License plates provide information about the owner and the vehicle. Based on the numbers and letters of the registration number, you can understand in which region the numbers were received and find out the status of the owner of the car.
General information about license plates
The standard registration number has three letters and three numbers in the main body. Most of the useful information contains numbers, but letters also have a certain meaning.
All symbols on the numbers are basic registration information. They talk about the region and the mode of transport and help to identify the driver if necessary. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to monitor the readability and safety of the numbers. If the characters are damaged, invalid or poorly readable, you will have to pay a heavy fine.
The rules for setting numbers are clearly spelled out in the traffic rules and must be strictly followed. If the sign is installed in an unintended place, a large fine is due. Numbers cannot be mirrored, reversed or crossed out.
A standard car number can be divided into 2 parts. The left half contains three letters and three numbers. The first is the letter, then all the numbers, then the remaining two letters. This procedure is provided for by GOST R 50577-93.
Three letters in the number - a series, numbers - a registration plate number. Moreover, of all the letters of the Russian alphabet, only 12 are used, which have a Latin analogue: A, B, E, K, M, H, O, P, C, T, U, X.
The right side of the license plate also contains letters and numbers, but this area uses the English alphabet. The numbers in this part indicate the region of Russia in which the number was issued. There can be 2 or 3. The word RUS speaks of belonging to the country in which it was registered.
In addition to the standard signs, domestic numbers also contain a figure with the colors of the flag of the Russian Federation.
Types of license plates
There are several types of license plates that visually differ in color. Some talk about the privileged position of the motorist on the road and belonging to certain units of the state structure.
Red license plates belong to cars from trade missions of foreign states and diplomatic missions. The second is also indicated by the letter D.
Ambassadors or consuls drive cars with the letters CD. The letter T stands for a dealership machine. The letters are preceded by numbers indicating the state code.
Blue numbers are assigned to cars of the police services, the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Black signs belong to vehicles of a military unit, formations of the Ministry of Defense, units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the FSB, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On such numbers, the numbers do not indicate the region code, but the military district or department that owns the vehicle.
White numbers are installed on all ordinary cars. In some cases, the letter T is placed on the left side of the sign - this indicates that the car is going outside the Russian Federation.
State numbers
Special license plates are assigned to cars that belong to representatives of the state authorities of the Russian Federation. Such numbers provide advantages on the road.
For example, FSB operational vehicles may have different registration plates. To decipher them, pay attention to the series of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - EKH99. She replaced EKX77. Sometimes license plates are made for certain events. Thus, the EKX177 series was released specifically for the summit in St. Petersburg. Then all the numbers were handed over to the warehouse.
The EKX97 series is issued for the FSO and other departments. They imply a certain immunity on the road.
The vehicles of the FSB and the President's Department of Administration also have certain signs. These are registration numbers from the XK77 series. Some of them are used by the FSB, the other was sold to wealthy people who wanted to emphasize their special status on the road in this way.
If on the road you see a car with license plates of the following series, then in front of you is a car from the Presidential Property Management Department:
- AOO77;
- MOO77;
- SBI77;
- SOO77.
Sometimes you can see a vehicle with a lighthouse. Such cars are used by special postmen from the State Security Service of the Russian Federation. Such a distinctive sign does not give advantages on the road.
The license plates of the State Duma, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Federal Penitentiary Service also have their own license plates. These are the series:
- AKR177;
- EKR177;
- WRC177;
- KKR177.
They mean closeness to power and a special status. Thus, members of the State Duma drive cars with EPE177 numbers. Previously, they were also distinguished by their color - they were painted blue.
The following numbers were partially sold out, although some of them remained subordinate to the department:
- AMP77;
- KMP77;
- BMP77;
- OMP77;
- MMP77;
- TMP77.
The AMO77 series belongs to the Moscow mayor's office. Almost all license plates are used by this structure.
The numbers NAA99, CAA99, TAA99 and XAA99 also speak of a special status. They belong either to employees of the FSB or research institutes, or to a very rich private car owner who managed to buy them out.
"Beautiful" numbers
Many car owners want to stand out with beautiful numbers, for example, with the same numbers, or two zeros. Numbers with three 7, which is considered a lucky number, are popular.
Other common options are those that start with two zeros, such as 003, 007, etc. Many people also like mirrored numbers - 101, 303, etc. Such numbers can be purchased if desired and the opportunity to spend a certain amount of money, depending on the popularity of the registration number.
Even more popular (and therefore more expensive) are license plates, which contain three identical letters. For example, TTT, UUU, XXX.
Numbers and series that belong to government agencies are not for sale. All other unusual and beautiful registration numbers can be bought by any citizen. They are not issued in MREO, they can only be purchased for a certain amount. Prices usually start at 3000 rubles. For this money, you can buy common and simple mirrored numbers, as well as a simple number without any queue. Theoretically, you can pick up a "nice" number, which will, for example, match the car model and get it for free. In practice, this happens very rarely. For example, on a Peugeot or BMW, you can buy numbers that are the same as the series of a car from 15,000 rubles and more. This should also include the cost of registering registration numbers with the commercial MREO.
Prices for special numbers with the same lettering are constantly increasing, and in 2018 they went up a lot. Numbers in which non-standard letter designations are combined with beautiful numbers are very expensive at all, they are practically inaccessible to middle-class citizens.
Do not assume that the availability of "cool" numbers will provide a special status and save you from difficulties on the road. Without a certificate from the relevant department, no driver benefits will be provided. Therefore, in any case, you must follow the traffic rules, take care of your own life and safety and of other drivers and passengers. None of the numbers will protect you from an accident.
It is also important to remember that the meaning of some license plates differs dramatically depending on the region where the vehicle was registered. In general, 3 letters and 3 numbers give a complete and comprehensive idea of the vehicle and its owner, helping to identify the road user.
