The question of what they represent special series of state license plates, worries many motorists who notice cars on the roads with non-standard letter combinations. For some it is simply a curious curiosity, but for others it is a status indicator or a cause for concern when meeting with a traffic police patrol. Understanding the nature of these signs helps you navigate the road environment and know your rights when communicating with inspectors.
The history of the appearance of such designations goes back to Soviet times, when the party nomenclature needed a visual separation of vehicles by level of importance. Today, despite the democratization of society, special series have not gone away, although their legal status and practical application have undergone significant changes. In this article we will analyze in detail what series exist, who legally owns them, and whether they can be purchased legally.
It is important to immediately note that most of the “thieves” license plates that can be seen on ordinary cars in traffic are either fakes or the result of corruption schemes that are periodically stopped by law enforcement agencies. Legislation of the Russian Federation clearly regulates who has the right to use state registration plates with special series, and an ordinary citizen who does not hold a high public position cannot be included in this list.
History of origin and essence of special series
The tradition of allocating cars to officials and law enforcement agencies originated in the USSR, when the shortage of vehicles dictated a strict hierarchy of resource distribution. Special series of state license plates served as a pass to closed areas, permission to park in prohibited areas and a signal for other road users to give way. With the collapse of the Union, the system did not collapse, but was transformed, preserving letter codes that were understandable to law enforcement officers throughout the country.
In the 90s of the last century, there was a real boom in such numbers, when businessmen and crime bosses began to buy them en masse. This led to the appearance on the roads of many cars with series that, according to regulations, should have belonged only to the country's top leadership. In response, the state periodically cleans the registries, confiscating numbers from persons who do not have the right to use them.
⚠️ Attention: The use of special series numbers by persons who do not have the appropriate authority to do so may be regarded as an attempt to represent the interests of the state and entail administrative or criminal liability depending on the context of use.
The essence of special series is their connection to specific departments through letter designations. For example, series AMR historically associated with the Presidential Administration, and EKH - with the Federal Security Service. These codes are not random; they are abbreviations or easy-to-read combinations that allow you to quickly identify a vehicle as belonging to a particular structure.
Basic special series codes and their decoding
On the roads of Russia you can find several main series that have a special purpose. Although the list may officially change and be supplemented by internal orders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are established combinations known to every experienced driver. Knowing these codes helps you understand what kind of car you are dealing with.
One of the most famous is the series AMR. The letters are often deciphered as “And I am the Mayor” or associated with the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. Cars with such numbers and a flag have a special status, but recently their number on public roads has been strictly controlled. The series is also widely known EKH, which is popularly called “I eat as I want.” Officially, these numbers belong to cars of the Federal Security Service.
- 🚔 AMR — Administration of the President of the Russian Federation (sometimes assigned to the Moscow City Hall).
- 🛡️ EKH — Federal Security Service (FSB of Russia).
- 🏛️ MRR — Often associated with the police (MVD) or prosecutor’s office in different regions.
- ⚖️ LLC — Judicial system, prosecutor's office (in some interpretations).
- 🚓 HKH - Also often contacts the FSB or special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
It is important to understand that the presence of such letters on a number does not guarantee its authenticity. Local variations or counterfeits may occur in regions. For example, series KKK in the Krasnodar region or Riot police in various variations often becomes the subject of controversy and verification. The register of valid license plates is closed to the general public, so you can only check the ownership of a specific car through a request to the relevant authorities, which is not available to an ordinary citizen.
Legality of acquisition and the market for "thieves" numbers
The issue of purchasing a special series is one of the most pressing. Officially traffic police does not sell special edition numbers to private individuals. The distribution of such signs occurs within departments in accordance with the staffing table and job descriptions. When an official leaves his position, he is obliged to hand over the number, and it returns to the department’s reserve.
However, the market exists. It operates in a "gray" zone. The mechanism often looks like this: a reseller finds the owner of the car, who formally has the right to a special license plate (for example, an employee of a security company that has an agreement, or a relative of an official), and buys the car along with the plates. After this, the car will be re-registered to the new owner, keeping the license plate, if the law allows, or complex schemes with temporary registration will be used.
⚠️ Attention: Buying a car for the sake of a license plate carries huge risks. The seller may declare the car stolen after the transaction, and the buyer will be left without money and without transport, becoming a defendant in a criminal case.
There is a myth that any license plate can be bought for money at the MREO office. This is wrong. Insiders The traffic police can help you assign a nice number to you (for example, with repeating numbers), but assigning a series reserved for law enforcement agencies requires approval at the ministry level. An attempt to buy "without the crust" or through friends often ends with the confiscation of numbers at the first serious check of documents.
☑️ Risks of purchasing special license plates
Comparative table of series and departments
To systematize the information, we present a table of the most common series and their supposed affiliation. It is worth remembering that the data is based on public information and observations, since accurate registers are restricted information.
| Series | Proposed department | Region (often) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMR | Presidential Administration | 77, 97, 99, 197 | High control |
| EKH | FSB of Russia | 77, 99, 199 | Strictly classified |
| MRR | Ministry of Internal Affairs / Prosecutor's Office | Moscow region | Frequent checks |
| HKH | FSB/Special Services | 77, 99 | Limited access |
| KKK | Local administration / Ministry of Internal Affairs | Krasnodar region | Regional |
As can be seen from the table, the main special series concentrated in Moscow and the Moscow region, which is logical, given the concentration of federal authorities. Regions have their own local series, which can only have significance at the local level and not be known to federal structures.
Legal consequences of using counterfeit series
The use of counterfeit or illegally obtained numbers carries serious liability. According to the Code of Administrative Offenses (Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation), driving a vehicle with license plates that do not meet established standards or are on the wanted list is subject to a fine and confiscation of registration plates.
If it is proven that the driver deliberately used a forgery to bypass control or create the appearance of belonging to the special services, the case may be reclassified as criminal. Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Forgery, production or sale of counterfeit documents”) is used most often here. Judicial practice knows cases when fans of “flashing lights” and special license plates received real prison sentences.
- 💰 Fines: From 500 to 80,000 rubles depending on the article.
- 🚫 Deprivation of rights: For a period of 6 months to 1 year (or up to 2 years for repeated violation).
- ⚖️ Criminal liability: Up to 2 years in prison for forgery of documents.
- 🚓 Confiscation: Seizure of the vehicle to the impound lot until the circumstances are clarified.
How to distinguish a real special license plate from a fake
Visually distinguishing a high-quality fake from a real number is difficult, but possible. First of all, pay attention to the font and arrangement of symbols. Official license plates use a special font and the signs have clear boundaries. On fakes, the letters may “float” or have a non-standard width.
The second sign is the presence of a flag and inscription RUS. On special series, the flag and region code must be made according to strict GOST standards. Often, fakes skimp on reflective film or use incorrect shades of blue and white. It is also worth paying attention to the mounting bolts: on special services vehicles, anti-vandal fastenings with department logos are often used, although this is not a mandatory feature.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to independently check the documents of the driver of a car with a special edition. This can be life-threatening. If you suspect the illegal use of symbols of power, report this to the duty station of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, giving the car number.
The most reliable way is the reaction of traffic police officers. If a car with “left” special license plates is stopped, a database check will immediately reveal the discrepancy. Real operational machines often have additional means of identification that are invisible to the eye, such as tags on documents or electronic chips.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to legally buy an AMP or EKH series number?
No, it is impossible for a private individual to legally purchase these numbers. They are assigned to specific departments (Presidential Administration, FSB) and are issued only for official transport or transport of top officials of the state. Any offer to sell is either fraudulent or an offer to engage in an illegal transaction.
What happens if I am stopped in a car with a purchased special license plate?
When stopped, the traffic police inspector will punch the number into the database. If it turns out that you are not related to the department, the numbers will be confiscated on the spot. You will be fined under Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (installation of a sign that does not meet the requirements), and they can also initiate a case of forgery of documents. The car will go to the impound lot.
Is it true that special series numbers are not visible to cameras?
This is a myth. Cameras for recording violations ("Potok", "Strelka", etc.) read any number, regardless of the series. Special series do not provide immunity from fines, although in some cases information about a violation may be processed through the department’s internal channels rather than in the general flow. However, in recent years the system has become more transparent, and owners of such cars receive fines regularly.
Are there special series in the regions, or only in Moscow?
The main federal series (AMP, EKH) are registered in Moscow (codes 77, 99, 97, 197, 199, 777). However, regions have their own local “privileged” series, which can be controlled by the local administration or police, but they do not have federal weight and may not be quoted outside the region.
Is it possible to get a nice number (001, 777) without being tied to the special services?
You can get a number with a beautiful combination of numbers (the so-called “thieves” number in the everyday sense) through official auctions or, with a successful combination of circumstances, at the MREO, if such numbers go on sale. This will be an ordinary civilian number, but with a prestigious combination of numbers, which is legally acceptable and does not require belonging to the special services.