License plates are not just metal plates on a car, but unique identifiers that help track vehicles. Each region of Russia has its own region code (for example, 77 for Moscow or 66 for the Irkutsk region), but few people think about how many unique combinations can be formed within one region. This question becomes especially relevant when it comes to megacities with millions of cars, where numbers run out literally before our eyes.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at how license plates are formed, how many unique combinations are available for one region, and what happens when all license plates run out. You will find out why some regions have already introduced four-digit series, how the number of combinations is calculated and what changes await the system in the near future.
First, it’s worth clarifying that car license plates in Russia are regulated GOST R 50577-2018, which determines the format, fonts and rules for the formation of registration marks. However, even this document does not give a direct answer to the question of the number of possible combinations - it must be calculated independently, based on the structure of the number.
Structure of a license plate in Russia
A standard license plate in Russia consists of several elements: alphanumeric series, region code and the flag of the Russian Federation. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
A typical number has the format: A 123 BV 77 RUS, where:
- 🅰️ First letter (A) - series, can be any letter of the Cyrillic alphabet, except forbidden ones (for example,
Yo,Y,Kommersant,b). - 🔢 Three digits (123) — numeric block, from
001up to999. - 🅱️🅱️ Two letters (BV) — another letter pair, the same restrictions as for the first letter.
- 📍 Region code (77) — unique number of the subject of the Russian Federation (for example,
50for the Moscow region,78for St. Petersburg). - 🇷🇺 Flag and inscription RUS — mandatory attributes for international recognition.
It is important to understand that region code does not affect the number of unique combinations within it - it only indicates that the number belongs to a specific subject of the federation. But the alphanumeric blocks precisely determine how many cars can be registered in one region.
By the way, many people mistakenly think that serial number (first letter) depends on the type of vehicle. In fact, the letter A can be installed on both a passenger car and a truck - it all depends on which combinations are left free at the traffic police.
How many unique combinations are there in the standard format?
To calculate the number of possible combinations for one region, let’s look at the standard number format: B 123 BB XX, where:
- 🅱️ First letter — 12 options (Cyrillic without
Yo, y, Hard Sign, , y). - 🔢 Three digits - from
001up to999, that is, 999 options. - 🅱️🅱️ Last two letters — 12 options for each, in total
12 × 12 = 144combinations.
Now let's multiply all the options:
12 (first letter) × 999 (numbers) × 144 (two letters) = 1,727,040 unique numbers per region.
This means that in theory in the Moscow region (50) can be registered 1.7 million cars, before the numbers run out. However, in practice, everything is more complicated: not all combinations are used (for example, numbers with obscene combinations of letters are prohibited), and in some regions the standard supply has long been exhausted.
In the standard format, there are 1,727,040 unique combinations — this is enough for 1.5–2 million cars, taking into account the reserve.
Interesting fact: in Moscow traffic police standard numbers ended back in the 2010s, and have been actively used since then four-digit series (we'll talk about them later). But in Altai Republic (04) or Nenets Autonomous Okrug (83) there are still plenty of free license plates - only a few thousand cars are registered there a year.
What to do when numbers run out?
When a region runs out of standard combinations (B 123 BB), the traffic police starts issuing numbers with four-digit number pad: BB 1234 XX. This allows you to significantly expand the number of unique numbers.
Let's calculate how many combinations the new format gives:
- 🅱️🅱️ First two letters —
12 × 12 = 144option. - 🔢 Four digits - from
0001up to9999, that is, 9,999 options. - 🅱️ Last letter — 12 options.
Total: 144 × 9,999 × 12 = 17,278,560 combinations - this is in 10 times morethan in standard format! Now even for Moscow (77, 97, 99, 177, 197, 199) this will be enough for decades to come.
However, there are nuances here too:
⚠️ Attention: Four-digit numbers are issued not in all regions, but only where the standard combinations ended. For example, in Krasnodar region (23,93,123) they began to be used only in the 2020s, and in Yakutia (14) there are still enough three-digit ones.
In addition, the traffic police may introduce additional area codes. For example, for Moscow, in addition to 77 already involved 97, 99, 177, 197 and 199. This allows you to “unload” the main code and avoid a shortage of numbers.
Why are there so many area codes in Moscow?
Initially Moscow only had a code 77, but due to the huge number of cars (more than 5 million cars), standard combinations only lasted for a few years. Then the traffic police began issuing numbers with a code 99 (originally reserved for private cars), and later added 97, 177 and others. Today in Moscow it is used 6 area codes, and this is not the limit - if necessary, new ones can be introduced.
Examples of calculations for different regions
Let's see how many license plates are left in some regions of Russia, based on current traffic police statistics (data for 2026).
| Region | Region code | Number of registered cars (approx.) | Format used | Remainder of combinations (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow | 77, 97, 99, 177, 197, 199 |
~7 000 000 | BB 1234 B (4-digit) | ~10 000 000 |
| Moscow region | 50, 90, 150, 190 |
~4 500 000 | B 123 BB / BB 1234 B | ~5 000 000 |
| St. Petersburg | 78, 98, 178 |
~3 200 000 | B 123 BB (change to 4-digit) | ~2 000 000 |
| Krasnodar region | 23, 93, 123 |
~2 800 000 | B 123 BB / BB 1234 B | ~3 500 000 |
| Altai Republic | 04 |
~50 000 | B 123 BB (standard) | ~1 600 000 |
From the table it is clear that in small regions (for example, Altai Republic or Nenets Autonomous Okrug) the supply of license plates is practically inexhaustible - at the current rate of growth of the vehicle fleet it will be enough for decades. But in Moscow and Moscow region the situation is different: despite the transition to four-digit numbers, there are fewer and fewer free combinations left.
Interesting case - St. Petersburg. Not all three-digit numbers have been exhausted here yet, but the traffic police have already begun issuing four-digit series on new codes (98, 178). This is due to the fact that codes 78 and 98 used in parallel, and the transition to a new format allows you to balance the load.
If you are buying a car in Moscow or St. Petersburg and want a number with a three-digit block, hurry up - there are very few of them left. You can request a specific series from the traffic police, but only if it is free.
How do you check available rooms before registering?
When you buy a car or re-register it, the traffic police automatically checks which license plates are available in the database. The process looks like this:
- An employee enters vehicle data into the system Electronic traffic police.
- The system analyzes region code and available alphanumeric combinations.
- If standard numbers (
B 123 BB) have ended, the system switches to the four-digit format (BB 1234 B). - The owner is offered a choice 3–5 free combinations (if they exist).
- After paying the fee, the number is reserved and produced.
Important: from 2023 in Russia it operates electronic queue for numbers. This means that even if there are free combinations in the database, you may not be given a number immediately, but after a few days - especially in large cities.
What to do if you don't like the combination offered?
- 🔄 You can ask to generate other options (usually they give up to 3 attempts).
- 💰 Pay for "beautiful" room at auction (price can reach up to
200 000–500 000 ₽). - 📝 If the number has already been issued, but you want to change it, you will have to write an application and pay a new fee.
⚠️ Attention: In some regions (for example, in Moscow region) there is an unspoken rule: if you refuse three offered numbers in a row, you may be given first one available without the right to choose. This is due to system overload.
Is the combination reserved in the traffic police database?
Does the area code match your actual place of residence|
Are there any prohibited combinations in the number (for example, “BOH”, “SEC”)|
Has the state duty for production been paid (RUB 2,000 in 2026)-->
Myths and misconceptions about license plates
There are many myths associated with license plates. Let's look at the most popular:
Myth 1: "Numbers with a letter A - only for taxi"
❌ Reality: There used to be an unspoken rule that numbers with the first letter A issued to commercial vehicles. However, today this is not relevant - the letter A can be placed on any car if it is next in the queue of free combinations.
Myth 2: “If you change your region of registration, your number will also change”
❌ Reality: The number remains with the car for life, even if you moved to another region. It is necessary to change it only in three cases:
- 🔄 When disposing of a car.
- 🚗 When selling (the new owner can keep the old number or get a new one).
- 📄 When changing the vehicle category (for example, if a passenger car is turned into a truck).
Myth 3: "Rooms with 000 or 999 - rare and expensive"
❌ Reality: Digital combinations 001–999 distributed evenly. Rooms with 000 or 999 are not "special" - they are simply given out last in the series. However, at auctions they can fetch a lot of money because of their “beauty.”
Myth 4: “You can order any license plate from the traffic police”
❌ Reality: You can only order from free combinations in the database. If the number has already been issued (even if the car with it was disposed of long ago), it will not be returned to circulation - it remains “occupied” forever.
Important: from 2020 in Russia it is prohibited to use numbers with combinations of letters that can form obscene words or offensive phrases. For this there is a fine of up to 2 500 ₽ and forced number change.
The future of license plates: what awaits us?
According to Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, by 2030 the number of cars in the country will exceed 60 million. Already today, in some regions (Moscow, Moscow region, Krasnodar Territory) there is a shortage of license plates, and the traffic police are forced to introduce new formats.
What changes are possible in the near future?
- 🅱️🔢 Five digit number blocks - format
B 12345 B(not yet used, but technically possible). - 🌍 All-Russian number pool — instead of being tied to a region, numbers will be issued from a single database (as in some EU countries).
- 📱 Electronic numbers — experiments with digital signs are already underway Moscow and Kazan.
- 🔄 Reuse of old numbers — if the car was disposed of more than 10 years ago, its number can be returned to circulation.
The most realistic scenario for the next 5–10 years is extension of the numeric block to 5 characters. This will give:
12 (letter) × 99,999 (numbers) × 144 (two letters) = 172,798,080 combinations per region - that is, in 100 times morethan now!
However, the transition to a new format will require changes in GOST R 50577-2018 and upgrades to production equipment. Therefore, in the near future we will only see the expansion of four-digit series and the introduction of additional region codes.
Five digit numbers (B 12345 B) may appear by 2028–2030 if the growth rate of the vehicle fleet continues. This will solve the shortage problem for decades to come.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about number combinations
🔹 How many regions are there in Russia and do they all have unique codes?
For 2026 in Russia 85 federal subjects, but there are many more region codes - some regions have each 2–6 codes (for example, Moscow: 77, 97, 99, 177, 197, 199). The full list of codes can be found on the website traffic police.
🔹 Is it possible to choose any available number when registering?
No, you can only choose from those combinations that the traffic police system offers. Usually they give 3–5 options. If you need a specific number (for example, with your initials), you can try to find it through auction of beautiful rooms.
🔹 Why do numbers run out faster in some regions?
It all depends on number of registered cars. For example, in Moscow by 2026 more than 7 million cars, and in Magadan region (49) - only about 100 thousand. Therefore, in the capital the numbers end in 70 times faster!
🔹 What should I do if I don’t like the issued number?
You can:
- Ask to generate other options (usually up to 3 times).
- Buy a “beautiful” number at an auction (for example, on the website State services).
- Leave everything as it is - after 5 years you can change the number if you wish (according to the new traffic police rules).
🔹 Can license plates from scrapped cars be returned to circulation?
This is not happening now, but The Ministry of Internal Affairs is considering This option is available for rooms that have not been used for more than 10 years. However, this will require changes in legislation.