The question is Is it possible to leave numbers of another region? when re-registering a vehicle, this worries many motorists who are planning to sell or buy a car outside their place of registration. The situation around automobile codes in Russia has changed significantly after the entry into force of the new Federal Law No. 283-FZ, which streamlined the registration rules. Now the procedure for linking a car to a specific federal subject has become more flexible, but many myths and old stereotypes still exist among drivers.
The key point is that from January 1, 2020 region code on license plate must strictly comply with the code of the region in which the owner of the vehicle is registered. This is a fundamental rule that often causes confusion. If you are registered in Moscow, but want to register a car in Kaluga, you will receive plates with a Moscow code, but they will be issued to you in Kaluga. However, if we are talking about preserving existing numbers, the logic of the process is slightly different and depends on whether these numbers are “nice” or just old.
In this article we will analyze in detail the legal aspects, the cost of services and a step-by-step algorithm of actions for those who want to keep their old numbers when changing ownership or place of residence. Understanding these nuances will help you avoid unnecessary expenses and bureaucratic delays in the traffic police.
Legislative framework: what has changed in 2020-2026
The main document regulating the issue is Federal Law No. 283-FZ dated August 3, 2018 “On State Registration of Vehicles.” Before its adoption, it was possible to get a number for any region regardless of registration, but now binding to the region of registration owner has become mandatory. This means that a new owner living in another subject of the Russian Federation will not be able to simply re-register the car in his name while retaining the old license plates if they do not correspond to his region code.
However, the law provides for a mechanism saving registration plates. The car owner has the right to retain a specific license plate for up to one year. During this period, the number is stored in the traffic police database, and it can be installed on another car belonging to the same owner. This rule works regardless of the regional affiliation of the signs, but only on the condition that the owner himself does not change or changes subject to certain conditions.
⚠️ Attention: If you buy a car with plates of a “beautiful” or simply desired region, and your registration is in another place, you will not be able to leave these plates when registering in your name. You will be given new signs for your region, and the old ones will remain with the seller (if he has not saved them) or will be disposed of.
It is also important to note the role GOST R 50577-2018, which regulates the technical requirements for license plates. If your old plates are damaged, erased, or do not comply with the current standard (for example, they have a non-standard font or size not intended for this type of vehicle), they will be denied storage. The traffic police requires that preserved signs be in perfect technical condition.
Conditions for maintaining numbers when changing ownership
The most difficult scenario is selling a car. Here's a classic dilemma: Is it possible to leave numbers of another region? to the buyer? The answer lies in the chain of actions. A buyer who has a residence permit in a region different from the code on the seller’s license plates will not be able to register the car with these plates. He will be assigned a new GRN (state registration number) for his region.
To save the desired numbers, the seller must use the “save” procedure. He writes an application to the traffic police to preserve the State Registration Number, deposits the old license plates and receives new ones (from his region of residence) or transit plates. After this, the car is sold with new license plates, and the old ones remain “hanging” with the seller in the database. The buyer receives the car and registers it in his name, receiving the numbers of his region.
There is a workaround that is often used by resellers and savvy drivers, although it carries certain risks. The diagram looks like this:
- 🚗 The seller and the buyer enter into a purchase and sale agreement (PSA) while maintaining the current numbers.
- 📝 The buyer goes to the traffic police and registers the car in his name, receiving new license plates for his region.
- 🔄 Immediately (formally on the same or the next day) the buyer sells the car back to the seller (or a third party with registration in the desired region).
- ✅ A third party (or the seller himself) registers the car and receives the desired numbers (since the registration matches the code), after which he sells the car to the final owner, preserving these signs.
Such a scheme requires two complete registration cycles and paying state fees twice, which makes it economically feasible only for truly unique numbers. For ordinary signs, this is simply a waste of time and money. In addition, each stage carries the risk of an error in documents or an inspector’s refusal.
⚠️ Attention: Repeated resale of a car for the purpose of “transporting” license plates may attract the attention of tax authorities and the traffic police as a tax evasion or legalization scheme. Use such methods only within the law and understanding the risks.
If the owner does not change (for example, you change your passport data, registration address within one region, or restore documents), then the question “is it possible to keep the numbers” is resolved positively automatically, subject to the submission of an appropriate application.
The procedure for saving a number: step-by-step instructions
If you decide to keep your license plate, you will need to go through the standard bureaucratic procedure. It's not complicated, but it does require attention to detail. The first step is always car inspection. The inspector must make sure that the license plates are installed in the regular places, are readable and correspond to the data in the documents.
Next comes filling out the application. In modern conditions, this can be done through the State Services portal or in person at the traffic police department. The application indicates a request to preserve the State Registration Number. It is important to understand that saving number is a separate service that assigns the right to an individual or legal entity, and not to a car.
☑️ Checklist for saving your number
After submitting documents and paying fees, you will be given a new STS and an entry in the PTS with new numbers (or transit), and the old numbers will physically remain in your hands (or will be deposited, depending on the internal procedure of a particular MREO, although more often they are simply returned to the owner for self-storage). The validity period of the saved number is 360 days.
During this year you can:
- 🏠 Install the number on your other car (provided the vehicle type and registration region match).
- 🔄 Sell a car with this number (but the buyer must be from the same region as the number code, or use a resale scheme).
- ⏳ Just wait until suitable transport turns up.
If the number is not used within a year, the right to it expires, and the signs go to the general pool of free traffic police numbers.
Financial costs: state duties and cost of services
The issue of price often becomes decisive. How much does it cost to leave numbers in another region? The “saving” procedure itself is free, but it inevitably entails costs for the issuance of new documents and signs to replace the stored ones. You will have to pay for the standard package of traffic police services.
Major costs include:
| Type of service | Cost (RUB) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Issuance of new State Registration Numbers (metal) | 2 000 | Paid because the old ones are rented out/kept |
| Making changes to the PTS | 350 | If the PTS is paper |
| Issuance of a new STS | 500 | Plastic card |
| State duty for conservation | 0 | There is no separate duty |
Thus, the minimum cost of "running" through the saving procedure will be about 2,850 rubles. To this amount it is worth adding the costs of making duplicates if the old numbers are lost, or the services of intermediaries if you decide not to deal with the bureaucracy yourself.
When paying state fees through the State Services portal (if the service is available online in your region), you can get a 30% discount, which will save almost 900 rubles.
It is also worth considering that if you are planning to buy a “beautiful” number from a reseller, the price can vary from several tens of thousands to millions of rubles. In this case legal purity of the transaction comes to the fore. Buying a license plate "black" (simply transferring signs without registration) is illegal and leads to fines and confiscation.
Technical requirements and number verification
Before you run to the traffic police with a statement, conduct an honest audit of your license plates. The inspectors at the inspection site are extremely picky. Even a slight abrasion, scratch on the reflective film or deformation of the metal can be grounds for refusal. GOST standard does not allow any corrections.
What do they look at first:
- 🔍 Readability of characters: All letters and numbers must be clearly visible, without chipped paint.
- 🛡️ Film condition: No blistering, peeling or deep scratches.
- 📏 Geometry: The number should not be bent or twisted.
- 🔩 Mount: The presence of all four holes for fastening (if the frame design requires this) and the absence of homemade frames covering the signs.
⚠️ Attention: The use of frames with the inscriptions “Russia”, “Flag” or logos that cover even part of the border of the license plate is prohibited. If you have such a frame, you may be turned around at the inspection site, and the procedure will have to be interrupted.
If your numbers are defective, you will be asked to make duplicates. This can be done in specialized licensed companies. The cost of duplicates is about 1000-1500 rubles per pair. Important: duplicates must be made officially, with an entry in the register of manufacturers, otherwise the traffic police may not accept them.
What to do if the number is lost?
If one of the numbers is lost, the pair cannot be saved. You will have to hand over the remaining number, write a statement about the loss and receive two new badges. The old number will burn out.
Frequently asked questions and problematic situations
In registration practice, many nuanced situations arise. For example, what to do if you change your registration? If you moved from a region code 77 to a region code 50, your old Moscow license plates remain valid until the end of their service life or until a change of ownership. Change them forcibly no need. The law has retroactive effect only in the direction of tightening for new registrations, but existing registrations are protected.
Another common problem is inheritance. When you inherit, you receive a car along with its license plates. If the area codes do not match your new registration, you can drive on these numbers until the car is sold. However, when selling to a new owner (you or another person), the numbers will have to be changed to regional ones.
It is also worth mentioning electronic PTS. The transition to digital documents has simplified life, but has not eliminated physical restrictions on numbers. The EPTS system simply records the current state of the state registration number. When saving the number in the electronic passport, a record of the new State Registration Number will appear, and the old one will go into the status of “archived” or “saved” for the owner.
Do not forget that the procedure may differ in different traffic police departments. Somewhere they require the personal presence of the owner, somewhere they accept it through a representative with a notarized power of attorney. Always check the current requirements with the specific MREO of your city.
The main rule: the number follows the owner (his right of preservation), and not the car. The car is tied to the region of registration of the owner, the number can be “mothballed” for a year.
FAQ: Answers to popular questions
Is it possible to sell the car along with the license plate if I don’t want to keep it?
Yes, you can. When selling a car, the plates usually remain on the car. The new owner will receive new plates for their region upon registration, and your old signs will be disposed of or (rarely) returned to you if you write a statement about this before the transaction. Just sell the car as is, the buyer will decide the issue with the license plates himself.
What happens if you don’t have time to put the saved number on another car within a year?
If you do not use the saved GRN within 360 days, the right to it expires. The license plate is returned to circulation by the traffic police and can be issued to any other citizen when registering a new or used car. It will no longer be possible to restore the right to this particular set of characters.
Is it possible to save the number if the car is deregistered (scrapped or exported)?
No. You can save the number only from a registered vehicle. If a car is deregistered (for example, for export abroad or due to disposal), the license plates are handed over to the traffic police, and the preservation procedure is not available. First you need to restore accounting (if possible), and then write a statement.
Do I need to take the car to the traffic police to keep the license plate?
Yes, vehicle inspection is required. The inspector must check the VIN number, body and chassis numbers with the documents, and also check the installation of the license plates themselves. Without the physical presence of the car (or providing it to the observation deck), the procedure will not be carried out.
Is it possible to save the motorcycle number and put it on the car?
No, that's impossible. Saving the number is only possible within one vehicle category. The number plate from a motorcycle can only be placed on another motorcycle. The license plate number from a passenger car can only be used for another passenger car (or trailer, if the categories are the same in classification, but it is better to check with the specific MREO, as interpretations may vary).