlap even part of the letters or numbers (for example, the inscription “RUS” or the region code on the frame) is prohibited. The frame should not cover anything other than the number field itself. You can also get a fine for this.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to change the number to a nice one without selling the car?
Officially, no. You cannot simply change the number to a “beautiful” one (for example, 777, 001) at the owner’s request. The only legal way to get a specific combination is to buy a car with this number, deregister it (keeping the number for yourself) and transfer it to your car. There are auctions and a market for “thieves” numbers, but this is a gray area, often associated with risks.
What to do if the license plates were stolen along with documents?
Urgently contact the nearest police department to file a report of theft. You will be given a notification ticket. With this document and passport (if it was also stolen, then with a temporary identity card), go to the traffic police to cancel the stolen license plates and receive new ones. You can drive without license plates only to the place of registration at the traffic police (on the day of application), but it is better to call a tow truck or use transit plates if the procedure is delayed.
Do I need to change my numbers if I registered in another region?
No, it is not necessary to change the numbers to new ones with the code of the current region of registration. You have every right to travel with license plates of any region of the Russian Federation. Replacement will only be required if you decide to sell the car (the new owner will receive plates for their region) or if the current plates become unusable.
How long are saved numbers stored?
The storage period for the right to a license plate is 1 year from the date of filing the application with the traffic police. If within this period you do not register the vehicle using this number, the right expires and the combination returns to the general circulation.
Is it possible to make a duplicate number from a photograph?
Technically, many companies offer such a service, but legally, in order to make a duplicate in case of loss or damage, it is necessary to provide a STS (Vehicle Registration Certificate), where these numbers are indicated. It is simply impossible to make a legal duplicate from a photograph without documents, and using an illegal one (with errors or not in accordance with GOST) will entail a fine.