Do numbers be removed from a car if it is deregistered but there is a purchase and sale agreement?

Deregistration of a car is a standard procedure when selling, disposing of, or exporting abroad. But what to do if the car is no longer listed in the traffic police database, but state numbers still there? Can the new owner (or even the previous one) lose license plates if he only has purchase and sale agreement (SPA), but there are no recent registration documents? This question worries many car owners, especially those who are faced with bureaucratic delays or fraudulent schemes.

In this article we will look at: Can the traffic police seize license plates from a car that has been deregistered but not re-registered? What risks does the buyer and seller bear in such a situation? What to do if the numbers have already been removed and you didn’t even know about the problem?

Answers - with links to current regulations and practical recommendations from lawyers.

Why can plates be removed from a car that has been deregistered?

At first glance, the logic is simple: if a car deregistered, then the license plates must also be cancelled. However, in practice everything is more complicated. The traffic police can initiate the seizure of license plates in several cases:

• 🔹 Expiration of the period for re-registration. By law, the new owner is required to register the car within 10 days after the purchase. If this is not done, the previous owner may apply to terminate the registration, and the license plates will remain “hanging” on the car, which formally does not belong to anyone.
• 🔹 Suspicion of fraud. If the car appears in search databases (for example, for a fake registration certificate or theft), the license plates may be seized for verification.
• 🔹 Technical errors in the traffic police database. There are cases when a car is deregistered by mistake, but the plates are not returned to the owner. In this case, the road inspector may confiscate the signs as “invalid.”

It is important to understand that license plates are not the property of the car owner, but state property issued for use. The traffic police has the right to confiscate them if it finds violations. At the same time, the presence of PrEP does not guaranteethat the numbers will remain on the car: the document confirms the transaction, but not the fact of registration.

What the law says: regulatory framework

The basic rules are regulated by the following documents:

• 📜 Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 399 (dated June 26, 2018) - regulates vehicle registration. According to clause 50, when deregistered, the license plates must be submitted to the traffic police, but only if the owner does not apply for their preservation.
• 📜 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, art. 12.2 — provides for a fine for driving a vehicle with license plates that do not correspond to the data in the database (up to 5 000 ₽ or deprivation of rights).
• 📜 Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Art. 223 — ownership passes to the buyer after the transfer of the car under the contract, but registration with the traffic police is a separate procedure.

Key point: if the car is deregistered at the initiative of the previous owner (for example, through the portal Public services), then the numbers are automatically canceled and their further use is illegal. But if the withdrawal happened after 10 days (due to the buyer’s inaction), then the signs may remain on the car until they are removed during inspection.

Important: If the plates were retained by the previous owner (at his request), but the car was sold under the contract, the new owner does not have the right to use them. This qualifies as driving a vehicle with someone else's license plates (fine up to 5,000 rubles).

Risks for the buyer and seller: who is to blame and what to do?

Both parties to the transaction take different risks:

• 🚗 For the buyer:
  • 🔴 Fine for driving with license plates that do not correspond to the traffic police database.
  • 🔴 Risk of confiscation of numbers at the first check (even if the DCT is in order).
  • 🔴 Problems with registration: if the numbers have already been cancelled, you will have to get new ones.
• 💰 For the seller:
  • 🔴 Responsibility for unremoved license plates if the new owner commits an accident or an offense.
  • 🔴 Risk of fraud: if the buyer does not re-register the car, the seller may remain “hanging” in the database as the owner.

What to do to avoid problems?

Check the status of the car on the traffic police website by VIN|Make sure that the previous owner has applied to save the license plates (if necessary)|Do not drive until you re-register the car in your name|Keep copies of all documents (DCP, PTS, acceptance certificate)-->

⚠️ Attention: If you bought a car with license plates, but it is deregistered, don't try to ride it - this is equivalent to driving a vehicle without registration. It is better to immediately contact the traffic police to clarify the status of the license plates.

How to check if the license plates on a deregistered car are valid?

Before purchasing or after deregistration, be sure to check the status of license plates. You can do this in several ways:

1. Official website of the traffic police:
   • Go to traffic police.rf → section “Checking the vehicle”.
   • Enter VIN or license plate number.
   • If the status says "registration has been terminated", numbers are invalid.
2. State Services Portal:
   • Log in → “Transport and driving” → “Check fines/vehicle history.”
   • The system will show whether the car is registered and whether the license plates are valid.