The situation when the owner decides to deregister a vehicle arises quite often. This may be due to the sale of the car, its disposal, or even its export outside the Russian Federation. At such moments, the car owner is faced with a reasonable question about the fate of the state registration plates that were previously assigned to his car.
Many drivers are accustomed to their license plate combinations and would like to save them for installation on a new vehicle. However, legislation and administrative regulations have their own nuances that must be taken into account. Deregistration procedure directly affects the possibility of further use of old plates, and ignoring these rules may lead to the loss of the desired combination.
In this article we will analyze in detail in which cases you can keep the license plates and when you must hand them over to the traffic police. We will look at the algorithm of actions when selling, recycling and exporting a car, and also explain how to correctly draw up the necessary documents so that there are no problems with State traffic inspectorate.
Legislative basis for maintaining license plates
The main document regulating the rules for registering vehicles in Russia is Order No. 399 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. It is this regulatory act that clearly defines the procedure for assigning, changing and maintaining state registration numbers. According to the current rules, saving license plates possible, but only if a number of strict conditions are met.
The main rule is: the numbers remain with the owner only if they are in good condition and comply with the current GOST. If the signs are erased, dented or damaged, the inspector traffic police has every right to refuse to preserve them and demand the production of duplicates or the issuance of new signs.
⚠️ Attention: If you plan to keep the plates, under no circumstances try to clean them yourself with aggressive chemicals or restore the paint - this will lead to automatic refusal to save due to damage to the factory coating.
It is important to understand that the preservation procedure only works when the car is deregistered for subsequent sale or change of ownership within the country. In other scenarios, such as recycling or export abroad, the logic of action changes radically. Registration actions must be carried out consistently and competently.
Is it possible to save numbers if they are "thieves"?-->
Yes, license plate status (regular or area code) does not affect your ability to retain it. The main thing is the technical condition of the plates and the owner’s desire to pay the state fee for issuing new plates for an old car (to free the old ones) or for making changes to the documents.
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Sales scenario: how to keep the numbers for yourself
The most common situation is selling a car. If you're selling a car and want to transfer your license plates to your new car, there are a number of steps you'll need to take before handing over the keys to the buyer. The standard procedure of selling “as is” with the transfer of numbers to the new owner is not suitable in this case.
First, you need to contact any registration department of the traffic police with an application to preserve state registration plates. The statement indicates that you want to retain a specific combination of numbers and letters. After submitting the application and checking the documents, the inspector will inspect the vehicle.
- 📝 Write an application addressed to the head of the traffic police to save the numbers.
- 🚗 Have your vehicle inspected at the site to confirm compliance with license plate units.
- 💰 Pay the state fee for issuing new license plates for the car you are selling.
- 📄 Receive new registration plates and a new STS for transfer to the buyer.
After the old plates are removed from the car and stored (in fact, they are registered with you in the database for 180 days), new plates will be issued for the car. It is with these new numbers and a new registration certificate (STS) you will sell the car. The old plates remain in your hands (or in safekeeping at the traffic police, depending on the internal procedure of a particular department, but more often they are given to the owner).
Saved numbers are valid for 180 days. If during this time you do not buy a new car and register it with these numbers, they will burn out and go into the general pool.
The buyer of your car should be warned in advance that the car is being sold with different license plates. This may cause him to have to pay extra to get new plates if he wants to keep his, or to have to pay for duplicates if he wants to drive with the ones you give him (even though legally he will get new ones). Sales and purchase agreement in this case, it is filled in indicating the new registration data.
Recycling procedure: the fate of old numbers
If the car has become unusable and you decide to send it for recycling, the deregistration procedure has its own characteristics. In this case, the question “is it possible to leave the license plates” is resolved differently, since the vehicle is permanently excluded from the registry.
When recycling, the owner is required to hand over the state registration plates to the traffic police. This is a mandatory requirement, since the car will no longer be in use, and having valid license plates for a non-existent (in the legal sense) car is unacceptable. The inspector accepts the numbers, records their surrender and only after that issues a certificate of disposal.
| Action | Required documents | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Submitting an application | Passport, PTS, STS | Acceptance of application |
| Inspection (not always required) | Car (if not taken to a recycling center) | Confirmation of vehicle availability |
| Renting out rooms | License plates (2 pcs.) | Transfer and Acceptance Certificate |
| Receiving a document | Applicant's passport | Certificate of disposal |
There is a nuance: if a car is handed over to a specialized recycling point, then it is often transferred there without the license plates that the owner handed over to the traffic police in advance. The recycling point issues a recycling certificate, with which the owner goes to the traffic police for final deregistration. In this case save numbers cannot be used on another vehicle; they must be disposed of along with the documents.
However, if you are scrapping a car but want to keep the plates as a souvenir or for collection, you can theoretically ask the inspector not to physically destroy them in your presence, but legally they will be listed as surrendered and inoperative. You will not be able to use them on another car.
Taking a car abroad
The situation with transporting a vehicle outside the Russian Federation is one of the most difficult. If you plan to permanently export the car to another country (for example, to Belarus, Kazakhstan or foreign countries), the deregistration procedure is mandatory.
In this case, the rooms are also subject to surrender. The logic here is simple: the car leaves the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, and Russian state marks can no longer be used on it. You receive transit numbers or documents that allow you to travel to your destination, but you must hand over your old “permanent” numbers.
⚠️ Attention: When exporting a car abroad, make sure that the PTS contains a mark indicating deregistration. Without this mark, problems may arise with customs clearance in another country.
The process is as follows: you come to the traffic police, provide documents confirming the export (for example, a purchase and sale agreement with a foreigner or documents for emigration), hand over license plates and receive documents for transit. Transit signs are issued for a limited period to travel to the border.
If you plan to take the car out temporarily (for example, on vacation or work) and then return it back, you do not need to deregister it. In this case, you leave the license plates on the car, but must have with you a valid MTPL policy (“Green Card” for foreign trips) and all documents for the car. Deregistration during temporary export is an unnecessary bureaucracy that will require re-registration upon return.
Storage period and extension of registration of numbers
When you have successfully deposited the license plates when selling your car, they are assigned to you in the traffic police database. However, this period is not endless. The legislation sets a clear deadline during which you can exercise your right to install retained signs on a new car.
The shelf life of state registration plates is 180 days (about 6 months) from the date of their delivery. During this time, you can purchase a new car or motorcycle and apply for saved plates when registering it.
If you do not have time to exercise this right within 180 days, the numbers are automatically canceled and returned to the general pool of available numbers for subsequent issuance to other citizens. It is impossible to extend this period, so it is important to plan the purchase of a new vehicle in advance.
- 📅 The countdown of the period begins from the day the application for preservation is submitted.
- 🚫 Extension of the storage period is not provided for by law.
- 🔄 After the expiration date, the numbers become available for random issuance.
- 💸 The state fee for storing numbers is not refundable if the deadline has expired.
It is important to note that if during these 180 days you change your place of residence and move to another region whose codes differ from the code on the stored plates, you still have the right to install them on a new car, but only if the region of registration of the new owner (you) matches the region code on the plates. If the area codes do not match, you will not be able to install the old numbers even if they have not expired.
Required documents and state fees
To successfully complete the procedure for deregistration and retention of numbers, it is necessary to prepare a complete package of documents. The absence of even one certificate may result in refusal to accept the application or a significant delay in the process.
The standard package includes: a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation (owner), a Vehicle Passport (PTS), a Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC), as well as the car itself for inspection. If the procedure is represented by a trusted person, a notarized power of attorney will be required.
☑️ Documents for saving numbers
As for the financial side of the issue, storing numbers is a paid service. You will have to pay for the issuance of new license plates for the vehicle you are returning, the issuance of a new STS with new license plates and changes to the PTS. The cost may vary, but state fees are fixed by the state.
Sample list of fees (prices may vary):- Issuance of new license plates: 2000 rubles.
- Issuance of a new STS: 500 rubles.
- Making changes to the PTS: 350 rubles.
You can pay state fees through terminals at the traffic police department, through the State Services portal (where there is often a 30% discount, if this option is available at the time of payment) or at bank branches. Payment receipts must be kept and provided to the inspector along with the main package of documents.
Frequent errors and problems during removal
Despite the apparent simplicity of the procedure, car owners often encounter difficulties. One of the most common mistakes is trying to sell a car with saved license plates “in words”. Legally, this is impossible: while the plates are registered with you, you cannot transfer them to another person along with the car without an official re-registration procedure.
Another problem is the technical condition of the rooms. As already mentioned, if the plates have scuffs, dents or signs of self-repair, the inspector has the right not to accept them for storage. In this case, you will have to order the production of duplicates from a specialized organization in order to hand over perfect copies, and take the originals (if they are still readable) for yourself, but not as state signs, but as souvenirs.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to hide damaged plates with markers or varnish. Inspectors easily detect such manipulations, which can be regarded as an attempt to counterfeit state signs with all the ensuing consequences.
Also worth mentioning is the problem of debt. If the car owner has unpaid traffic fines, the system can block the ability to carry out any registration actions. Before going to the MREO, be sure to check your debt and pay it off, otherwise the procedure deregistration will be suspended.
The success of the license plate retention operation depends on three factors: the perfect condition of the plates, the absence of debts from the owner and the correctness of filling out the application.
In conclusion, it is worth saying that the procedure for saving numbers is quite transparent if you approach it prepared. The main thing is to clearly define the purpose of deregistration (sale, disposal or export) and act strictly in accordance with the regulations for the chosen scenario.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to keep the plates if I sell the car to another region?
Yes, you can save your numbers, but with an important condition. If you (the buyer of a new car) are registered in the same region as the code on the plates, you will be able to install them. If the region of your registration changes and it does not match the region code on the saved plates, you will not be able to install them on a new car, even if you saved them.
What to do if one number is lost or stolen?
In this case, you will not be able to save the set. You will first have to write a statement to the police about the theft (or loss), receive the appropriate notification coupon, then order the production of a duplicate of the lost number, and only after that, having a complete set, apply for preservation.
Do I need to take the car itself to the traffic police to save the license plates?
Yes, vehicle inspection is required. The inspector must check the body and engine numbers with the data in the title to make sure that the car is not wanted and does not have signs of illegal modification of the design. The procedure will not be carried out without an examination.
Is it possible to keep the license plates if the car is deregistered due to theft?
No, in case of theft, the numbers are not saved. They are wanted along with the car. If the car is found, the license plates will be returned with it. If the car is not found, after a certain period it is deregistered and the license plates are cancelled.
How much does the number preservation service cost?
There is no separate state duty specifically for “preservation” (entering into the database). You pay for the issuance of new license plates for an old car, a new STS and registration in the PTS. In fact, you pay for a complete re-registration of the vehicle you are returning in order to free up the old plates.