The Supreme Court gave clarification on attaching license plates to magnets

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (SC RF) gave clarification regarding the attachment of registration plates to magnets. The reason was the case of driver Byvaltsev from Novokuznetsk. Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes about the proceedings.

A traffic police officer stopped his car, possibly to check his documents. At the same time, the inspector noticed that the numbers were not inserted into frames or bolted. It turned out that they were attached with magnets. Such frames are installed in a regular place, and the signs are attached without any devices.

The guard drew up a protocol under Part 2.1 of Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for driving a vehicle with state registration plates equipped with devices that interfere with identification or make it possible to change or hide the license plates. In this case, the motorist faces deprivation of the right to drive for a period of one to one and a half years with confiscation of the devices.

The magistrate's court decided that the driver was driving a car with devices that allowed him to hide the license plates. Other authorities agreed with this. But the Supreme Court declared the decisions illegal.

He emphasized that the use of a car is prohibited if the state registration plate, installation method and location do not comply with the national standard GOST R 50577-2018. The standard does not prohibit attaching signs using frames. Bolts, screws and frames must not overlap or distort the inscription “RUS”, the image of the State Flag of the Russian Federation, letters or numbers. The sign must not be covered with organic glass or other materials. The standard does not establish requirements for frame material and does not prohibit magnetic frames, subject to installation rules.

The highest authority pointed out that the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court No. 20 of 2019, which the courts relied on, does not indicate that a specific design or method of attaching a sign is itself a device for hiding or changing numbers. This became the basis to cancel all decisions and terminate proceedings against the motorist.