State duty for car registration: current prices for

Purchasing a vehicle is always accompanied not only by the joy of the purchase, but also by the need to prepare a number of legal documents. One of the key points in this process is paying the state fee for registering a car. In 2026, tariffs were indexed, and the amounts that must be paid into the treasury are significantly different from those that were in effect several years earlier.

The size of the payment directly depends on the type of action being performed: whether you are getting a new car from a dealer, purchasing a used car, or simply changing the owner in the documents. Incorrect amount calculation may lead to the fact that your application to the traffic police will simply not be accepted, and your time will be wasted. Therefore, it is extremely important to know the exact numbers in advance.

In this article we will analyze in detail all the current tariffs in force this year, explain the difference between different types of registration actions and answer the most common questions that car owners have when visiting registration departments.

Basic tariffs for registration actions in the traffic police

The main list of services provided by government agencies when registering vehicles is strictly regulated by the Tax Code. In 2026, the basic cost of issuing state registration plates (numbers) for cars is 2,000 rubles. However, if you buy a car from a private party and decide to keep the old plates, you will not need this amount.

A separate line in the receipt usually includes making changes to the Vehicle Passport (PTS). If there is still free space in the document, the state duty will be 350 rubles. If you run out of space on the paper PTS or you receive an electronic version of the document, rates may vary, but a standard entry on an existing form costs exactly this amount.

The issuance of a new Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) is a mandatory procedure when changing ownership. You will have to pay for a new plastic card in 2026 1,500 rubles. The final amount, which is most often called “full registration,” consists of the cost of rooms (if needed), a new STS and registration in the PTS.

⚠️ Attention: Receipts with outdated amounts (for example, for 800 or 1800 rubles for a full package) will not be accepted for payment in 2026. The traffic police officer is obliged to refuse to accept documents if the amount of the state duty does not correspond to the current tariffs.

It is important to understand that tariffs are the same for the entire territory of the Russian Federation, regardless of the region of registration. However, you should always take payment details that are specific to your MREO department, since the budget classification codes (BCC) may differ.

The cost of registering a new car from the showroom

Buying a new car from a dealership is a separate scenario that often causes confusion among newbies. Since 2020, dealers are allowed to issue license plates on their own, but many buyers prefer to receive them from the traffic police or reserve the right to choose. If you are getting a new car, you will need Certificate of Registration (CTC).

The state duty for issuing STS for a new car in 2026 is fixed and amounts to 1,500 rubles. If the car has not previously been registered (initial registration), then obtaining license plates is mandatory. For a set of state registration plates you will pay standard 2,000 rubles.

Since the title for a new car is issued electronically (EPTS), there is no need to make changes to the paper document. Consequently, the fee of 350 rubles for recording in the PTS is not charged in this case. In total, the minimum package of expenses for registering a new car will be 3,500 rubles.

Some dealers offer a turnkey registration service, including their commission in the price in addition to government fees. Carefully study the contract: often the amount in the dealer’s check significantly exceeds the official traffic police tariffs due to the markup for the service.

Registration of a used car: nuances and prices

When buying a used car, the state duty situation depends on your decision regarding license plates. If the previous owner left the plates on the car and you decide to keep them, you do not need to pay 2,000 rubles for new plates. This allows you to significantly save your budget.

In this case, you only pay for the issuance of a new STS (1,500 rubles) and making changes to the PTS (350 rubles), if it is paper. If the PTS is electronic, then only the STS is paid. Thus, the minimum state duty when maintaining the numbers will be 1,850 rubles (or 1,500 rubles for EPTS).

If you decide to change the plates to new ones (for example, the old ones are in poor condition or you want a “beautiful” plate), then a tariff for the production of signs will be added to the cost of the STS and registration in the PTS. In 2026, this will again bring us back to the amount of 3,500 rubles for a full package of services.

During this period, you can drive on old license plates, but a fine for lack of registration to the new owner may be issued immediately after this period expires.

Making design changes and other actions

Registration is not always associated with a purchase. Often car owners have to make changes to the design of the vehicle. Installing gas equipment (gas equipment), replacing the engine with a similar one, converting it to be driven by a disabled person - all these actions require reflection in the documents.

The state fee for issuing a certificate of compliance of the design of a vehicle with safety requirements (SCTS) or making changes to registration data in connection with re-equipment is 850 rubles (500 rubles for STS + 350 rubles for entry in PTS). This is the basic tariff, not counting the cost of the examinations and laboratory tests themselves.

There is also a fee for issuing duplicate documents. If you have lost your STS or your PTS has become unusable, you will have to pay 1,500 rubles for a duplicate STS. A duplicate PTS (paper) costs 800 rubles, but now the traffic police is actively switching to electronic passports, and issuing paper duplicates is becoming an increasingly rare practice.

⚠️ Attention: Installing non-standard equipment (for example, powerful acoustics or xenon in headlights not intended for this) without making changes to the design is illegal and may lead to cancellation of registration.

When replacing an engine with exactly the same model (identical in characteristics), it is often not necessary to make changes to the vehicle title; it is enough to inform the traffic police about this at the next registration. However, if the engine is a different model or has different characteristics, registration of changes is required.

Payment methods and receiving a receipt

There are several ways to pay the state fee, and the choice of method can affect the speed of the procedure. The most popular option is payment through the State Services portal or bank mobile applications. In this case, you receive an electronic receipt, which you can simply show from your smartphone screen.

When paying through a bank (online or in a branch), it is important to correctly indicate all the details: KBK, OKTMO (territory code), purpose of payment. An error in even one KBK digit will cause the payment to “hang” in the treasury, and it will not appear in the traffic police database.

If you submit an application through the State Services portal, the system will automatically generate a receipt with the correct details specifically for your department. This is the most reliable way to avoid mistakes. After payment, it is better to save the receipt in PDF format or take a screenshot.

Since 2026, an automatic payment recognition system will be introduced in some regions. This means that if you have a valid application for registration, the paid fee may be entered into the system automatically using your SNILS number or passport data, but you should not rely on this - always have proof of payment with you.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

One of the most common mistakes is paying the duty “just in case” according to the old tariffs. As mentioned earlier, the amounts are regularly indexed. Before going to the bank or opening the application, check the current prices on the official website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate or the State Services portal.

The second error is an incorrect payment purpose. In the “Purpose of payment” field, you cannot simply write “For the car” or “Registration”. A specific action must be indicated there, for example: “State duty for issuing a vehicle registration certificate” or “Amendments to the vehicle registration certificate”. This helps employees identify your payment faster.

Also, many people forget that the state fee for registering a car is paid by the person in whose name the car will be registered. If the car is registered in the wife’s name, and the husband paid the duty using his card, questions may arise, although according to the law, the payer can be any individual, but in order to avoid bureaucratic delays, it is better that the payer and the applicant match.

⚠️ Attention: The validity period of the paid state duty is not limited, but if the rates change between payment and submission of documents, you will most likely have to pay the difference.

Use only official channels for payment. Intermediary services may charge a commission or take a long time to process the payment. Direct payment through a bank or State Services is the fastest and safest option.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions