What to do if erased. Is it legal to touch up car license plates with a marker? Why are numbers erased?

I got into trouble with my car. The license plate on the car has been erased, but I have neither the desire nor the additional funds to order a duplicate. A friend advised me to tint the numbers with a marker, carefully so that they were clearly visible, and not fool myself.

No sooner said than done. I armed myself with a black marker and colored in the numbers. I won’t go into details of how the traffic police officer found out about this, but as a result, I was given a fine for a tidy sum, and at home I started to figure out whether it was legal to correct car license plates with a marker. I will share the results of my investigation in this material.

The use of a vehicle sooner or later leads to the fact that the license plates issued during registration lose their appearance and can no longer be used. The appearance of the rooms is familiar to everyone. On a white background there are alphabetic and numerical symbols covered with black paint. Even taking into account the fact that the materials used are of very high quality, the paint wears off when exposed to rain and sand, stones and snow.

The result is a number unsuitable for travel, but only a few know how to correct the situation. Some car enthusiasts have found a way to resolve the problem by coloring numbers and letters with a special black marker, but it is not entirely clear whether this option can be resorted to.

What factors can negatively affect the rapid erasure of license plate paint?

A variety of factors can affect the condition of the license plate. First of all, we are talking about the significant mileage of the vehicle. The higher the mileage, the higher the degree of wear of the plates. In addition, the label may be affected by the operating conditions of the machine. The less negative factors affect the numbers, the better it looks.

Some drivers try to protect license plates by placing them in special frames, which gives certain results. To avoid damage, some people try to place a special film on the sign, but such actions do not give a positive result.

Sometimes it happens that the issued license plate was initially of poor quality and very quickly became unusable. The owner of the car just needs to order a duplicate. This can only be done by contacting a private company or government agency. Unfortunately, there is a group of fraudulent companies that produce low-quality signs, so you should approach this issue very carefully. Additional information on the topic of the note is presented in the video:

Is it allowed to tint numbers?

According to the law, you cannot operate a car without normal and clearly visible license plates. For this action, a citizen is issued a fine of 500 rubles. If the number is erased, it needs to be touched up. The answer to this question interests many car owners, but finding it is not very easy.

On the one hand, the license plate is an official plate and a unique alphabetic code, which are prohibited from being changed, corrected or damaged in any other way. On the other hand, the absence of paint on one symbol may become a legal basis for issuing a fine.

As for registering a duplicate, you need to go through this procedure in advance, and this will require a certain amount of funds. In addition, the possibility of tinting is not prohibited by law, so this is more likely to be possible than not.

What arguments do car owners give as reasons for touching up the paint?

Of course, every driver does not act at random, but first studies this issue in as much detail as possible. As a result, a small list of arguments was formed that are given in favor of a positive decision on this issue:

• no amendments are made to the numbers, but only the quality of perception of the printed number is improved;
• there are no legislative acts prohibiting such a procedure;
• manual tinting is permitted provided that the artist takes into account the current state standards.

It is important to note here that we are not just talking about requirements for the font and thickness of letters, it is important that intact elements are placed on the signs. In other words, small chips and scratches can be carefully touched up with paint, but in such a way that traffic police officers do not have any questions.

Before you begin the procedure, you need to prepare everything for this. The number plates should first be removed from the car, then washed and degreased. After the numbers have dried, you can begin painting.

To avoid paint getting on the white part, you should carefully cover them with masking tape. For painting, it is recommended to use waterproof paint. A marker can be an alternative paint option, which is very, very convenient.

Instead of results

Instead of a conclusion, we can draw several small conclusions:

1. If the paint has peeled off the car number plate, then it is quite possible to touch it up yourself.
2. This procedure is permitted by law, but only on condition that the user follows all the necessary recommendations.
3. For painting, you need to choose waterproof paint, or it is better to use a special marker.

The reason for punishment may be non-compliance of the license plate with GOST. If this discrepancy is caused by the fault of the car owner, the court will decide to punish him. But repairing a car plate that did not result in a change in information will not be a reason for litigation. After all, if the original paint has disappeared and the number has ceased to provide information, this is a more serious violation than an attempt to restore everything. Full painting is done for a number of reasons, the main one being the disappearance of the original coating.

Technical difficulties

To depict the background of the license plate, special paint with reflective properties is used. And for numbers and letters, black, the reflective ability of which is limited! It is difficult to repaint such a white background. The easiest way to correct the symbols is with a marker. Permanent waterproof markers are suitable for these purposes. The process has its own characteristics:

1. The surface of the license plate should be thoroughly washed, dried and degreased.
2. It is much more convenient to work with a marker that has a flat or blunt end. The text highlighter has this form.
3. It is advisable to use a stencil or device in the form of cardboard or paper. This will prevent the paint from going beyond the boundaries of the characters.

But, if you made a mistake and the marker left a mark on the expensive white paint, you need to remove this mark. This can be done using rags that have been previously soaked in white spirit. You can remove the stain with baking soda. It is applied to a toothbrush and rubbed onto the mark. If you don’t have enough strength for this, you’ll have to paint again.

Painting options

For those who prefer more drastic action, there are other methods for updating your license plate. You can cut a stencil out of cardboard and paint through it using a spray gun or a can of paint. Making a stencil is a job that requires perseverance and patience. You must first apply any staining agent to the symbols of the sign, and then apply a piece of cardboard and remove the imprint. Then cut out the letters and numbers with a knife or scalpel. It is much easier to make a stencil from translucent film. The film is attached directly to the number and is cut out with a sharp tool directly onto the sign tin. You can trace the symbols on the film with a marker and then cut them out.

An additional method is processing through foam rubber. How to paint with this material? A roller made of this material, used for standard machine repairs, is moistened with a dye and transferred to the protrusions of letters and numbers. Number paint is used judiciously and sparingly. There should not be a lot of enamel, it should not splash or flow. Its task is to update the existing coverage. You need to apply a little pressure on the foam rubber; the paint should remain on the protrusion of the symbol, but not reach the white background.

Preparation

Preparation of license plates involves removing grease and other dirt from their surface. It is best to rent a room and do the work separately. In addition to degreasing, the surface should be treated with P1200 or P1000 sandpaper, but very carefully, without touching the main background. Then spray the coloring agent through the stencil in one or several layers.

Means

Even if the traffic inspector notices a different coating on the license plate, it will not be possible to conduct a chemical test of the paint in road conditions. But a clear difference from the norm will certainly cause a stop and cause difficulties during the procedure for passing a technical inspection of the car. Only black paint must be used, without various additives and impurities. It must be waterproof. GOST does not contain special requirements for the parameters of the luminous qualities of this paint. It is best to take the simplest one - black; the use of nitro enamels is appropriate! You will need a little more blue and red paint to touch up the flag on the number.

Painting the white background of a license plate yourself is a difficult job. If you managed to get paint approved by the traffic police, then you can safely apply it. First, it is recommended to fill the protrusions of the symbols with black paint and seal them. Then, after working with white paint, the tape will come off easily. But if possible, it is better to contact a specialized workshop, where everything will be done with a guarantee, without consequences in the form of a damaged sign and paint. An extreme case is to contact the inspectorate and ask to issue a duplicate number.

Each motor vehicle must be equipped with registration number, which is a kind of passport. However, by law it is prohibited to operate a car when it is numbers erased, or if they are partially unreadable. This also applies to cases where there are no numbers at all, or when they are attached in a place that is not provided for by the rules.

Some car owners use various tricks to keep their license plate intact and intact. Some people use sprays that can protect the number from possible erasure, some use number frames or special metal mesh.

What can cause registration numbers to be erased?

In fact, there are a huge number of reasons why numbers can be erased. For example, such as:

• Poor quality performance (bad paint, or poor quality material in manufacturing);
• From blunt and hard objects, physical force is used (this can be inflicted accidentally, intentionally, or hopelessly);
• After a traffic accident, damage to the license plate;
• Or other options.

The reasons are clear, but what needs to be done when the numbers have already been erased? Is it possible to tint them somehow, or do these numbers need to be changed anyway?

About touching up registration numbers:

Quite a lot of drivers have encountered such a problem as erasing license plates. And how should one get out of such a situation? If you look at this from one side, the license plate is a state document of a motor vehicle, and making any changes to it is strictly unacceptable. But if you look at it from the other side, then you don’t really want to pay a fine for the fact that the license plates are unreadable, or periodically go to the traffic police to get duplicate license plates.

It can be noticed that in tinting license plates there are more advantages and it is more likely to be possible than not. After all, if you tint numbers and letters, this will not be considered a correction or change in a state document, but simply a restoration of existing information, due to which its perception is maximally improved. Moreover, there is no such law that would say that “it is prohibited to tamper with state license plates.”

When a standard license plate is produced for a car, two colors of paint are used: black and white. The background is applied with white paint, which has reflective properties. Black paint is used to apply the numbers and letters of the number. The black color creates a clear look that is easily readable against a white background.

It is strictly forbidden to do anything with a white background, because this may result in the loss of all reflective properties. This already applies to violation of GOST requirements, and for this the employee is already The traffic police can legally issue you a fine.

Touch up letters and numbers on the state license plate using black paint, this will not be considered a violation of GOST requirements, and it will not change the external visual appearance in any way. Therefore, if something is not prohibited, then, one might say, it is permitted. In any case, there is nothing illegal in this action.

How can I tint the registration number?

In the event that your number is a little worn out and you decide to tint it slightly, then for this you need choose the right paint. Today there is a huge variety of black paints. But in no case should you use non-waterproof paints, such as watercolor and gouache.

After you have chosen a good and high-quality paint, you need to remove the registration number, wash it and dry it thoroughly. Work must be done in a bright and comfortable place. Squatting next to the car and painting the license plate is not the best option, because this can cause the lines to become distorted, and the white background can be accidentally smeared with black paint.

The paint must be applied using fine brush, while carefully writing out letters and numbers. It is worth noting that the best way to tint symbols is to use black permanent marker. It is sold in many office supply stores. You need to choose a marker with a beveled edge and a thick tip. Hand-tinted numbers will serve you for at least two months. But their service life depends entirely on the quality of the paint and the weather conditions.

What's better: get a new number or order a duplicate?

If your number is a little worn out and you don’t want to touch it up yourself, then there is only one way out: replacing the number.

Replace car registration number You can go to the traffic police department. This process is very long and tedious. Complete re-registration of a car means a change of license plates. However, you can make another move - order duplicates of your existing numbers. This procedure is also quite long and difficult.

It is a significant event for every motorist. But over time, symbols may lose their color and necessary clarity. Because of this, readability is significantly deteriorated, which is a direct violation.

Quite often, motorists are stopped by traffic police officers because their license plate number is poorly visible and difficult to read. To eliminate such situations, you need to somehow combat wear.

But not everyone knows how to do this without violating established norms and laws. Some take the easy route. Since inspectors' attention is most often drawn to poorly readable signs in front of the car, they swap the front and rear license plates. This gives a temporary effect. But the building signs that are in front can also wear out over time.

Causes of wear

Before we talk about what needs to be done if the license plate on the car is erased, it is worth touching on the reasons for this situation.

Wear is influenced by a number of factors, one of which is long-term use of the vehicle. It is also worth considering the conditions in which the machine is used. When the car is driven primarily in the city, the plates rarely wear out. But when a car is exposed to harsh conditions, the paint may not withstand such stress.

In order to somehow prevent rapid wear and tear, motorists came up with the idea of ​​​​using metal frames, inside of which the number is placed.

A license plate can be erased for the simple reason that it was originally of low quality. This happens when production is not carried out by state enterprises, but by private organizations engaged in the creation of duplicates. Sometimes such signs cannot withstand even one trip in heavy rain or snow.

But it is important to note that these are very rare. Therefore, the most common cause of wear is time.

It is worth recalling the existence of a fine of 500 rubles, which is provided for driving a car with an unreadable license plate. This may be due to contamination or wear of the paint.

Is tinting allowed?

Car owners often do not risk doing anything with their own hands, because they are not sure whether they can tint the license plates on the car themselves. It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally. And there are objective reasons for this.

License plates act as a government document and therefore cannot be changed or adjusted by law. At the same time, when even one character is erased, the inspector has every right to issue a fine.

In such situations, whenever there is any defect, ordering duplicates or completely changing the number is extremely expensive and inconvenient. And we need to find a way out of this situation. After all, drivers are afraid of getting a fine for tinted license plates.

We can say that everything speaks more in favor of the car owner, who has the right to adjust the number as necessary. Here it is worth relying on two weighty arguments.

1. Touch-up does not involve changes or corrections to the state license plate. It is necessary to restore previously stored information. That is, the owner’s goal is to improve the quality of readability.
2. There is not a single legislative act that directly states that there are prohibitions regarding such manipulations with the license plate.

Therefore, touch-up can be done if you do not violate the established state standards. And they apply to the font, letter size, thickness, numbers and security elements. The latter include holograms evenly applied over the entire surface of the sign.

If you find any small defects on the license plate, you have the right to touch them up yourself. The traffic police inspector should not have any questions or complaints.

But what you can’t do is paint over and repaint the entire surface. Then you immediately violate production standards. By painting over the surface, the holograms are hidden and the property of a reflective surface is lost.

We draw the logical conclusion that there is nothing illegal in tinting letters or numbers black. The only question is how exactly you will do this so as not to receive a fine for incorrectly colored numbers.

When problems arise with the readability of the plate, motorists immediately have a question about how best to tint the license plate.

First, remember that you should only use paints with water-resistant properties. Any other material will begin to flow upon slight contact with water or moisture. Choose quality paints so you don't have to touch up every week.

Typically, license plates on cars are repainted using:

• oil paints;
• alkyd enamels;
• nitro paints;
• markers with nitro enamel;
• permanent markers.

In practice, several popular and effective methods are used to restore numbers and letters on a registration number. Each of them has its own nuances and recommendations for use. So that you do not have unnecessary questions, we will consider the main techniques separately.

Use of aerosols

Automotive chemical stores have a huge assortment of paint in cans, which is designed to restore the paintwork on the body. These aerosols are perfect for solving our problem. They are inexpensive and available literally everywhere.

At first it may seem that using an aerosol is the simplest method of restoration. But don't rush to conclusions. This has its own difficulties and subtleties that are important to observe during recovery.

We will tell you in detail what needs to be done if the license plate on the car is erased and the letters wear out faster than the driver expected. First, buy a can of high-quality black paint. Then follow in a certain sequence.

The main difficulty of the method is creating precise and even boundaries. Therefore, with such tinting, it often turns out that the symbols become different sizes and change their thickness. That is, this is how state standards are violated.

If you choose the spray painting method, be careful to cut out the outlines and do not let the paint get on the white background.

Dipping

If problems arise with the state plate of the car, you can also tint the state number using the dipping method. Here, unlike the previous option, you get clear and even boundaries. But working with a sign is even more difficult. Maximum concentration is required. If you do something wrong, the license plate will be completely damaged.

To work, you will need to take nitro enamel or other paint with waterproof properties. Everything looks like this step by step:

1. If you want to get a really high-quality result, take the time to first wash off all the dirt from the plate and walk through it. This preparation for application allows for excellent paint adhesion.
2. You will also need a flat board. Its dimensions must be at least slightly larger than the dimensions of the state registration plate itself.
3. Wrap the board with some fairly thick fabric. The material should be stretched to obtain an even coating. For fixation, it is most convenient to use a stapler. If you don't have one, use regular nails.
4. The fabric is wetted with the paint of your choice. And try to do it evenly, otherwise it may not work.
5. Now the license plate itself is taken. It is applied face down to the surface of the board. The secret here is that the stamping method is used in production. That’s why all the symbols on license plates are convex.
6. Hold the number over the fabric for a few seconds. Carefully, being careful not to mix the tablet, lift it.
7. Turn over and hold the number horizontally. Or place it on a flat surface to prevent the paint from dripping.
8. Wait for the first coat of paint to dry. After this, repeat the procedure 1-3 more times.

Be extremely careful. The board is actually chosen to be flat, and the fabric is stretched onto the surface of the board without any folds. If you apply too much pressure when dipping, you risk applying paint to the white surface. In such a situation, try to quickly remove the black paint with a solvent before it dries.

The result is of high quality, but for this you need to make some efforts, as well as show maximum concentration. Be careful.

Marker

Another option for what to do if the license plate on your car is suddenly erased. It wears off on everyone, so you shouldn’t be surprised. The only question is time. If the symbol is erased, there is no point in continuing to operate a car with poorly readable license plates. The problem with erasing characters cannot be ignored. You may be fined.

If you are looking for a simple, inexpensive and quick restoration method, then use a regular marker. But here a lot depends on the quality of the tool itself and the paint that is used in it.

A regular stationery marker will not last long on a surface. Therefore, it is better to take a car marker. It washes out worse. But many doubt whether it is possible to simply tint the license plate of your car with a marker. Yes. This option is allowed. And this is not the worst method, which has its own objective advantages.

The surface must be pre-prepared in the same way as in the case of previous methods of restoring the license plate number. Next, the paint marker restores the visibility of all the black symbols that have been erased and worn out. If, due to your carelessness, you missed it, touching the white background, just keep a rag soaked in solvent at hand.

To create perfectly even contours, take a plastic card or a small ruler. They will play the role of limiters. Simple and convenient. Although the effect is not the longest lasting, you do not have to spend a lot of time and effort.

Duplicate

If you don’t want to do the restoration yourself by touching up the paint, then you can go a different route. There is a good option for making duplicates.

For residents of a large city, there will be no problem finding several companies that provide such services. By law, this is allowed to be done not only by government agencies. But at the same time, the company must have the appropriate permits to conduct such activities.

This is a convenient and fast method, which sometimes takes no more than 1-2 hours of the car owner’s time. As a counterargument, one can cite the fact of high cost. Yes, buying a regular marker is one thing, and paying for a duplicate is quite another. But here the driver benefits from the opportunity to do without repair and restoration work, and not waste his precious time on it.

The estimated cost of producing a duplicate is currently approximately 1,500 rubles per plate. If you need to make a complete set at once, then get ready to pay at least 2 thousand rubles.

In order for you to have a duplicate made according to all the rules and within the law, first find a company that provides such services. Next, you contact the office and give them a certificate of registration of your vehicle. Without it, no licensed company has the right to duplicate vehicle registration numbers.

Replacement

In some situations, when the license plate has become very worn out and its readability is gradually approaching zero, motorists go directly to the traffic police department.

To restore license plates through the Traffic Inspectorate, you need to visit the branch, write an application and pay the mandatory state fee. After this, you will be given completely new plates. As you understand, the traffic police do not deal with restoration. They simply stamp a new number on specialized equipment.

The disadvantage of this method is its cost. Among all the methods that were discussed in this article, the restoration method through the traffic police is the most expensive. This is due to the impressive size of the current state duty.

But there is also a downside. This is how you get completely legal registration license plates made to all quality standards. All procedures are official, since they are carried out through a government agency.

Cost of methods

For many car owners, the cost of carrying out certain work always plays a big role in car maintenance. Restoring a car registration plate is no exception.

Therefore, let’s try to compare how expensive or cheap it will be to use different options to achieve results.

1. Aerosol. The method using paint in spray cans is quite common and in demand. It does not require particularly complex operations, although it implies maximum concentration when applying paint. Here the consumable part will be the spray paint itself, the price of which varies from 300 to 500 rubles.
2. Dipping. Here you will need to find a board and thick fabric, and also buy a can of paint. If we assume that the board and fabric for covering can actually be found somewhere at home or in the garage, then you will only have to spend money on paint. Its cost will be from 200 to 500 rubles.
3. Marker. The cheapest method, but inferior to other recovery options in terms of efficiency. But if you take a high-quality paint marker, then you will be able to quickly and easily restore erased symbols on the plate. A marker can cost from 60 to 200 rubles.
4. Duplicate. When a car owner does not want to do the restoration himself, he pays money to other people and receives a ready-made duplicate. For one sign you will have to pay from 600 rubles. But it is better to turn to trusted and legal companies that use high-quality materials and equipment in their work. Then the price can rise to 2 thousand rubles for 2 duplicates.
5. New number. The most expensive, but the safest method from a legal point of view will cost 2,850 rubles. This is the size of the state duty that is currently in effect when obtaining a new registration number at any traffic police department in the Russian Federation.

Which option to choose, everyone decides for himself. You can spend more time and effort, but save money. Or save yourself from unnecessary hassle by entrusting the solution to your issue to specialists.

If the car license plate is difficult to read, or some characters have been erased, this fact cannot be ignored. This threatens the driver with a fine for an administrative offense. Therefore, car owners will still have to restore the plate.

When using the proposed restoration methods, be extremely careful and careful. Although the law does not prohibit tinting black characters, touching the white background with its reflective effect and holograms is strongly discouraged. Also, you cannot change the size and shape of the symbol itself. Therefore, just tint them, and do not repaint them in a new color with a different thickness, height and other parameters that do not comply with current state standards.

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