Loss of readability of symbols on the state registration plate (GRP) is a direct basis for the mandatory replacement of plates by the traffic police. According to GOST R 50577-2018, if the paint on the letters or numbers has worn off so much that identification of the vehicle is difficult even visually, the operation of such a vehicle is prohibited. A driver who continues to drive with unreadable license plates risks receiving a fine under Part 4 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which provides for punishment in the form of deprivation of rights for a period of 2 to 4 months. That is why at the first sign of abrasion it is necessary to initiate the procedure replacement of gas valves.

The process of restoring documents and plates is regulated by the administrative procedures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and requires the personal presence of the owner or his authorized representative. It is important to understand that simply repainting signs in garage conditions is not permitted by law, as it violates the standards of reflective coating and font. Replacement of worn-out license plates is carried out at the request of the owner, and in most cases allows you to retain the previous combination of symbols for the car if it is listed with the owner in the database. Below we describe in detail the algorithm of actions, the required package of documents and financial costs.

⚠️ Attention: Using homemade signs, gluing film over erased symbols, or attempting to paint over numbers with spray paint is strictly prohibited. Such actions amount to installing unreadable signs and may be regarded by the inspector as an attempt to hide the identification number, which will entail more serious consequences.

The main reason for contacting the registration department is the physical wear of the metal plate. Under the influence of reagents, moisture and mechanical damage, the metal begins to corrode, and the paint layer begins to fade and peel off. If the traffic police inspector, when stopping, records that at least one symbol on the license plate unreadable, he has every right to issue a fine or send the case to court to revoke a driver’s license. The legal basis is the discrepancy between the appearance of the vehicle and the requirements of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union.

The legislation provides for several scenarios of action depending on the condition of the license plate itself and the wishes of the owner. If the metal is intact, but only the paint has worn off, it is theoretically possible to repaint it in specialized licensed organizations, but in practice it is easier and more reliable to get a new kit from the traffic police or from an accredited manufacturer. When replacing worn-out license plates to replace lost or unusable ones, a simplified procedure is used that does not require inspecting the car at the viewing platform in most cases, unless the owner’s details change.

It is important to note that replacing a license plate is only possible if you have a valid MTPL policy and a vehicle passport (PTS). If the car is in collateral or has a lien attached to it registration restrictions, you won’t be able to get new numbers until the bans are lifted. The owner must independently monitor the status of his vehicle in the traffic police database before applying.

  • 🚗 Physical wear and tear of the paint layer, making the characters unreadable.
  • 🚗 Metal corrosion, deformation or breakage of mounting holes.
  • 🚗 Loss of one of the license plates (front or rear).
  • 🚗 The owner’s desire to replace the numbers with new ones when the owner changes (although this is not necessary).

Required documents for application

Collecting a package of documents is the first stage of the procedure. To replace worn-out license plates, the car owner must prepare originals and copies of key papers. The main document is Vehicle Passport (PVC). If the PTS is electronic, an extract from the system or simply indicating the data in the application will be sufficient, since the inspector sees the information in the database. You will also need a Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC), which after the procedure will be replaced with a new one (if the data changes) or changes will be made to it.

The second required document is the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation of the owner of the car. If the owner is a legal entity, a power of attorney for the representative and constituent documents of the organization will be required. The third component of the package is a valid policy OSAGO. The data in the policy must correspond to the data in the vehicle title and the owner’s passport. If the insurance indicates the old numbers that you are changing, this is not an obstacle, since it is not necessary to make a change to the insurance company, but it is advisable to avoid confusion in insurance cases.

The statement requires special attention. It can be filled out by hand at the traffic police department or generated electronically through the State Services portal. In the second case, the process is faster, since many fields are filled in automatically. The application must indicate the reason for the replacement - “to replace lost or unusable items.” You will also need a receipt for payment. state duty, which is better to pay in advance to avoid queues at the cash register.

☑️ Checklist of documents for the traffic police

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Procedure: step-by-step instructions

The procedure for changing numbers begins with making an appointment. The most convenient way is to use the Unified Portal of State Services. In the service catalog, you should select the “Vehicle Registration” section, then “Change registration data” and then “Obtaining new license plates to replace lost or worn-out ones.” The system will prompt you to select a convenient traffic police department and time of visit. After confirming the entry, you must pay state fees with a 30% discount (if the functionality is currently available) or the standard rate through the banking application.

At the appointed time, you must arrive at the selected traffic police department. When replacing license plates due to their damage, it is usually not necessary to drive a car to the inspection platform to verify the unit numbers, since the inspector does not check the body, but only draws up documents based on a statement about damage to the old plates. However, the rules may vary depending on the specific region and the internal regulations of the department, so it is recommended to bring a car just in case. A police officer will accept documents and check them against databases for prohibitions and arrests.

After checking the documents and paying all fees, the owner will be given new license plates and a new STS (if the data has changed) or an entry will be made in the PTS. Old, worn-out numbers must be disposed of directly at the department. The procedure takes from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the workload of the unit. It is important to immediately check new plates for defects and compliance with the data in the STS.

⚠️ Attention: Before visiting the traffic police, make sure that no unregistered equipment is installed on the car (for example, powerful lights, tinting not in accordance with GOST), since any contact with inspectors increases the risk of a full technical inspection.

Replacement cost and state fees

The financial side of the issue consists of several mandatory payments, the amounts of which are established by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. The main expense item is the issuance of new state registration plates. The cost of producing one set (front and rear license plates) for a passenger car is 2,000 rubles. If only one plate needs to be replaced (for example, the rear license plate was stolen), theoretically you can order a duplicate, but the traffic police often issue a complete set, and the old second plate is disposed of.

The second mandatory expense is making changes to the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC). Since when changing plates, the data on the assigned sign changes, the issuance of a new STS form is mandatory. The cost of this service is 500 rubles for a paper version or 1,500 rubles for a new plastic card (issued by default in most branches since 2023). Making an entry in the PTS (if it is paper) is free of charge; data is entered into the electronic PTS automatically.

The total amount may vary depending on the type of vehicle. For motorcycles, the cost of license plates is lower, for trucks and trailers - higher. It is also worth considering the possible costs of intermediary services if the owner decides not to contact the traffic police on his own, but uses the help of specialized companies that will take over the queue and fill out the documents. However, when simply replacing worn out signs, overpaying is often impractical.

Table of current state fees

Amounts may change, please check the Tax Code

The table below shows the current tariffs for registration services related to number replacement.

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Type of service Cost (RUB) Comment
Issuance of state licenses (cars) 2000 Per set (2 pcs.)
Issuance of license plates (motorcycles) 1500 Per set (2 pcs.)
Issuance of STS (paper) 500 Change is being made
Issuance of STS (plastic) 1500 New sample

Save your number or get a new one

One of the key questions when replacing worn-out plates is whether the original combination of letters and numbers will remain. According to the current rules, when replacing license plates due to their loss or damage, the owner has the right to retain the previous registration number if it is registered with him in the traffic police database. This means that you will be given new iron plates, but with the same “pretty” or familiar combination that was on the old, worn out signs. To do this, you must indicate the corresponding desire in the application.

If the owner wants to change the number to another (for example, from the list of codes available in a given region), he can write an application for the assignment of a new GRZ. In this case, the old numbers are burned out and the car receives a new random combination. The service of preserving a license plate if it is damaged is, as a rule, free of charge, in contrast to the procedure of “saving a license plate” when selling a car, where the license plate is stored.

It is important to distinguish between replacing a worn-out number and the re-hanging procedure. If we can read the number, but just don’t like it, it can only be changed through the purchase and sale procedure or a special service for changing the license plate (which is equivalent to receiving new numbers). But if the plate is physically damaged, the law obliges it to be replaced, and here priority is given to restoring the car's identity.

poll:What is more important when replacing numbers?:Keep the old combination|Get a new random number|Speed of receiving documents|Minimum cost

Frequent mistakes and useful recommendations

When going through the procedure for replacing a license plate, drivers often make mistakes that lead to refusal to accept documents or repeated visits. One of the most common mistakes is trying to deal only one number from a pair. If you are replacing worn-out numbers, inspectors often require you to hand over the entire set, even if the second number looks fine. This is due to the fact that the pair of numbers must be identical in terms of wear and year of manufacture.

Another problem is errors in the application. An incorrectly specified reason for the replacement (for example, “to replace lost ones,” when the number is actually just dirty) can raise questions. If the number is simply dirty, it should be washed and not changed. It is also worth remembering power of attorney: If you are not acting on your own behalf, the power of attorney must clearly state the rights to change registration data and obtain license plates.

Don't forget to check new numbers immediately at the issue window. Defects in manufacturing (crooked stamping, paint defects) are rare, but possible. If you move away and discover a defect in the home, it will be difficult to prove that it is a manufacturing defect and not your own mechanical failure.

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Advice: Before going to the traffic police, clean the car from dirt, especially in the area of unit numbers (engine, body), so that if verification is necessary, the inspector will not have questions or desire to conduct a deep inspection.

Possible problems during registration

Despite its apparent simplicity, the process may encounter bureaucratic obstacles. Often, owners are faced with a situation where the database contains a “lock” or an error that blocks any action. For example, if the previous owner did not deregister the car correctly, or if there are unpaid fines, which the system interprets as a basis for restrictions (although formally fines should not block the replacement of license plates, in practice the system may generate an error).

Another problem is the shortage of STS forms or license plates themselves in the department. In large cities with high traffic registrations, such situations are not uncommon. The inspector may ask to come back in a few days. To minimize risks, it is better to submit an application through State Services, where the system shows the availability of coupons, which indirectly indicates the department’s readiness to work.

It's also worth mentioning the problem criminal past numbers. If your old plates (or a combination of them) were wanted or used on a stolen car in another region, replacing them may trigger a check that will take up to 30 days. In this case, new numbers will not be issued to you until the circumstances are clarified.

⚠️ Attention: If, when checking the database, it turns out that your car or license plates are on the federal wanted list, you may be detained right at the traffic police department until your identity and circumstances are clarified. Always check the car with open databases before your visit.

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Main conclusion: Replacing worn-out license plates is a mandatory procedure to avoid fines and deprivation of rights. It’s easier and cheaper to do this officially through the traffic police, keeping your number, than to take risks on the road.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to change the numbers if they are simply faded but still readable?

Formally, if the numbers are legible, the inspector does not have the right to demand their replacement. However, if the reflective coating has completely faded and the numbers are not visible at night, this is a violation. They can be changed at the owner’s request at any time by paying a state fee.

Do I need to hand over my old license plates to the traffic police?

Yes, when replacing plates to replace lost or unusable ones, the old plates (or their remains) must be returned to the registration window. They must be recycled. If the number was lost (stolen), a statement about this is written to the police, and then there is nothing to hand over.

How long does it take to replace numbers?

When registering through State Services and there are no queues, the entire process takes from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. Most of the time is spent waiting for a call and making the metal plates themselves (if they are made on site) or filling out the STS.

Is it possible to replace numbers in another region?

Yes, starting from 2020, linking to the region of registration of the owner is not required. You can replace worn-out numbers at any department of the Russian State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, but you will receive numbers with the code of the region where you are (if you change the code) or keep yours if you apply for preservation.

What to do if the traffic police refuses a replacement?

Refusal must be motivated and in writing. Most often, the reason is unpaid fines or errors in documents. Correct the error, pay the outstanding balance, and reapply. In case of an unreasonable refusal, you can complain to higher management.