Remember that, despite the external differences from a car, registering a motorcycle with the traffic police in 2021, as before, is a mandatory procedure. The same applies to scooters. In this case, strict adherence to registration deadlines is necessary. In case of failure to comply with this requirement, administrative liability may be imposed on the owner (possessor).
The registration procedure is no different from registering a car, so you can use the instructions at the link; there will only be general recommendations here.
Legislation on registration of motor vehicles
According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, the following vehicles are not subject to registration with the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate:
- with engine cylinder capacity up to 50 cm³;
- with engine power up to 4 kW;
- developing a maximum speed of no more than 50 km/h.
The technical characteristics of modern motorcycles, like cars, significantly exceed these parameters. In this regard, they are subject to mandatory registration with the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, like other vehicles, in accordance with Law No. 283-FZ “On State Registration of Vehicles...” dated 08/03/18 (as amended on 07/30/19).
The owner of a two-wheeled vehicle is obliged, no later than 10 days from the date of purchase (or taking ownership for other reasons), to contact the nearest branch of the State Traffic Inspectorate to carry out registration actions.
If necessary, this procedure can be entrusted to third parties on the basis of a notarized power of attorney.
Motorcycles that do not require registration
If you plan to use a two-wheeled vehicle only for sporting purposes, you should know which motorcycles do not require registration with the traffic police. Such models exist; you will not be able to drive on them on city streets and other roads. Currently, motorcycles that are officially sports equipment and intended for use on special racing tracks are not subject to mandatory registration. We are talking about motocross motorcycles and pit bikes.
Two-wheeled vehicles for sports purposes are prohibited from being used on public roads due to the lack of lighting devices and the inadequacy of tires for driving on asphalt. These vehicles must be delivered to the venue of sports competitions using a truck or car equipped with a special trailer.
How can the traffic police prove your guilt?
If you violated the rules and terms of vehicle registration and were stopped on the road by a traffic police inspector, he will be obliged to issue you a report on an administrative violation. The fact of the offense is established by the traffic police inspector.
If a traffic police officer stops you and demands to see documents for a vehicle that you do not have, he has the right to issue a decision to hold the driver accountable. In this case, a detailed protocol is drawn up containing information about the details of the violation. This document will be necessary if the driver subsequently goes to court to appeal the inspector’s decision.
From the moment the resolution is issued, 10 days are given to challenge the conclusion of the traffic police officer. After the end of this period, the document acquires legal force and is subject to mandatory execution.
As they say: I am aware of my guilt, measure, degree, depth (L. Filatov). Believe me, healthy nerves are much more important than money saved on non-payment of fines.
Documents required for registration actions
In order for the registration procedure to be successful, you should find out in advance what documents are needed to register a motorcycle. Currently, when visiting the traffic police MREO you need to have with you:
- registration application;
- passport or other identity document;
- vehicle passport (PTS), if it is not electronic;
- a document confirming ownership (purchase and sale agreement, certificate of inheritance, gift agreement, protocol of the lottery organizer's drawing commission);
- a valid MTPL policy;
- receipt of payment of state duty.
Registration procedure
Currently, the procedure for registering a motorcycle does not require the presence of its previous owner. The buyer and seller independently complete the transaction by drawing up and signing a purchase and sale agreement. Notarization is not required in this case.
The previous owner receives the funds and transfers the motorcycle to the buyer along with the title. Deregistration is not required upon sale. All further actions for re-registration with the traffic police are carried out by the buyer independently.
Passing technical inspection and registration of compulsory motor liability insurance
The legislation of the Russian Federation prohibits the operation of motor vehicles that have not undergone periodic technical inspection. This procedure is not mandatory only if three years have not passed since the motorcycle was released. And if you purchased a used vehicle older than this age, you cannot do without passing a technical inspection.
Registration is not possible if you do not have a valid MTPL policy. For vehicles older than three years, it is issued only if there is a diagnostic card, so before visiting the office of the insurance company, you should undergo a technical inspection. Since a motorcycle is a seasonal mode of transport, an insurance policy can only be purchased for the summer period.
Registration of MTPL for a motorcycle is cheaper than for a car. But some insurance companies impose restrictions on the value of the vehicle or engine size, and also deny owners of old motorcycles older than 10 years. Although such a refusal is not legal and can be appealed to the RSA.
Grounds for prosecution
By law, all mechanical vehicles intended for use on roads must have a state registration plate. There is an exception only for the following types of transport:
- Mopeds.
- Trams.
- Trolleybuses.
This requirement is established by paragraph 2 of the Traffic Rules, which establishes standards for the operation of vehicles. A violation of these rules is:
- Lack of state registration plates or at least one of them.
- Installing numbers in a place not intended for this purpose.
- Use of non-standard license plates.
- The impossibility of freely reading the state license plate due to its contamination or the use of various types of mechanical devices that prevent this.
Also, traffic police officers can hold the car owner accountable if the car is operated with false license plates.
Registration through “State Services”
If you have a personal account on the State Services portal with a confirmed status, you have the opportunity to register a motorcycle via the Internet and pay 30% less duty.
The State Services portal allows you to:
- submit an electronic application to the nearest MREO traffic police department;
- pay the state fee online;
- Make an appointment with the inspector at a time convenient for you.
Registration via the Internet will not save you from visiting the traffic police and submitting your vehicle for inspection. However, you will spend much less time on this than if you go through this procedure on a first-come, first-served basis.
Find out in more detail how you can use the State Services portal to make it easier for you to register your motorcycle.
Driving a car with false license plates
Since according to the law there is a fine for driving a vehicle without license plates, some motorists believe that it is possible to use license plates assigned to another car. For example, such situations often arise when trying to move a car damaged in an accident.
Of course, in this case, the likelihood that the car will attract the attention of traffic police officers is several times less. But if this circumstance does come to light, the unlucky driver will face serious fines. For example, to install someone else’s license plates on your car, you will have to pay:
- For an individual - 2,500 rubles.
- For the official who is responsible for the operation of the vehicle - from 15,000 to 25,000 rubles.
- A legal entity will have to pay a fine of 400,000 to 500,000 rubles.
Driving a vehicle with someone else's license plates may result in more severe penalties being applied to the culprit - deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for a period of up to one year, or confiscation of a driver's license.
Cost of registration actions
The fee for registering vehicles is regulated by Article No. 333.33, Part 36 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Changes are introduced only on the basis of decrees of the Government of the Russian Federation, and regional authorities do not have the opportunity to make their own amendments.
You must pay the state fee according to the details of the MREO traffic police department to which you will apply. Payment must be made before the registration procedure, because the original receipt must be attached to the package of documents.
Payment is made through bank cash desks, the Internet banking system, terminals and various payment systems.
An already completed receipt can be obtained from the inspection staff. And if you intend to pay via the Internet (except for the “State Services” portal), you can find the details of the required traffic police MREO on the official website of the department in the section.
The state fee for registering a motorcycle consists of several components:
- Issuance of registration plates – 1500 rubles.
- Making an entry in the PTS – 350 rubles.
- Issuance of a vehicle registration certificate – 500 rubles (if it is plastic, a new type, then 1500 rubles).
You can make one payment after finding out the required amount. Thus, you will have to pay state duty at least:
- 2350 rubles – for registering a new motorcycle;
- 850 rubles – for re-registration of a used two-wheeled vehicle.
The technical characteristics of a motor vehicle do not affect the cost of registration.
Fine for driving without license plates
Driving without a front or rear number plate, especially due to loss on the way, can be classified as other faults with which the operation of the vehicle is prohibited according to the Basic Provisions. If a malfunction that has arisen along the way cannot be eliminated by the driver, he proceeds to the place of repair or parking in compliance with the necessary precautions (last paragraph of clause 2.3.1 of the Russian Traffic Regulations).
That is, if the number falls off along the way, the driver can proceed to the parking lot or repair site. But relying on a lucky chance.
Since for continuing the journey with this violation, he faces, in accordance with Article 12.2 clause 1 and 12.5 clause 1 of the current edition of the “Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses” dated December 30, 2001 N 195-FZ, a warning or a fine of 500 rubles.
Registering a homemade motorcycle
Nowadays, you can find many craftsmen who are able to assemble a unique vehicle, including a motorcycle, with their own hands. Some vehicles turn out to be of very high quality, so the question arises of how to register the result of technical creativity with the traffic police. It should be noted right away that this procedure is complex, requiring certain financial investments, but quite feasible. To do this, after completing the assembly of the motorcycle, you need to go through the following steps:
- Contact the certification center and provide the motorcycle for testing and establishing its safety.
- Receive a referral from the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate to the forensic examination center to verify the origin of the vehicle.
- Contact FSUE NAMI in Moscow to obtain a VIN number. There is no need to bring a motorcycle here. It is enough to send scans of documents by email.
The procedure for legalizing a motorcycle that is the result of technical creativity is the same as in the case of other home-made machines.
Registration of a motorcycle with the traffic police without documents
Often the documents of old motorcycles are lost. In this regard, traffic police officers refuse registration - in this situation it is impossible to determine the applicant’s ownership and the legality of the acquisition of the vehicle.
In this case, the problem can only be resolved through court, where it is necessary to provide evidence of legal ownership, as well as witnesses. For example, if eyewitnesses confirm that you purchased a motorcycle more than five years ago and used it openly, while the previous owner deregistered it (or perhaps did not register it at all), there will be a chance to legalize the vehicle. The fact is that in such a situation the court can make a decision in your favor, guided by Article No. 234, Part 1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation “Acquisitive prescription”. This article should not be abused, since there is criminal liability for giving false information.
Controversial situations and ways to avoid consequences
In theory, registering a motorcycle is not that difficult. But in practice, questions always arise. Let's say you bought your motorcycle in December. Winter and bitter cold are ahead. The use of two-wheeled vehicles is postponed until spring, but registration must be done. What to do?
Together with the main documents, you draw up a storage agreement, which also comes with a transfer certificate and an acceptance certificate at the end of the term. In this case, in the PTS, in the “special marks”, the following entry is made: “The vehicle has been transferred ....” and the date of the act of release from storage is indicated. From this date the 10 days countdown will begin in which you need to register the motorcycle.
The following method is possible in theory, but is rarely used in practice. In accordance with Part 1 of Art. 4.5. The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, a resolution in a case of an administrative offense cannot be made after two months from the date of its commission.
According to paragraph 14 of the Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of March 24, 2005 No. 5 “On some issues that arise for the courts when applying the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offences”, the statute of limitations for bringing to administrative responsibility for offenses for which is provided for by the regulatory legal act the obligation was not fulfilled by a certain deadline, begins from the date of the specified deadline.
Thus, you can contact the MREO 2 months 11 days after the transfer of ownership and avoid imposing a fine due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for the offense. However, this method is best reserved for last resorts. Since not all traffic police officers are informed about the Resolutions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and each representative of this organization may have a different vision of the situation, so you may have to prove your case in court.
Important! If the motorcycle you purchased is faulty, then if the registration is overdue, you can write an explanatory note and attach a certificate from the service confirming its fault, prohibiting its further use and the period of time it will be under repair.
It’s even better to stipulate in the contract that the vehicle is not running and cannot yet be used. This will be a valid reason.
