Russia

Current plate formats

• StandardSince 1993
  А 123 ВС 77

  One letter, three digits, two letters, then the region code of the federal subject (two or three digits, for example 77, 97, 99, 177 and more for Moscow). RUS and the flag on the right. The first plates had no flag; it was added in 1994 and 1995. Since 2013 the flag is optional.

  black on white

  Make this plate →
• TrailerSince 1993
  АВ 1234 77

  Trailers. Two letters, four digits, region code.

  black on white

  Make this plate →
• MotorcycleSince 1993
  1234 АВ 77

  Square reflective plate with four digits on top and two letters below, plus the region code. No flag (RUS is printed above the region). The 2019 standard reduced the motorcycle plate to 190 x 145 mm with the flag; this entry covers the older square plate.

  black on white

  Make this plate →
• TaxiSince 2002
  АВ 123 77

  Licensed taxis, buses and share taxis. Black characters on yellow; two letters, three digits, region code. No flag.

  black on #f2c200

  Make this plate →
• PoliceCurrent
  А 1234 77

  Police. White characters on blue; one letter, which marks the service, then four digits and the region code. Code 77 on these plates means a federal Interior Ministry vehicle, not Moscow.

  white on #1d4f9c

  Make this plate →
• DiplomaticCurrent
  004 CD 1 77

  White characters on red. A three-digit code for the embassy or international organisation (001 United Kingdom, 004 United States; 500 and up are organisations), then CD and one digit for the head of mission, D and three digits for diplomats, or T and three digits for staff without diplomatic status, then the region code.

  white on #c8102e

  Make this plate →
• MilitaryCurrent
  1234 АВ 50

  Armed forces and other bodies with military service. White characters on black; four digits, two letters, then a two-digit code for the military district, branch or agency, not a region (14 Railway Troops, 15 National Guard, 18 Emergencies Ministry, 23 Strategic Missile Troops). Not reflective.

  white on black

  Make this plate →
• TemporarySince 2009
  АВ 123 С 77

  Temporary and transit plates (type 15) for vehicles not yet registered or taken off the register. Two letters, three digits, one letter, region code, on laminated paper with a hologram in the top left corner, introduced 1 November 2009. Not issued in bulk since 15 October 2013, because of changes to the registration rules; still issued for cars taken abroad and cars driven to their place of registration.

  black on white

  Make this plate →

Federal districts (8)

• Central Federal District
• Northwestern Federal District
• Southern Federal District
• North Caucasian Federal District
• Volga Federal District
• Ural Federal District
• Siberian Federal District
• Far Eastern Federal District

History

1. 1993

   The standard plate is introduced (order No. 362 of 30 July 1993), with regional codes 01 to 89. The first plates are issued in Moscow on 25 October 1993 and in Kaliningrad Oblast in December.

2. 2013

   The plate can stay with the car when it changes owner, and the flag becomes optional.

3. 2014

   Russia starts issuing codes 82 and 92 in Crimea and Sevastopol, which it annexed and which are internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.

4. 2020

   The new national plate standard comes into force on 4 August 2020, after being allowed from 4 August 2019. It adds plate types and changes some sizes.

5. 2022

   Russia starts issuing codes (80, 81, 84, 85, 180, 181, 184, 185) in the parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts it occupies, and briefly 188 in Kharkiv Oblast.

Related countries

Former Soviet Union

• Belarus