How to avoid punishment under Part 4 of Art. 12.2 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation?

Fine for installing false (fake, not from your car) license plates

So, you and I understand that there are many cases in which the driver can put numbers that he got from out of nowhere. Reasoning about this can be gleaned from the first paragraph of our article. But law enforcement agencies, first of all, look at the root of the problem, so to speak, consider the worst option. They will not understand that the driver wanted the best, but it turned out as always! All this is motivated, because often cars with fake license plates are used to commit any criminal acts. That is why the fine for such a seemingly insignificant offense at first glance is quite significant. As we have already said, Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (parts 3 and 4) provides for two options. First for installation, this is part 3

Installation of knowingly false state registration plates on a vehicle - entails the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of 2,500 rubles; for officials responsible for the operation of vehicles - from 15,000 to 20,000 rubles; for legal entities - from 400,000 to 500,000 rubles.

Note: that is, the person did not even go anywhere, but simply installed false license plates on his car and will already have to pay a significant fine.

What are knowingly false license plates on a car?

Knowingly false state registration plates are license plates installed on a vehicle that do not comply with state standards, or with obvious and intentional changes to them, or that do not belong to this vehicle.

In addition to the already indicated parts 3 and 4 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which regulate the installation of false signs and driving a car on them, detailed explanations on this topic are provided by paragraph 4 of Resolution No. 20 of the Supreme Court of Russia dated 06.25.19. In accordance with this act, we will explain in detail the signs of counterfeit numbers (the presence of one of the given factors is sufficient):

They do not comply with the state standards of the Russian Federation regarding the technical conditions for creating registration plates.
They comply with the standards, but with changes made, as a result of which the information on the signs began to differ from that indicated in the documents. The main methods of such counterfeiting include: mechanical removal or change of a symbol, extrusion, painting over, touch-up, erasing (erasure).
Someone else's (non-original) license plates are installed on the car. That is, the license plate itself may fully comply with all standards and not have any changes made, but it was issued for another vehicle, or for the same car, but was subsequently assigned other registration marks (driving on old license plates).

Perhaps the greatest uncertainty is created by the first point, because knowledge of all technical documentation on this topic is more the destiny of manufacturers than of each vehicle user. We will not dive into complex technological aspects, especially considering the frequency of adjustments to such standards. However, Resolution No. 20 of the RF Supreme Court contains more precise explanations in this regard.

Which rooms are considered substandard?

Cases of non-compliance with manufacturing standards may include, but are not limited to , the following:

size mismatch;
incorrect shape and character of the characters;
inappropriate thickness of letters and numbers.

It should be clarified that hereinafter, in order to record violations, it is sufficient to detect a counterfeit on one of the numbers .

Fine for driving (driving) with false (fake, not from your car) license plates

The second option is when a fine is imposed for driving with false license plates.

Driving a vehicle with knowingly false state registration plates entails deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of 6 months to 1 year.

Note: This is a case where a driver was caught driving a car with false license plates while driving it.

Please note that if it turns out that the driver installed and then also drove a car with false signs, then this can be qualified as two offenses (installed and drove). In this case, there will be a fine and deprivation of your driver's license.

What is the punishment for false numbers?

Without numbers

The simplest and most common way to disguise license plates is…. their dismantling. You've probably seen cars driving on the roads without a front number plate or both.

Since the introduction of the self-isolation regime and digital passes, the number of such “unnumbered” cars has increased noticeably. Usually, when stopped by traffic police officers, the cunning people say that the license plates were “literally stolen in the morning” and they “didn’t even notice right away.” However, this doesn't help. There are two types of punishment for driving without license plates: a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of rights for up to three months.

Covering up

In order to mislead the cameras that record violations, scammers cover the signs with dirt or snow (depending on the season), hairspray, and stick pieces of paper, foil, white or black electrical tape, and magnets on some of the letters or numbers.

All these arts are punishable by a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of rights for a period of one to three months. This situation also happens - a “caring” owner covers the numbers with a plastic transparent, but at the same time highly reflective plate or film.

Punishment - according to Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation - the same 5 thousand rubles or deprivation of rights from 1 to 3 months. However, you can try to challenge the punishment in court by conducting an examination that will prove that the sign did not interfere with the reading of information by video cameras. But do you need such litigation?

Outweighing

Another very original and often practiced way to disguise license plates is to manipulate its fastening. “Clever people” change the inclination of the number plate (or both plates), hang the sign upside down and even backwards. However, the rules clearly state that the sign cannot deviate from the perpendicular longitudinal plane by more than three degrees.

As for driving with signs screwed on the reverse side, if such a car is stopped by a traffic police officer, you will definitely not be able to escape responsibility. Another thing is what this responsibility will be. Some manage to “talk” employees into a fine for unreadable numbers (and this, remember, is only 500 rubles).

However, it is much more likely that liability will have to be borne under Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (Driving a vehicle without state registration plates, as well as driving with modified or impeding identification signs). And this is already a fine of 5 thousand rubles or deprivation of rights from 1 to 3 months. So we don’t recommend experimenting.

Aging

Some car owners have come up with such a clever method as deliberately aging license plates using acid, sandpaper and other improvised means.

The calculation is made that law enforcement officers will treat such a violation with loyalty, and recording cameras will not recognize erased numbers and letters. It would seem like a great option. However, the punishment may turn out to be much more severe than the “homemade” people expect.

Article 326 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles or in the amount of wages for a period of up to six months, or compulsory work for up to three hundred and sixty hours, or correctional labor for up to one year.

Changelings

Perhaps the most high-tech version of license plate fraud is the installation of a so-called “number rotator” or inverted frames that change the slope of the number, turn it backwards, or even cover the actual number with a fake one.

As you might guess, the responsibility for such innovations is very serious - up to and including deprivation of rights for a period of six to twelve months. The fine just for installing someone else’s numbers will be 2,500 rubles for private owners, up to 20 thousand rubles for officials and up to 500 thousand rubles for legal entities. Operating a car with fake/foreign license plates (including as part of a “plate rotator”) entails deprivation of rights for a period of 6 months to 1 year.

Is it possible to pay a fine for rooms with a 50 percent discount?

Installing false signs, as well as driving a car with them, is a fairly significant offense; in addition, Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, parts 3 and 4, does not provide for warnings, which means it is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid a fine through legal means. However, there are alternatives to paying the fine. Since January 2021, the Russian government has made some concessions for drivers who are conscious of their misconduct. So, according to Article 32.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, many car fines can now be paid with a 50 percent discount. In this case, such a violation falls under this article, that is, it is possible to pay the fine with a 50 percent discount.

Responsibility for driving with false license plates

There is no good reason to explain to the inspector why the car has fake license plates. Falsifications are carried out by criminals for the purpose of:

car theft;
using a vehicle to commit a crime;
avoiding responsibility for traffic violations committed.

Any vehicle is a source of increased danger. In the event of an accident that causes loss of life, it is important to determine exactly who owns the vehicles involved in the accident. Unpunished participation in crimes leads to uncontrollable acts that entail serious consequences.

The motivation for using false license plates is different for all offenders. In most cases, citizens commit such acts in order to:

evade punishment for traffic violations;
avoid administrative penalties for illegal parking;
use paid city parking lots for free;
drive a purchased car without license plates to another locality along a highway with cameras.

Fake signs include those that have:

taped numbers or letters;
partial or complete change of the alphanumeric code by painting or drawing;
curtains that partially or completely cover the inscription;
fake sign with magnets;
a design that turns the record over with its back side when approaching the location of the cameras.

Punishment is imposed for malicious violations:

covering the sign with dirt;
sealing with paper, covering the numbers with rags.

Liability for deliberate forgery, alteration, or concealment of marks is punishable in accordance with the provisions set out in Art. 12.2 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. Parts 3 and 4 regulate the punishment for installing false license plates and driving a vehicle with them.

For installing homemade or altered registration plates on a car, you will have to pay a fine of 2.5 thousand rubles to the state treasury.

For operating departmental vehicles with counterfeit signs, responsible management persons are punished with a fine, the amount of which varies from 15 to 20 thousand rubles. The organization (legal entity) is subject to a penalty in the amount of 400 to 500 thousand rubles.

Important. A receipt will be issued even if the person did not drive, but simply attached false license plates to his personal car.

Driving with false license plates is punishable more severely. A person who uses a vehicle with false registration plates will be suspended from driving for a period of 6 months to 1 year.

If an inspector stops a car with false signs, the driver may be charged with two types of traffic violations:

production and installation of fakes;
driving a car with false license plates.

That is, according to the current law, the motorist will pay a fine and will be deprived of his driver’s license. The punishment will not be limited to this if, in addition to the specified violations, it is revealed that driving a car with fake license plates led to an accident.

Read more about numbers without a flag at the link.

Questions and answers on the topic “Fine for false license plates (fake, not from your car)”

Question: What is the penalty for installing false license plates on a car? Answer: If this is a private person, then the fine is 2,500 rubles, for legal entities up to 500,000 rubles

Question: What punishment is provided for driving a vehicle with false state license plates? Answer: Revocation of a driver's license for up to 1 year.

Question: Can a fine and deprivation of a driver’s license be applied at the same time when installing license plates and when driving a vehicle? Answer: Yes, they can. These are two separate violations!

In what other cases is a fine possible?

A fine for driving a car without license plates is issued only if the driver is stopped by a traffic police inspector while driving. That is, no camera can detect this violation, since video recording is based on reading signs. You also cannot impose a fine on a car parked in a parking lot. In theory, it is possible that the owner just went to the traffic police department to get new license plates.

Often other fines are issued along with this fine. For example, if more than 10 days have passed since purchasing the car, then you will have to pay 800 rubles for the delay in registering the vehicle.

The penalty for driving a car without license plates is a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of a driver's license for up to 3 months. Similar sanctions are applied to all motorists stopped by traffic police officers while driving a car without signs. An exception is new car owners who have not yet completed the ten-day period provided for vehicle registration.

Liability for counterfeiting or concealment of marks

In the past, registration plates for cars were issued exclusively by the traffic police service. This provoked theft of signs with subsequent extortion of hefty sums for return. Now signs are made by private companies that have permission to produce duplicates. The main thing is that GOST R 50577-93 is observed. There is no penalty for installing such numbers.

Fines for other violations are established by Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

Paragraph one of this article provides for an administrative fine of 500 rubles for driving a car with signs that:

They are not readable from 20 meters behind - at night and in front - during the day.
Signs made or installed in violation of GOST R 50577-93 (except for the cases provided for in the second paragraph of this law).
Non-standard signs.

This may include an “accidentally” stuck piece of paper, a dangling rag, dirt and similar “unintentional” violations.

Point two threatens with the deprivation of a driver's license for 1-3 months and an administrative fine of 5,000 rubles for driving a car without state signs (or one of them), with deliberately altered signs (or one of them).

This item includes:

Curtains
Reversed numbers
Adding or filling in the markings on the number
Magnetic mount of someone else’s license plate on top of your own and similar devices

The third paragraph provides for liability in the amount of:

2500 rubles - for individuals
15,000-20,000 rubles - for officials
400,000-500,000 rubles - for legal entities

For installing (even in a garage) deliberately false/fake license plates on a vehicle.

The fourth point provides for the deprivation of a driver’s license for a period of 6-12 months for driving a vehicle with deliberately false/false license plates.

The conditions for payment, and in some cases the amounts, of administrative fines are regulated by Articles 32.2 and 20.25 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

More on the topic: Fine for driving without a front or rear license plate

So, according to paragraph 1.3 of Article 32.2, if you pay some fines within 20 days, then their amount can be reduced by half, and the first paragraph of Article 20.25, on the contrary, doubles the fine; in case of failure to pay the entire amount on time, arrest may also be applied for 15 days or forced labor for 50 hours.

Recently, traffic police officers promised to take action against all manipulators with license plates. Since, according to them, the cameras are capable of providing enough information to target cars with poorly readable or fake license plates. And soon all violators detained based on the orientation will be held accountable.

Driving with transit plates

When purchasing a car, the driver receives transit numbers. They are intended for driving cars to the required region, as well as for registering vehicles with traffic police departments.

The validity of transit numbers is limited to 20 days (clause 33.1 of Appendix No. 1 of the Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “On the procedure for registering a vehicle”). This is how long you can drive a new car using Transit signs. At the time of their issuance, the police inspector puts a note in the PTS on the date and validity period of the transit signs. No one has the right to extend their validity, therefore, violation of the terms of driving on transit license plates will lead to fines, in accordance with Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

Common ways to hide a number

When it comes to questions of how to circumvent the law without breaking it, any science fiction writer will envy Russian ingenuity. In hiding car license plates from surveillance cameras, the “talents” of our compatriots flourish in an astonishing variety:

Pasting several numbers or letters of a number
Adding one letter, for example, C to O, using black adhesive tape, or, conversely, painting over the black stripes with white paint
Installation of curtains that partially or completely cover the room
Attaching someone else's number to magnets
Installation of a design that allows you to turn the number over with the back side
Covering the number with dirt
Gluing a “random” piece of paper over the number
Pinching of a cleaning cloth by the hood lid, “accidentally” covering part of the front license plate, while at the back, the license plate reliably hides the road pole to which the car is parked closely

And this is only a small part of the countless number of inventions used only to ensure that surveillance cameras cannot identify the license plate, since the inspector will easily establish the “original” license plates of the car, under any cunning disguise.

More on the topic: Fine for gas equipment without registration

Main reasons for concealment

Apart from serious crime, the most common reasons are three:

Transfer responsibility for your traffic violations to another person
Avoid fines for free use of paid street parking
The need to drive a car without license plates along a road with cameras and traffic police posts

Unlike the second and third points, the first is not so harmless. Offenders use the Internet to find a duplicate car, somewhere far from their city, and put its license plates on their car. And the unsuspecting owner soon unexpectedly receives many thousands of fines, non-involvement of which has to be proven for a long time in various authorities, and he has to document his absence at a given time in a given place, which is always quite difficult, time-consuming and costs a lot of nerves.

More on the topic: How to cancel a traffic police fine from a video camera

In addition, such a forgery is detected only during face-to-face verification of documents and numbers. And as long as the injured driver does not file a lawsuit, violators can safely drive around with someone else’s license plates. And if they are found, they will take away their driver’s license for a period of six months to a year, for evading administrative punishment under the fourth part of Article 12.2, Code of Administrative Offences, and not imprisonment for 2 years, under Article 326 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, when the commission, facilitation or concealing a crime using forged license plates, or selling a stolen car.

The last two reasons fit very organically into the Russian mentality, which combines the permanent desire for freebies and, sitting in every second, Foki - a jack of all trades.

However, being touched by talent - putting together anything on your knees - does not exempt the home-grown Kulibins from legal retribution in the event of a proven offense.