The situation when a state registration plate (GRP) becomes unusable occurs quite often and takes the owner by surprise. The cause may be natural wear and tear of the metal over many years of use or mechanical damage resulting from a minor accident. Sometimes plates are simply lost on the move or become victims of theft, which creates serious problems when leaving the house or parking lot.
Operating a vehicle with unreadable or missing signs is strictly prohibited by the legislation of the Russian Federation. Fine for driving a car without license plates is 5,000 rubles, and in some cases may entail the deprivation of a driver’s license for a period of one to three months. That is why it is important to know how to correctly and quickly go through the replacement procedure in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts with traffic police officers.
The process of restoring registration plates has been significantly simplified in recent years thanks to the possibility of contacting specialized plate production centers. Now you don’t have to stand in line at the traffic police department if you have a valid vehicle registration certificate (VRC). However, there are nuances that you need to know about so that the procedure goes smoothly and legally.
When is it necessary to replace registration plates?
The legislation clearly regulates the conditions of a license plate in which its use is prohibited. First of all, this concerns the physical safety and readability of symbols. If license plate number is deformed, bent, has cracks or deep scratches that interfere with identification, it must be replaced. Also the reason is peeling of the reflective film or complete fading of letters and numbers.
The situation with loss or theft deserves special attention. If you find your signs missing, you can’t just go to the store and buy new ones “as a souvenir.” Unauthorized production of duplicates without making changes to the database or without a corresponding statement is a violation. In case of theft, the first step should always be to contact the police to record the fact of illegal actions.
⚠️ Attention: Driving with license plates that cannot be read from a distance of 20 meters is equivalent to having no license plates. Even if the sign is simply very dirty or turned upside down, the traffic police officer has every right to issue a fine.
It is important to understand the difference between replacement due to damage and replacement due to a change of ownership. In the first case, the number code remains the same, only the physical metal plate changes. In the second, the car receives a new digital region code or a completely new set of characters. Our article is devoted specifically to the first case - restoring an existing number.
Necessary documents for applying to the traffic police
Collecting the right package of documents is half the success of any bureaucratic procedure. To replace license plates, you will need a minimum set of papers, which is usually found in every responsible driver's glove compartment or at home. The main document is passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation owner of the vehicle. If the procedure is carried out by a representative under a power of attorney, a notarized power of attorney will also be required.
The second key document is the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC). It is to this document that changes are made if the number was lost and a new set with different symbols is issued, or the relevance of the data is simply confirmed. If you change numbers due to damage to the old ones, but keep the same digital code, a corresponding mark may be placed in the STS, although the numbers themselves in the document remain the same.
You will also need to complete a completed application form. Its form can be obtained directly from the traffic police department or downloaded and filled out in advance on the official State Services portal. The statement indicates the reason for the replacement: “to replace lost ones,” “to replace those that have become unusable,” or “to replace those that are unreadable.”
☑️ Documents for changing the number
It would be a good idea to have a compulsory motor liability insurance policy with you, although it is not formally required to issue license plates; the inspector can check the relevance of the insurance in the database. If the car is pledged to the bank, theoretically there should be no problems, since the license plate is not collateral, but in practice, additional approvals are sometimes required.
Procedure in case of lost or stolen numbers
Actions in case of loss and theft have significant legal differences, although the result for the owner is the same - the need to obtain new plates. If the license plates were lost (for example, they fell off on the highway), the procedure is as simple as possible. You contact the traffic police or a duplicate production point, write a statement about the loss and receive new signs with the same symbols or new ones, depending on your request and regulations.
The situation with theft is more complicated. Here we are talking about committing a crime, and this fact cannot be ignored. If stolen numbers fall into the hands of criminals, they can use them to commit other crimes, and you will be the “lucky” owner. Therefore, the algorithm of actions should be as follows:
- 🚔 Immediately file a report with the nearest police department about the fact of the theft of license plates.
- 📝 Receive a notification coupon or certificate of registration of the application with law enforcement agencies.
- 🏢 Contact the traffic police with an application for issuing new license plates, attaching a copy of the police certificate.
- 💰 Pay the state fee for issuing new signs and making changes to documents.
After filing a statement with the police and the traffic police, the old license plates are put on the wanted list as stolen. From this moment on, their use on the roads becomes illegal, even if they suddenly “show up” in your garage. This protects the owner from legal claims if criminals manage to perform any action on the stolen number.
Replacement cost and state duty
The financial side of the issue is regulated by the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, and the amounts of state duties are the same for the entire territory of the country. It is important to distinguish between the cost of a government service (duty) and the commercial cost of producing a metal sign in a private company. The state takes money for making changes to the register and issuing a permit, and private owners take money for metal and printing.
The amount of state duty depends on the type of vehicle. For standard cars, motorcycles and trailers, the cost of issuing new state registration plates made of metal is 2,000 rubles. If you change license plates for a motor vehicle, the amount will be lower - 1,500 rubles. This money is paid directly to the budget.
| Vehicle type | State duty (rub.) | Amendments to the STS (rub.) | Total in the traffic police |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars, trailers | 2000 | 500 (when changing data) | 2000 - 2500 |
| Motor transport | 1500 | 500 (when changing data) | 1500 - 2000 |
| Transit numbers | 1600 | - | 1600 |
It is worth noting that if you contact a commercial organization to make a duplicate (if you have an STS and without changing the numbers), you only pay the market price of the service, which varies from 500 to 1500 rubles per set, and in this case you do not need to pay a state fee, since legally the number does not change. If you receive new numbers from the traffic police, payment of state duty required.
Production of duplicates in specialized organizations
The fastest and most popular way to restore a license plate is to contact an organization that produces duplicate license plates. Such points are often located in close proximity to traffic police departments or large car markets. The main advantage of this method is speed. While you are drinking coffee, the technician can make an exact copy of your lost or damaged number.
To contact such an organization, you do not need to write a statement to the police (if it is not theft) or wait in line at the inspector’s window. It is enough to present Vehicle Registration Certificate (CTC) and passport. Based on the data from the STS, the master checks the license plate code and makes a plate. This is a legal procedure regulated by GOST R 50577-2018.
It is important to ensure that the organization you choose has the appropriate equipment and uses quality materials. The duplicate must be made of aluminum of the correct thickness, have a reflective film and embossing that meets state standards. The use of “makeshift” numbers made of tin or plastic can lead to problems when checking documents.
⚠️ Attention: Making a duplicate is possible only if the number code is listed in your STS. If you want to change the digital code itself (for example, because you don’t like the old one), this cannot be done through the duplicates point - you will need a complete re-registration with the traffic police.
Duplicate prices vary by region and room type. Standard square plates may cost less than American-style or motorcycle plates. Always ask for a receipt and a warranty for the product, so that in case of a defect (for example, the film peels off after a week), you can replace the plate free of charge.
Checking license plates and possible fines
Once you receive new or duplicate numbers, it is important to ensure they are up to standard. An illegible or incorrectly placed number can result in a fine, even if you just paid to have it replaced. According to the traffic rules, the numbers must be clean, installed in regular places and not have any foreign objects covering the symbols.
When stopping, traffic police officers check not only the availability of license plates, but also their condition. If the license plate shows traces of paint, correction fluid, or mechanical damage that makes the symbols unreadable, you may be fined under Part 2 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The fine is 5,000 rubles.
It is also worth remembering the “one window” rule and the relevance of the data in the database. If you changed your numbers through the traffic police (received new numbers), make sure that the changes have been made