How much will you have to pay for a dirty room in 2021?
Article 12.2 of Part 1 clearly states that the penalty for a dirty or unreadable license plate on a vehicle is set at 500 rubles as of 2021. According to the law, such an offense is not considered very dangerous, because of which other participants in the traffic accident may suffer, so motorists can pay off not the full part of the fine within 20 days, but only 50% of it, that is, 250 rubles. But you need to do this in a timely manner.
Appealing a fine for dirty numbers
Many citizens are interested in how to appeal a fine imposed by the traffic police for dirty license plates in 2021. According to the current legislation, such a possibility is provided for, according to which there is a choice of government body where you can apply for the protection of your rights. In our case, this is the court or the traffic police.
A complaint can be filed directly against a traffic police officer by addressing it to management. It is sent by registered mail with notification and a list of enclosed documents. If there is time, then visit the inspection in person and submit a written complaint to the secretary. You can also do this through the State Services portal.
Appealing the decision to impose a fine under Art. 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation is permissible within 10 days from the date of receipt of the document in hand (Article 30.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). The traffic police considers such applications within 3 days, in court – up to 2 months.
The complaint must be accompanied by documentary facts confirming the driver’s innocence (a certificate of weather conditions, a photo of the license plate being viewed and an inspector nearby). There is no standard sample application for appealing the actions of a traffic inspector, since each case is individual and has its own nuances. But you can consider a universal form of complaint, which it is recommended to rely on.
When appealing a fine for dirty numbers in 2021, you can use the example below for writing a complaint.
Head of the Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow
Kovalenko Viktor Anatolyevich
From Timoshenko Vladimir Viktorovich
Living at the address: ………………………………………
Complaint
On unauthorized actions of a traffic police inspector
I, Timoshenko V.V., February 12, 2021 at about 9:00 p.m., driving a car of brand …….. with state registration. number ………….., moving in the direction from Znamenka Street to Mokhovaya Street, was stopped by a traffic police officer (his badge is …….) in the area of Mokhovaya Street, building 7-8. The inspector introduced himself illegibly, and without announcing the reason for the delay, demanded to see the license and documents for the car. Only after my request, he gave the reason for the stop - dirty license plates, which contradicts Art. 12.2 part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
After presenting the documents, he immediately began drawing up a protocol on the administrative violation. The inspector's name and position were illegible on it.
I consider the protocol unfounded based on the following:
1. I cited bad weather, as it was wet snowing and snow removal machines were working. So the rooms got dirty while moving and I was ready to clean them on the spot. My application was ignored. 2. According to the note to article 12.2 part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation state. The number is considered unreadable if at least one character in the background is not visible at night at a distance of 20 meters. Due to the movement of my car in the dark and taking into account the location of the patrolman, he could not assess the degree of readability of my license plates.
Considering the above facts, on the basis of Art. 30.1 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses, I ask:
1. Stop the paperwork on this administrative offense dated February 12, 2021. 2. Consider the complaint without my presence. 3. Send the response in writing to my residence address, in accordance with the deadlines required by law. Please send a copy of the court decision by email...... 4. If my complaint is not satisfied, please indicate the procedure for making a court decision.
Applications:
1. Copy of the resolution. 2. Materials confirming the illegality of the actions of the traffic police officer.
Date Signature (decryption)
Applications not to appeal a fine for dirty rooms can be found here.
It is impossible to answer unequivocally whether it is worth complaining about a fine issued regarding dirty rooms. If the driver is confident that he is right, then he must defend his position to the bitter end. When there has been an offense, there is no point in appealing.
When considering such cases in court, it should be taken into account that if the evidence base is equivalent on the part of the motorist and the road service inspector, the court usually takes the side of the government body. But multiple examples from practice suggest that a competent approach to the matter and a properly compiled evidence base produces positive results. It is advisable to involve a professional lawyer in the process.
What numbers are considered unreadable according to the laws of the Russian Federation?
If you want to find official signs of “unreadability” of state. registration plates, then refer not to the traffic rules, but to the Administrative Code. offenses of the Russian Federation.
If from twenty meters in daylight at least one letter or number is not identified on a plate with a number in front or behind the car or simply from a license plate located behind from a distance of twenty meters in the evening and at night, then the license plate is considered unreadable.
At the same time, from twenty meters only the numbers and letters of the state itself should be well recognized.
numbers, but the flag or the inscription “transit” or “rus” can be covered with dirt or anything else and the motorist will not get anything for it. Reference! A traffic police inspector can make complaints about unreadable license plates at night only to the license plate located at the rear.
The reasons for this may be different. For example:
- Due to heavy precipitation weather, the number plate is covered in mud or snow in some parts.
- Due to dents and other mechanical damage.
- Due to abrasion of the paint coating, whether created naturally or unnaturally.
- Due to special damage to the image (some parts are added to the symbols or, conversely, numbers or letters are covered or covered up).
If there is no specific formal criterion for “unreadability”, a subjective definition of the assessment appears, since sometimes there is a lot of dirt on the plate with the number, but you can still read the necessary symbols from a twenty-meter distance and you don’t need to put in much effort for this.
Important point! Often, traffic police officers equate a contaminated car with such an admin. offense, like dirty rooms. Inspectors of resort and capital cities urge motorists to keep the bodies of their vehicles clean, because dirty cars negatively affect the reputation of the locality. However, the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation does not establish material penalties for vehicles with dirt. The car may be very dusty or there may be hardened clay on it, but if the numbers are readable from 20 meters, then there is no violation.
Important point! If you are stopped by an inspector for having an unreadable rear license plate. number in the evening or at night, then you may be issued two financial penalties. The first one is for an unreadable number of 500 rubles. (this is indicated in Article 12.2 of Part 1 of the Administrative Code), the second is for a broken rear license plate illumination (this is provided for in Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code) and then you will have to pay another 500 rubles).
Please note that by law you are not obligated at all immediately after a traffic police officer stops you to rush to clean the dirt from the license plates, but if you get behind the wheel and continue to drive further along the route, then other inspectors may stop you again and issue another penalty.
Which numbers are unreadable
Registration plates are considered dirty due to weather conditions at the time the vehicle was stopped by a traffic police officer.
The following numbers are considered unreadable:
- With damage from mechanical impact.
- With paint damage on one or more characters.
Damage to paint on license plate symbols
- The sign or part of it is intentionally covered.
An intentionally obscured part of a license plate
. A government official has the right to check damaged or soiled plates for legibility. The check is done visually, taking into account the time of day.
During daylight hours
During the daytime it is checked from a distance of 20 meters. The front and rear numbers are subject to verification. If from this distance it is impossible to see all the signs or individual parts of the number, it is considered unreadable.
In the dark
At night, only the rear plate must be checked: it is backlit. A number is considered unreadable if it is difficult to distinguish its individual characters from a distance of 20 meters.
Important! Dirty but legible signs may be detected by traffic cameras as unreadable. This is affected by the shadow from road lighting.
The rules for visual inspection and a distance of 20 meters are provided for by GOST 50577-47 p4.7.
Important! A traffic police officer does not have the right to check the front license plate of a car at night, because it does not have additional lighting, it may be dirty or damaged by the car ahead.
Unreadable license plates and traffic police cameras
Today, special devices for determining the degree of unreadability of license plates are not used in practice. Its compliance with the rules is determined specifically by the traffic police officer based only on his attitude and vision.
The whole problem of the situation is that, according to the law, the inspector uses an organoleptic analysis, which is carried out with the help of his eyes, to determine how readable or, on the contrary, how unrecognizable the sign is by a special traffic police camera. Thus, it is the person who decides whether the device, namely the traffic camera, can analyze the number, and not vice versa.
However, more and more often there are positive answers to the question “can a traffic camera read a license plate with dirt?” Modern devices for recording violations on the roadway, recording 90% of violations and issuing fines for them, can actually recognize the number due to the infrared sensitive equipment embedded in them. In addition, they even manage to identify the state number or letter by the shadow of the convexity. numbers.
If a car with unreadable license plates is parked in a parking lot, will a fine be issued in 2021?
As of 2021, there is no penalty for an unreadable license plate or no license plate at all on a vehicle sitting idle in a paid municipal parking lot, in a yard, or on the side of the road. Even despite the fact that the legislative authorities are constantly trying to introduce responsibility for this.
That is, the motorist is in no way responsible for dirty, unreadable state documents. license plates or their absence on a vehicle that is not involved in road traffic.
How to avoid fines for unreadable numbers
As stated above, the penalty for unreadable numbers depends on the reason for such unreadability. As a rule, if a sign is naturally soiled, the traffic police inspector will issue a warning and ask you to remove the dirt. Even if you try to draw up a protocol, you can always remove the dirt and the issue will be settled.
In case of special distortion of the number, it is necessary to prove that the contamination is accidental. If the number is taped over or has a grid on it, then you need to pay attention to procedural violations when drawing up the protocol. After all, the factual, that is, the real side of the issue will be against the driver.
Confiscation of driving license for unreadable numbers in 2021
It is impossible to confiscate a license plate for an unintentionally contaminated state license plate under an article of the law of the Russian Federation.
If the number is located according to the rules, that is, there is no film, a clever inclined frame, anti-chamber varnish or foam, a magnetic system that creates obstacles for reading, the driver unintentionally soiled the numbers with elements of dirt, snow or leaves, such contamination on the plate is uniform and there are no signs of special application, are suitable for the season and current weather, then according to Article 12.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, a motorist can be fined no more than 500 rubles for this.
As of 2021, confiscation of a driver's license by a traffic police inspector is possible only in one case - if the license plate is unreadable due to the deliberate actions of the driver. In most cases, motorists are deprived of a license when an artificial obstacle clearly catches the eye - the frame is tilted, a letter or number is covered with paint or something else, a film or magnetic system is applied, etc.
Procedure for imposing a fine for dirty license plates
When moving along the roadway and noticing an inspector waving his baton on the side of the road, you should stop immediately. Otherwise, the driver faces a fine for opposing a law enforcement officer.
The inspector must immediately introduce himself and present his identification (clause 45 of Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 664 of October 20, 2017). He will then ask for documents for the car and driver's license, and also explain the reason for the delay - in this case, it is an unreadable number. It is not rational to argue in such a situation. If you show understanding and correct the problem immediately, you can only get by with a warning from the police.
Sometimes no arguments work and a traffic police officer begins to write a report on an administrative offense and imposing a fine for dirty license plates. He attaches the corresponding photo or footage from the video to the document. The resolution is written in two copies, one of which is given to the driver and explanations are given regarding payment of the fine, as well as the consequences for failure to pay on time.
The driver has the right to indicate his disagreement in the protocol in order to have the opportunity to challenge the punishment in court in the future. It is advisable to personally photograph the numbers, the surrounding area and the inspector himself.
A protocol on an administrative offense is drawn up on the basis of the regulations of Article 28.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
If you were pulled over by a traffic police officer in 2021, and you have dirt on your license plates
In the autumn, winter and spring, for Russians, stopping a car due to unreadable license plates by traffic police officers is not considered something special and surprising. In many Russian regions there are even “months”, during which inspectors pay their attention only to cars with dirt.
When conducting a conversation with traffic police officers about the unreadability of the license plate, you should adhere to two things:
- The existing dirt on the license plates is an evaluative factor (absolute cleanliness or, on the contrary, completely dirty, since nothing is visible at all, the number cannot be).
- Article 12.2 part 1 is one of the ways to influence a motorist driving a vehicle with a dirty license plate - issuing a warning without a financial penalty.
The smartest thing to do is:
- Partially admit that you are at fault. You can say this: “Yes, the number is very clean, but you can still see the numbers and letters.”
- Give a compelling argument in your defense. For example, “I miraculously left the dacha because the roads were bad due to rain/it had been snowing all day, etc.”
- Fix in the minds of the traffic police officer the fact that you have stumbled a little, but at the same time you are a conscientious motorist. You can say: “I receive fines every 5-10 years and immediately pay them quickly so that there are no problems.”
- Show kind flattery - “I understand how difficult it is for traffic police officers to stand in the rain or snow all day long.”
- Show a desire to reduce damage to a minimum - “I always carry a special rag and water with me, and as soon as I notice that the plates are pretty dirty, I stop and wash them.”
Important point! If you cleanse the state. number, for example, with an unmoistened rag, brush or even paper, then the paint will rub off and the inspectors will have a new reason to collect money from you.
What should a driver do if the traffic police stops a car for having unreadable license plates?
In the spring and autumn, drivers being stopped due to dirty license plates is a standard occurrence. If this happens, then there is no need to argue with the traffic police officer and show aggression. If the inspector has not yet recorded the numbers, it is recommended to quickly clean them with a damp cloth. When the violation is eliminated, then, in fact, there can be no claims.
If the inspector continues to insist on his opinion and intends to begin drawing up a protocol, then proceed as follows:
- They remind you of Article 2.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which states that in case of a minor administrative offense, the accused person can be released from liability and be limited only to a verbal warning.
- Take a photo of the state yourself. signs to confirm that they are legible. The photographs are attached to the protocol. The driver can also make his amendments in the following form: “I was detained by a traffic police inspector (full name) for dirty license plates, which I consider unauthorized, since registration plates are visible. This is confirmed by photographs taken immediately after the vehicle stopped. I ask that the paperwork regarding this matter be discontinued due to the absence of an offense.”
It should be remembered that traffic inspectors are quite adequate people, but until they start being rude. Therefore, the driver’s tone should be calm, and his arguments should be weighty. It is important to immediately admit your guilt and promise to monitor the condition of the rooms in the future. Then the issue will be resolved without issuing a fine.
When cleaning registration plates on a car, it is unacceptable to use dry rags, paper or hard brushes. This leads to the paint rubbing off. Then the inspector will have a new reason to impose a fine, but under a different clause of the article of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
