Stopped for dirty license plates, what should I do?

Deprivation of rights for unreadable numbers in 2019 2020

Rumors spread across the Internet that traffic police licenses will be revoked for dirty or unreadable license plates. The basis for the rumors was the new June 2019 Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, which contained instructions for traffic police officers, which clearly stated which license plate number would be associated with an attempt to hide it or modify it. What will be the punishment for a dirty or completely unreadable license plate in 2019 (fine or deprivation of rights), this article will tell you.

A fine for an unreadable number can be received in the case when even one sign of the number is poorly distinguishable under the above conditions. The amount of the fine in 2019 for an unreadable number under Part 1 of Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation is equal to 500 rubles. Also, under Part 1 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, you can get off with a milder punishment - a warning, if this oversight is corrected immediately on the spot, i.e. Simply wipe dirty numbers with a rag.

A warning or a small fine can only be received if the license plates have become unreadable without the driver's intent. This may be due to snow or mud on the roads, etc. But sometimes the driver deliberately hides the license plate number in order to avoid penalties from traffic police cameras. Here the fine increases to 5 thousand rubles. or the driver faces deprivation of his driving license for 1 year.

The Supreme Court Resolution clearly spells out these nuances, when a driver can be deprived of his license for having an unreadable license plate. The traffic inspector will be in charge of proving the driver’s intentions.

Which number is considered unreadable?

Neither the traffic regulations nor any other documents stipulate which parameters are responsible for the “unreadability” of state registration marks. But they are in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (Code of Administrative Offences).

The Code states that all license plate signs, both front and rear, regardless of whether they are numbers or letters, must be recognized from a distance of 20 m in daylight, and in the dark, rear license plates must be recognized from the same distance. If this is not the case, then the license plate number is considered unreadable.

It turns out that the inspector can only make a complaint about the legibility of the license plate in the dark against the state signs located at the rear.

The reasons for the “unreadability” of numbers can be different:

pollution due to bad weather;
the appearance of natural or artificial abrasions on the license plate;
mechanical damage;
intentional changes in the form of additional characters or, conversely, actual characters were hidden.

When there are no strict criteria for “unreadability”, subjective assessment comes to the fore, thanks to which not very dirty numbers can be clearly seen from a distance of 20 m.

Fines for dirty and unreadable license plates

The penalty for an “unreadable” registration number depends on whether the owner of the vehicle had a hand in it or whether the “unreadability” was formed for other reasons.

If the symbols cannot be made out due to natural reasons, such as inclement weather, the impact of an aggressive environment on the integrity of the paint, then the punishment is determined according to Part 1 of Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the form of a warning or a fine, the amount of which is 500 rubles.

If upon visual inspection it is clearly visible that the symbols are deliberately distorted (man-made covering of the license plate, covering the license plate with film or opaque material), the punishment will be much more severe under Part 2 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the form of a fine in the amount of 5 thousand rubles, or deprivation VU for a period of 1-3 months.

By using various films to protect the state license plate from the effects of adverse environmental factors, you can fall under Art. 12.2 part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and receive punishment up to temporary deprivation of a driver’s license.

How to avoid fines for deprivation of rights for unreadable license plates

Adverse weather conditions often make our numbers “unreadable”. If you are stopped by a traffic police inspector on this occasion, then follow simple everyday rules and maintain friendly communication. The maximum you will face for this violation is simply a warning and a request to bring the numbers into proper condition.

To clean your rooms on the road, you should always carry cleaning supplies (sponge, brush and rag) with you.

Sometimes inspectors find fault without reason. In order not to escalate the situation, it is better to immediately take and clean the license plates.

It happens that a traffic police officer did not have time to record an unreadable number on a photo or video, then it is better to clear the number immediately so that there is no subject of the violation, and therefore no evidence.

When driving in bad weather, it is best to stop after 50 or 100 km to clean your license plates. During this time, the driver can rest a little and warm up, which will have a good effect on his well-being.

If the driver behaves rudely, arrogantly or arrogantly, then finding fault with the cleanliness of the room will only be the inspector’s response to the opponent’s behavior. The inspector will be more lenient when he feels a human attitude towards himself and his work. Besides:

punishment in the form of a warning is enshrined in law;
The assessment of “unreadability” is very subjective, because everyone has different visual acuity, and an examination in this regard is not carried out.

In such a situation, everything is extremely simple: you need not argue with the inspector, but immediately take a rag and clean the rooms.

The inspector himself may be biased in this matter, despite the driver’s adequate behavior. In this case, you need to take a photo of the cleaned license plate of your car. It would not hurt to have this inspector in a company car or a traffic police post in the frame.

If the conversation takes a conflicting form, then in addition to a fine of 500 rubles. according to Part 1 of Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, if an inspector records a license plate that is unreadable due to contamination, you may run into suspicion from a traffic police representative that the license plate was deliberately polluted. And this violation will be dealt with under Part 2 of Art. 12.2, where among the penalties is deprivation of a driver’s license. In this case, you need to document the presence of bad weather conditions.

With the introduction of automatic cameras, the number of cases has increased in which drivers attempt to hide their license plate number or one of its symbols using paint, paper, film, etc. in order to avoid a fine.

These pranks fall under the punishment of Part 2 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. According to the same article, punishment will be imposed in case of unreadability of numbers due to snow or dirt, if the inspector manages to prove their malicious intent. Photographs confirming the absence of rain, snow, blizzard, blizzard during this period of time, the presence of clean asphalt, etc. can be used as evidence.

The absurdity of hiding license plates from the watchful eyes of traffic cameras also lies in the fact that they can easily read even the dirtiest license plates. It's all about their design, when identification of the number is carried out using built-in sensitive infrared equipment capable of calculating numbers and letters from the shadows cast by the bulges of registration plates. Therefore, of all traffic fines issued, 90% are recorded by cameras.

Call +7 (499) 455-12-39 (MSK and MO), +7 (812) 426-14-93 (SPb and LO) and 8 (800) 500-27-29 ext.697 (general) and our auto lawyer will answer all your questions for FREE.

Fine for unreadable and dirty car license plates

If you do not keep your car license plate clean, you can get a fine from a traffic police officer without violating the traffic rules. The size of such a fine can reach 5,000 rubles.

In what cases is a number considered unreadable?

Signs that a license plate is unreadable are stated directly in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. According to Art. 12.2 of the said legal act, the car number is considered unreadable:

In the daytime - if from a distance of 20 m it is impossible to identify even one letter or number on the front or rear license plate;
During the dark period of the day - if from the same distance (20m) even 1 character (letter or number) on the rear license plate is not visible.

Reasons why it is impossible to recognize the number:

Contamination of the license plate due to weather conditions;
Paint wear on number symbols;
Intentionally making changes to the registration number (painting or adding symbols, applying an opaque coating to the sign).

Clause 4.7 of GOST 50577-47 indicates that at night the car license plate must be visible from a 20-meter distance with the license plate illumination working. This rule does not apply to the inscriptions RUS, TRANSIT and images of the state flag of the Russian Federation.

Amount of fine for unreadable (dirty) numbers

Despite the clarity and understandability of the criteria for assessing the readability of a license plate, the punishment for the inability to recognize them is the most controversial.

The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation does not provide for a fine for dirty license plates. The presence of dirt on a license plate does not always make it impossible to identify it. The number can be clearly seen under a small layer of dirt or dust. In this case, the driver cannot be held administratively liable.

A fine for unreadable numbers may be imposed in accordance with Art. 12.2 clause 1 or clause 2. The amount of recovery is 500-5000 rubles and depends on which clause of Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation applies to violation.

If the number cannot be identified for natural reasons (weather conditions, sign wear), then the motorist is punished under clause 1 of Art. 12.2 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The fine in this case is 500 rubles. In some cases, the driver may be given a verbal warning without imposing penalties.

If the license plate has lost readability due to intentional mechanical action (painting or adding symbols, covering the sign with an opaque material), then the driver faces punishment under Art. 12.2 clause 2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the form of a fine in the amount of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of driver's license for up to 3 months.

How to keep your license plate clean

Dirt that gets on a car's license plate can quickly render it unrecognizable. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to follow a few simple rules:

Before driving, check the condition of the license plate;

Have a container with water or anti-freeze liquid, a rag or sponge in the car;

In bad weather, stop approximately every 50 km. When stopping, get out of the car and wipe the plate with the number.

It is not recommended to clean license plates with a dry cloth because the friction of dry dirt and sand may damage the paint or scratch the license plate. This increases the risk of premature wear of the plate, which entails the need to make a duplicate or re-register the vehicle.

In order to clean the license plate from dirt without damaging it, you should first moisten a rag or sponge with liquid. Also, do not scrape the number to free it from dried or frozen dirt. You need to treat the sign with a wet cloth and wait until the dirt thaws or gets wet. The best option is to treat the sign immediately after traffic stops. In this case, the dirt will not have time to dry or freeze, and the risk of damage to the sign will be significantly reduced.

If the inspector stopped you for an unreadable license plate

If a traffic police inspector stops a driver for having dirty license plates on his car, it is recommended to immediately get out of the car and clean the plates. If the traffic police officer did not take photographs or videos, then the motorist has every chance to continue driving without imposing an administrative penalty. After all, after the license plate is cleared, the fact of the violation ceases to exist, and it will not be easy for the inspector to prove otherwise.

It is also not recommended to immediately begin to sort things out with the inspector. You should remind him of the weather conditions in a calm tone. You can mention that the driver stopped several times and wiped the license plate, but after a few minutes of driving it became dirty again. With normal communication and elimination of the violation on the spot, the driver has an increased chance of getting by with only a verbal warning, which is provided for by law (Article 2.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

If, despite the driver's best efforts, the police officer decides to file a report, the driver is advised to take a photo of the cleared license plate of his car. In this case, it is desirable that the inspector also be included in the frame. This will serve as proof that there was no violation. If the traffic police officer is not visible in the photo, then it will not be unambiguous evidence that the driver was right, since he could have taken it at any other time.

If the driver was issued a fine for unreadable license plates, and the weather was bad at the time of the offense, he can appeal it. It is recommended to attach photo or video materials, as well as eyewitness testimony, as evidence of your case. In case of contamination of rooms due to bad weather, it would be useful to attach a printout of the weather forecast from Phobos.

A dirty license plate on a car is not a traffic violation. An administrative penalty may be imposed if it is impossible to see all the symbols on the vehicle’s license plate. In order to avoid imposition of a fine, it is necessary to regularly check the condition of the license plate.

Unreadable license plates - fine or deprivation of rights

Dirty license plates are a common problem on Russian roads. In such situations, traffic police officers do not always interpret the law uniformly, sometimes not in favor of the driver. Whether intentionally or due to ignorance of the law, we don’t undertake to assess, but often the punishment is harsher than necessary. Often, drivers themselves provoke the inspector: they cover license plates with various objects, modify numbers and letters, trying to fool the cameras. In this article we will try to figure out “who is right and who is wrong.”

What to do if you are stopped by a traffic police officer for dirty license plates

Do not argue with the traffic police representative.
Explain to the inspector that before the start of the trip, you checked that the car was in good working order; the license plates were clean, clearly legible, but became dirty due to weather conditions (if this is indeed the case).
Eliminate contamination on site - no one is stopping you from doing this.

Thus, the inspector will not have good reasons to draw up a protocol on an administrative violation, since your actions will be of insignificant nature. You may be released from administrative liability by limiting yourself to an oral reprimand (Article 2.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

An example is the court decision (DOWNLOAD - Decision on Case 12-41/2016) , where a driver applied to appeal a traffic police fine for a “dirty license plate.” The court took into account the driver’s arguments about the weather conditions and the actions of the driver, who cleared the license plates of his car immediately after it was stopped by traffic police officers. As a result, he was released from administrative liability.

If the inspector insists on drawing up a protocol

Do not admit guilt if there was no intent in your actions. In the protocol, make a note about the difficult weather conditions that led to the contamination of the registration numbers on your car. Take a photo of the car, be sure to pay attention, and, if possible, record the inspector’s actions in a photo or video when drawing up a report.

The law states that the state registration plate is recognized as unreadable if in the dark from a distance of 20 meters it is impossible to read at least one of the letters or numbers of the rear license plate, and in the daytime at least one of the letters or numbers of the front or rear license plate (note to Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). Therefore, if no photo or video filming was carried out on the spot, if there were no witnesses and if the distance was not measured using a measuring device, all of these are good reasons for overturning the traffic police decision in court.

An example of such a court decision is the cancellation of the traffic police decision to hold the driver accountable under Part 1 of Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (driving a vehicle with unreadable license plates) ( DOWNLOAD - Decision on Case 12-116/2016 ).

The court, having examined the case materials, did not find factual evidence of a violation. There was no information in the case about the distance from which the license plates were unreadable, as well as which numbers or letters and what sign were unreadable. The traffic police officers also did not include photographs or videos confirming guilt. Thus, the materials did not contain objective data that indicated the presence of an offense in the driver’s actions.

If the car number is covered by the cargo being transported

For example, you installed a special rack on your car to transport bicycles that cover the rear license plate. Until recently, such actions were often interpreted as “driving a vehicle with state registration plates equipped with the use of devices that prevent their identification or allow them to be modified or hidden” (Part 2 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). The liability for this violation is serious - a fine of 5 thousand rubles. or deprivation of the right to drive for up to 3 months.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, by its decision, clarified that in such a situation it is correct to apply another norm of the law, namely, to qualify the actions of the driver as a violation of the rules for transporting goods (Part 1 of Article 12.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). Responsibility for such a violation is a warning or a fine of 500 rubles.

What is the fine for dirty numbers

The biggest problem of Russian roads – dirt – has been talked about for a long time and a lot. As a result, dirty signs on cars are not uncommon. But even the newest technology is not always able to identify road or license plates completely splattered with mud and transmit them in photo and video recordings.

But we dare to disappoint those who have already enjoyed the imperfections of the world of technology: certain types of modern so-called “smart” surveillance cameras are able to distinguish and specify the numbers on a license plate of any level of pollution in the dark. This is explained by the relief of the numbers, which, regardless of the background, will be readable in photographs. But we will talk about the traffic police fine for dirty license plates in 2018 below.

Part 1 Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

1. Driving a vehicle with unreadable, non-standard or installed state registration plates in violation of the requirements of the state standard, except for the cases provided for in Part 2 of this article, shall entail a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.

So, if you are stopped on the road for dirty license plates, do not start a quarrel with the inspector. If he has not yet had time to take a photo of the number, it is better to calmly go to this very number and wipe it with what is at hand. After such manipulation, the inspector is no longer obliged to issue a fine and most likely will not. But if after this the employee continues to fill out the protocol, you can act in one of these two ways:

1. Talk to the inspector about Article 2.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in a calm tone:

1. If the administrative offense committed is of minor significance, the judge, body, official authorized to resolve the case of an administrative offense may release the person who committed the administrative offense from administrative liability and limit himself to an oral remark.

2. Take a photo of your license plate. By the way, it will be a huge plus if the inspector also gets into the frame. Attach photographs to the protocol, and in the explanation indicate the following:

“I was stopped for dirty license plates, I consider the stop and actions of the traffic police inspector (inspector’s full name) to be unlawful, since the state registration plates are readable, which is confirmed by photographs taken immediately after the vehicle was stopped. I ask that the proceedings in the case be terminated due to the absence of an offense.”

It is worth noting once again that the majority of inspectors are people of conscious and adequate behavior. If you don’t start being rude, the inspector will also behave civilly and according to the situation. Remember: the conversation with the employee should be calm, and your arguments should be unshakable. Otherwise, the inspector may, in retaliation for the hysteria, arrange a true test of your knowledge of the Code of Administrative Offenses and accuse you of not having numbers, explaining that they are very dirty.

Part 2 of Article 12.2

Driving a vehicle without state registration plates...

shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five thousand rubles or deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of one to three months.

The main thing here is not to fall into the trap of provocation - the above part is absolutely not about dirty numbers.

But we forgot to talk about the main thing - after all, dirty license plates on cars are not on the list of violations. In turn, it is important to know that dirty rooms are classified as a drawback that can be eliminated on the spot.

Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in no case defines liability for “dirty license plates”. But if what is written on the rear license plate (or part of it, for example, a number) cannot be read from a distance of 20m in the dark, the driver is already obliged to bear responsibility under Part 1, Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. Under the same article, the driver will be punished if both his license plates (front and rear) are not fully legible during daylight hours.

There are various kinds of statements that a fine for dirty rooms is not imposed during rainfall. Allegedly, it is not the driver’s fault that it is raining or snowing. In their opinion, weather printouts from the Phobos website, attached to the protocol, will solve the whole problem. But let us just remind you that a printout from the site is not evidence in court. There they will require, at a minimum, a response to an official request to the “Phobos” of your choice, which will have to wait a long time. And the answer to the request does not guarantee that you are right.

And finally, we note that if you travel with dirty license plates in the rainy season, this is somehow justified, but in sunny summer weather the inspector is unlikely to believe that it is impossible to put the license plate in order in the spring.

All about fines for unreadable numbers

Even the most disciplined driver, who zealously observes all traffic rules, may well become a victim of a traffic inspector, and for a seemingly ridiculous reason - because of dirty license plates. Indeed, one single trip in bad weather is enough for a clean car to turn into a dirty one, which in itself does not contain anything illegal. But if such a fate befalls license plates, this is already fraught with penalties. And if, when stopping a vehicle, it is always possible to avoid punishment by arguing your innocence, then if your license plate number cannot be recognized by the lock, it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid issuing a fine.

However, in order for the license plates to become unreadable, it is not at all necessary to drive through puddles - even in summer such a layer of dust can settle on a metal plate that the license plate may indeed become unreadable.

So checking the oil level is far from the only activity that should be performed daily.

The fact that you personally have never been fined for such a violation should not be misleading. The traffic police inspector will be very happy to point out obvious discrepancies at any opportunity. Remember that it will not be possible to shift responsibility for unreadable registration numbers to the vagaries of the weather.

Therefore, always keep a cloth in the glove compartment specially designed for wiping license plates, and if the road is wet and dirty, check their legibility before each trip. If you are going on a long journey, do not be lazy to stop every 50-60 kilometers to make sure that the meeting with the traffic inspector will not have any unpleasant consequences.

Readable/unreadable numbers

Most likely, when faced with a similar situation, you are unlikely to be able to determine how much your license plates fall under the concept of readability. This is not surprising - the traffic rules do not say a word about this. The concept of readability is mentioned in the Admin Code, but it also lacks a definition. It only says that the license plate must be readable regardless of the time of day.

It turns out that this definition is present in GOST (5057747, clause 04-7). A license plate is considered unreadable if it cannot be seen from a distance of up to twenty meters.

But there are many nuances here that are not regulated by any regulatory documents, which often causes controversy due to the ambiguous interpretation of a particular situation.

As an example, we will give a case where you may well be fined for reading a number. For example, dirty license plates, which can be easily read at night thanks to the protuberances and the play of light/shadow from artificial lighting, will not be a violation, but such a license plate cannot be recognized by a video or photo camera. And this is a violation.

License plates are considered unreadable on a car during the day if at a distance of 20 meters or less it is impossible to clearly see at least one character, and it does not matter whether it is in front or behind.

At night, driving with dirty license plates, in which at least one symbol is indistinguishable from a distance of 20 meters or less, is prohibited, but only the rear license plate must be checked. That is, if you make a long trip at night, it is not necessary to clean the front state sign.

Consequences for driving with dirty license plates

The time has come to consider what punishment is provided for this completely insignificant violation from a road safety point of view.

As Part 01 of Art. 12.02 Code of Administrative Offenses, the fine for dirty, unreadable license plates is small - five hundred rubles, but the very fact that you were punished is unpleasant. Note that we are talking about punishment for driving a vehicle with dirty license plates. If your car is immobilized, there will be no punishment.

Since the format of the license plate can be different (old-style plates are still in use, and there are a lot of cars with foreign license plates on the roads), discrepancies may also arise here. Please note that the inscriptions indicating the country of registration (for example, RUS) do not relate to the number itself, that is, they may well be splattered. The same applies to the image of the flag. All other symbols, be they letters or numbers, must be clearly visible from twenty meters.

As for the reasons for unreadability, they can be different - they are stained with snow mass, dirt, symbols can be erased due to natural wear and tear or concave and deformed as a result of collisions with obstacles. Eventually, a foreign object (paper or cardboard) may stick to the sign. Formally, all these cases are violations, although this may not be your fault.

Of course, deprivation of rights for dirty license plates is not provided if you can prove that their unreadability was not caused by your deliberate actions.

Let's look at other penalties for an unreadable license plate, fortunately they are all described in the Admin Code.

Penalty for intentionally hidden numbers

We have already mentioned that the unreadability of license plates is not a factor affecting the traffic situation. However, from the point of view of recording traffic violations by drivers, this is really important. And the case of deliberately dirtying the license plate may indicate that not everything is in order with a particular vehicle. That is why the punishment for a detailed violation is much more severe: the fine increases tenfold, up to 5,000 rubles, and there is also the possibility of depriving the driver of the offending driver’s license for 1-3 months.

But where is the line that allows you to distinguish a license plate that is simply unreadable from one that is intentionally soiled? In both cases, we are dealing with the problem of its recognition, but how can a traffic police inspector prove the intentionality or accident of unreadable symbols?

Unfortunately, he doesn’t need to prove anything, since he makes decisions based on his own convictions. This, unfortunately, is a problem of a large number of various administrative violations. And although the body considering a particular case must do this as completely, objectively and comprehensively as possible, the subjective factor is still present.

If you are convinced that they want to punish you unlawfully, you can always appeal the decision of the traffic police inspector or the court.

What is considered deliberate concealment of license plate number:

use of opaque curtains on license plates;
applying reflective materials (in fact, nothing at all should be applied to the license plates);
hanging license plates with rags, cardboards, sheets of paper;
deliberate application of dirt, wet sand, clay, snow.

Punishment for signs installed on cars in violation of GOST

GOST R5057793 describes the requirements for installing license plates on a vehicle. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in a fine the same as for driving with dirty license plates - 500 rubles.

The list of these requirements is small, so you can easily remember it:

the plate with the number must be installed perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the car (permissible deviation - 3°);
the plate with the number must be installed perpendicular to the plane of the road surface (permissible deviation - 5°);
the minimum distance between the bottom edge of the sign and the surface of the roadway is 30 centimeters, in the case of snowmobiles and two-wheeled vehicles – 20 centimeters;
visibility of symbols should be ensured at an angle of 30° in the horizontal plane and 15° in the vertical plane;
The sign is fastened only with white/light-colored fasteners;
it is possible to mount the number in a frame, but the latter should not cover either the symbols or the mounting holes;
It is prohibited to make additional holes in the license plate, even if attaching the plate is problematic without this.

Installation of car license plate

Please note that the possibility of punishment for violation of the above requirements applies only to a moving vehicle.

Punishment for installing a number in the wrong place

If the driver drives a car whose license plates (at least one) are mounted in a place not provided for by the design of the vehicle, a fine is imposed for this in accordance with Part 02 of Art. 12.02 Code of Administrative Offenses (500 rubles).

Many drivers are confident that installing a license plate near the rear window is not a violation, since the requirement for good visibility from a 20-meter distance is fully met. Alas, this arrangement conflicts with the requirements of the Administrative Code.

And even if you justify your decision by the fact that there is no regular place to mount the license plate on your car (for example, due to a broken bumper), this does not exempt you from liability. You are not authorized to operate such a vehicle.

Punishment for false numbers

This type of license plate offense carries the harshest penalties. And although it is implied that the use of false license plates is a sign that the car may be stolen, such situations are not always associated with something criminal.

As an example, we can cite a case when it is necessary to enter a territory protected by an automatic access system (barrier and camera that records and recognizes the ownership of the car by license plate number). If your car breaks down and you use your spouse’s car, putting your license plate on top of the existing one, this is already considered forgery.

For such a violation, double punishment is provided: for the fact of installing false license plates and for driving a vehicle on which false license plates are installed. In the first case, you will get off with a 2.5 thousand fine, in the second you will have to give up the driver's license for a period of 0.5-1.0 years.

What can you do to avoid a fine?

If the license plate turns out to be contaminated as a result of external factors (snow, dirt), you should not take the words of the traffic police inspector about the violation with hostility. Calm communication will most likely help solve the problem in an appropriate way: it is unlikely that a traffic police officer will insist on punishing you with a ruble. In most cases, it will simply warn you that it is inadmissible to drive with such license plates (this measure is provided for by law) and offer to clear the plates in its presence. So always carry rags and cleaning products with you.

It also happens that you come across an intractable inspector. In this case, there is also a way out: if you manage to clean the license plates before the police officer records them with a camera, there will be no violation.

In case of bad weather, it is better not to take risks at all, stop every 30-50 km (depending on the condition of the road) and carry out preventive cleaning.

Always remember that if you start being rude to the inspector who stopped you, dirty license plates are one of the easiest ways to punish you. Even if you do not agree with the fact that the symbols on the number are unreadable, the inspector has an undeniable advantage in this matter: he has the right to decide how dirty the number is, guided only by his visual sensations. An examination is not provided for in such cases.

A significant argument in your favor may be the absence of unpaid fines. Politely report this, and the traffic police officer will most likely limit you to a warning.

Remember that inciting a conflict on your part is not only fraught with a virtually guaranteed imposition of a 500-ruble fine - the inspector may well suspect (or simply express suspicion out loud) that you have dirty the license plate deliberately, and this is a more severe punishment. You may even lose your license for it. So if it is raining at this time, or puddles (snow, mud) are visible on the road, be sure to record this, preferably against the background of a policeman and his car.

Remember also that if there are objects on the license plates that limit the recognition of characters, it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid punishment for deliberate actions to hide the license plates. And this is already quite a substantial amount - 5,000 rubles. True, you can reduce it by half if you manage to pay the fine promptly. This penalty falls under the quota of a 50% discount when paid within a 20-day period from the date of receipt of the decision.