The issue of purchasing a license plate with a memorable combination of numbers worries many car owners. Rumors are constantly circulating on the Internet that Public services allegedly launched a function that allows you to select and book a “criminal” room for a state fee. However, the reality is that there is no direct option to “buy a beautiful room” on the portal. The official position of the state is that license plates are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and there is no choice of a specific combination of characters.
However, the desire to have a unique license plate number doesn't go anywhere. People are willing to pay a lot of money for “777”, “001” or “xxx”, believing that there are hidden mechanisms or “gray” schemes through the government portal. It is important to understand that direct sale of beautiful numbers by the state is prohibited, and any offers to buy them directly through your personal account on State Services are fraudulent. In this article, we will look at how the system for issuing numbers actually works, what legal loopholes exist, and why you should not believe tempting but dangerous offers.
The situation around license plates in Russia is constantly changing. Legislators periodically introduce amendments, trying to streamline the market and eliminate the corruption component. However, demand creates supply, and “outbidders” continue to operate using various schemes that often have nothing to do with the official functions of the government services portal. Making sense of this chaos of information is your first priority if you want to get the number you want without losing money.
Why can’t you buy a number directly on the portal?
Many users mistakenly believe that the portal’s functionality allows you to select a number in the same way as choosing a date for an appointment with a doctor. This is a fundamental misconception. State Services Portal is only an information and service intermediary that simplifies the application and payment of fees. It does not manage the distribution base of specific symbol combinations in real time for the end user.
The system for issuing numbers is based on the principle of consistency. When you come to the traffic police (or MREO), the inspector takes the next available number from the pile that was received from the manufacturer. No screen where you can click on what you like region code or numbers are not provided in the operator interface or on the website. Moreover, the license plates themselves are often issued in sealed envelopes, and it is impossible to find out their contents until opened.
⚠️ Attention: Any sites offering an “official number selection service through State Services” for a fee are phishing. You risk losing access to your account or funds.
The lack of a legal selection mechanism gives rise to many myths. People believe that there are paid plans or VIP services available through ESIA (Unified Identification and Authentication System). In fact, the only thing you can do through the portal is make an appointment with the traffic police and pay the standard state fee for issuing registration plates. There are no additional options for choosing a “beautiful” combination in the system.
Existing schemes for obtaining the desired number
Despite the ban on direct sales, there are ways to get the desired number, but they require time, money and an understanding of the legal nuances. The main scheme, which operates in 2026-2026, is based on saving the number when selling a car. The owner of the “nice” plate sells the car along with the plate, and the buyer completes the deal and then transfers the plate to his car.
The second option is to search for a car that is already registered with the number you need, but whose owner is ready to sell it. After the purchase, you become the owner of the car and the license plate, after which you can immediately deregister the car, keeping the license plates for yourself, and return the car to the seller or sell it to a third party. This is the so-called “transit scheme” or “circular sale”.
- 🔍 Search for a private owner willing to sell the number along with “junk cars” or a cheap vehicle.
- 🤝 Contacting specialized agencies that act as intermediaries in transactions with numbers.
- 💰 Buying a whole car if the number is worth maintaining a second car just for registration.
It is important to note that all these actions are formally transactions for the purchase and sale of vehicles. The state does not sell the license plate, you buy the right to own the car for which this license plate is registered. That is why the cost of beautiful rooms can amount to millions of rubles, although technically you are paying for a Zhiguli or Oka.
The role of resellers and agencies
Since directly through Public services or the traffic police you can’t get a number; the bulk of the market is controlled by resellers and agencies. These structures have been buying cars with desirable license plates for years and storing them, waiting for their buyer. Their job is to provide legal support to the transaction in order to minimize risks for the buyer.
The activities of such agencies are often in a “gray” zone. They do not sell the license plate as a product (this is prohibited), they sell a service for selecting a car with a certain GRZ (state registration plate). The purchase and sale agreement always includes a car, and the number is included, as it were, “in the load”. The cost of intermediary services can range from 10% to 50% of the cost of the room itself.
⚠️ Attention: When working with agencies, always check the legal purity of the donor car. If the car has restrictions or fines, the process of changing the number plate can take a long time.
There are also “room rentiers” who rent out rooms. This is a scheme in which you buy a car with a nice license plate, but the actual owner remains the original owner, and you pay him a monthly fee. This scheme is extremely risky from a legal point of view, since formally the number does not belong to you, and problems with it may arise at any time. legislation.
The procedure for saving a license plate when selling a car
If you have already become the owner of a car with a beautiful license plate (bought the whole car), you need to properly prepare the documents in order to retain the license plate. To do this, when selling a car, an application to preserve registration plates is submitted to the traffic police. The validity period of the saved number is 365 days.
During this year, you can install the saved number on any other vehicle you own. To do this, you do not need to go to the State Services website again to select a number; the procedure is standard: you come to register the vehicle and indicate that you want to use previously saved signs. You will be given new plates with your old combination of letters and numbers.
☑️ Checklist for saving your number
If the signs are worn out, dented or rusted, the traffic police inspector has the right to prevent their installation. In this case, you will have to order duplicates from private manufacturers, but the combination of symbols will remain yours. Also, the license plate cannot be sold separately from the car - only together with the vehicle.
Cost and pricing in the market
The price for beautiful rooms is determined solely by supply and demand, since there are no official rates. The cost is influenced by the region (Moscow and St. Petersburg are always more expensive), the combination of numbers (777, 999, 001 are valued higher) and letters. For example, numbers with letters AMR, EKH, KXM have historically been in high demand due to associations with security forces.
Below is an approximate table of room costs depending on the region and combination (prices are approximate, the market is volatile):
| Region | Combination | Approximate price (RUB) | Liquidity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow (777, 999) | 777, 999, 007 | 1 000 000 - 5 000 000+ | High |
| St. Petersburg (78, 98) | 777, 001 | 300 000 - 1 500 000 | Average |
| Regions (except MO/SPb) | 777, 001 | 50 000 - 300 000 | Low |
| Any region | Mirror (121, 232) | 10 000 - 50 000 | Average |
It is worth noting that purchasing a number through an intermediary always includes a commission. If you find a private owner, the price may be lower, but the risk of running into scammers is higher. There are no official price statistics; all transactions are “black” or disguised as car sales.
Why are mirrored rooms cheaper?
Mirror numbers (for example, 121, 454) are often less expensive than repeating numbers (777) because they are easier to remember visually, but they do not carry the same status burden as “sevens” or “zeros.” In addition, there are mathematically more mirror combinations, which reduces their rarity.
Legal risks and fraud
Purchasing numbers involves high risks. Since the subject of the transaction is formally a car, and not a license plate, any disputes are resolved within the framework of civil law for the sale of movable property. If the seller of the license plate decides to deceive the buyer, it will be extremely difficult to prove the fact of the purchase of the “beautiful combination”, especially if the contract specifies the market value of the old car.
A common scam: the seller takes a deposit for the room, promising to complete the transaction in a couple of days, and disappears. Since advertisements for the sale of rooms are often placed on sites where moderation does not check the legal purity of each word, it is almost impossible to return the money. There is also a risk of purchasing a number that is pledged or has restrictions imposed on it by bailiffs.
⚠️ Attention: Never transfer large amounts of cash without a receipt and a preliminary check of the donor car using the traffic police database and the collateral register.
Another risk is associated with changes in legislation. There are constant rumors that the state may confiscate the “thieves” license plates or oblige them to be handed over when selling a car without the right to retain it. Although there are no such laws yet, the theoretical possibility of their emergence keeps the market in suspense and can devalue investments at any moment.
Before the transaction, be sure to check the owner of the donor car on the FSSP (bailiffs) website. If the seller has debts, creditors may challenge the deal, and you will be left without money and without a number.
The future of the license plate market
The issue of legalizing the sale of beautiful rooms is raised regularly in the State Duma. Deputies propose introducing an auction system where anyone can legally buy the desired combination and send the proceeds to the budget. However, so far these initiatives have not found support from the government, which is afraid of social tension and accusations against “rich and poor.”
However, the market is not going anywhere. Even if direct sale through Public services will never appear, the “junk auto” scheme will exist as long as the numbers are issued in random order. The only way to completely destroy the black market is to introduce paid number selection on an official basis, but no one undertakes to predict the timing of this event.
At the moment, the only legal way to get a nice license plate is to buy a car to which it is registered, and then keep the plate for yourself.
In conclusion, it is worth saying that “buying a beautiful number through State Services” is a myth. The portal serves only as a tool for recording and paying standard fees. All other paths require interaction with the private market, which carries certain risks. If you are determined to get a status number, carefully check the car's history and the seller's documents so as not to become a victim of scammers.
Is it possible to officially choose a number on State Services in 2026?
No, such a function does not exist. Officially, the number is selected randomly when issued by the traffic police. Any offers to choose a number online is a scam.
How long is the saved number valid?
The validity period of a preserved state registration plate is 1 year (365 days) from the date of filing an application for its preservation.
Is it possible to sell the license plate separately from the car?
Legally, the number is not an independent object of sale and purchase. You can only sell a car to which the license plate is registered. Selling “just a number” is prohibited.
What to do if license plates are damaged?
If signs are worn off or deformed, they should not be used. It is necessary to make duplicates in a specialized organization that has a license, preserving the original combination of characters.
Is there a fine for purchasing a number through outbids?
The purchase of a car with a license plate does not in itself entail a fine. Fines can be issued for driving a vehicle without registration within 10 days of the transaction or for using false documents if the transaction was not completed correctly.