What is a duplicate PTS and should you be afraid of buying a car without the original document?

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The main document for a car is a vehicle passport (PTS). Without it, it will not be possible to export the car normally. Without a title, it will not be possible to deregister a car or officially register a vehicle. A ban is imposed on selling cars and undergoing technical inspection.

In practice, the vehicle passport may be damaged or lost. The law allows you to obtain a duplicate PTS. To do this, you will need to contact the authorized body, having previously prepared a package of documentation.

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When can I get a duplicate PTS?

Attention
A duplicate PTS can replace the original. The documents are of equal value. The series and number of the original are entered into the duplicate vehicle passport. Additionally, the reason for issuance is recorded. The action is performed by a traffic police officer.

A duplicate PTS can be provided in the following cases:

• the document was stolen;
• the original has run out of space for entering data;
• the original was lost;
• critical damage or failure has occurred.

If the original runs out of space, the document will be replaced. In fact, it will also be a duplicate. The receipt process may vary.

Selling Tips

You can sell a car that has a duplicate title:

• independently, by posting advertisements for sale on the Internet (for example, the Avito website) or in regional newspapers (for example, “From Hand to Hand”);
• through intermediary companies. The company places the car on its viewing platform, and the owner of the vehicle pays a certain compensation for this action;
• according to the Trade-in system (the car is transferred as credit when purchasing a new vehicle).

The difference between a duplicate PTS and the original

Initially, it seems that the duplicate PTS is identical to the original. The document contains detailed information about:

• number of car owners and the period during which they owned the car;
• engine and environmental class of the car;
• the presence of customs restrictions;
• the company that produced the car;
• engine, body and chassis numbers;
• permissible weight and the value of the indicator without load.

Attention
The duplicate PTS will contain the “duplicate” mark. Otherwise there are no differences. PTS is also produced on blue paper. All required watermarks are applied to it. Their presence confirms the legitimacy of the duplicate.

Sample of the original PTS.

Sample duplicate of PTS.

If the seller does not have the original title, this should alert the buyer and force him to exercise maximum caution. Thus, the duplicate does not reflect the real number of previous owners of the car. Up to 6 owners can be entered on a standard form. The official dealer is the first to enter. As a result, fewer owners are included in the duplicate. This makes it possible to hide a series of resales carried out for the purpose of committing fraudulent transactions. Comprehensive information about the previous owners is provided by the traffic police website. You can also obtain data by contacting the inspector of the nearest units.

You must have a duplicate of the PTS with you. It must contain information about the number and series of the original.

Responsibility for deception

If a duplicate PTS is issued by a fraudster, then for such actions a person can be prosecuted under Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The punishment under this article is:

1. In case of fraudulent actions taken by one person:
   a fine of up to 120,000 rubles or wages received for 1 year;
2. compulsory work for up to 360 hours;
3. correctional labor for a period of up to 12 months;
4. restriction of freedom (up to 2 years);
5. forced labor (up to 2 years);
6. arrest (up to 4 months);
7. imprisonment (up to 24 months).
8. In case of fraud organized by a group of persons:
   a fine of up to 300,000 rubles or the amount of wages for 24 months;
9. compulsory work (up to 480 hours);
10. correctional labor (up to 2 years);
11. forced labor for up to 5 years with restriction of freedom for 12 months;
12. imprisonment (up to 5 years).

In order to avoid criminal liability, the buyer of a car is recommended to provide only truthful information about the vehicle.

Thus, a duplicate PTS may be the result of fraudulent actions prosecuted by law or a simple formality (for example, loss).

When purchasing a vehicle using a duplicate vehicle passport, it is recommended to first conduct a full check and obtain as much information as possible.

Where to look for the date of issue of PTS for compulsory motor insurance is shown in the article: where to look at the date of issue of PTS.

What documents are needed to restore the PTS in 2021, see on the page.

Find out about decoding special marks in PTS from this information.

Required documents

To obtain a duplicate PTS, you need to prepare a package of documents. The car owner is obliged to provide:

1. Passport. It is required for personal identification. In some situations, representatives of the traffic police will agree to consider other papers that contain photographs and a stamp.

2. STS. The form confirms that the car has been registered with the traffic police. The document is a small booby-trapped device made of pink paper. It is provided after registration. The car owner is obliged to present it at the request of the traffic police when the car is stopped.

3. Car purchase and sale agreement. Instead, you can provide an agreement on donating or inheriting a car. It all depends on the specifics of the ownership of the car. The paper is required to confirm that the car is in the driver’s possession.

4. OSAGO policy. It is rarely requested by a traffic police representative at the time of filing an application. However, it is better to prepare the paper in advance.

5. A copy of the previous PTS, if available. Experts advise making it in advance and storing it separately from the original.

The above documents must be on hand at the time of contacting the traffic police. Additionally, three more papers may be required:

1. Application for a duplicate. The owner is required to indicate passport data and information from the STS.
2. Explanatory. It is written to the head of the unit. The paper indicates the reason for the request and the circumstances that led to the request for a copy.
3. A paper confirming the fact of payment of the state duty.

Having received the request, traffic police representatives check the car to see if it is stolen or pawned. If there is no encumbrance and illegal actions, the likelihood of providing a duplicate PTS will be very high.

The procedure for obtaining a duplicate PTS in case of loss of the original PTS

Please note:
If the vehicle's title is lost, you will need to immediately contact the traffic police. There are known cases when duplicate cars appeared, the import of which was carried out under the guise of spare parts. It is impossible to legally register such vehicles. That's why scammers use lost documents.

When restoring a lost PTS, you must proceed according to the following scheme:

1. The car owner prepares a package of documents. It is important to correctly fill out the receipt for payment of the state duty. You must not make mistakes in the details or payer data. In another situation, this may lead to refusal to accept documents.
2. The citizen contacts the traffic police department. The visit is made in person. Then you need to queue at a special window.
3. The car is placed on the site for inspection. Body and engine numbers are not always checked. However, if the need to perform an action arises, the presence of the machine on site will save time.

If all the above steps are completed correctly, and the traffic police officers did not decide to send the request to other authorities, a duplicate PTS and a new STS will be immediately provided.

Additional Information

The law does not indicate that only the owner has the right to receive a duplicate. The opportunity can be transferred to another person. For this purpose, a general power of attorney is issued. It is certified by a notary. A copy of the document is provided to the traffic police officer. Based on this, the legality of issuing the passport will be verified.

The procedure for obtaining a duplicate PTS in case of theft of the original

If the PTS is stolen, the recovery process is delayed. There are criminal penalties for stealing documents. It is regulated by Article 325 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The violator may be subject to correctional labor, fined, imprisoned or placed under arrest. However, the intent of the criminal act must be proven. If the PTS is stolen, you must perform the following actions:

1. Contact the police to report the theft, providing evidence.
2. Wait for the trial.
3. Contact the traffic police, attaching a certificate of complete closure of the criminal case to the standard list of documents.
4. Receive a duplicate PTS.

The registration process can be significantly delayed. Often the proceedings last for several months or even years. Without providing a certificate of closure of the criminal case, it will not be possible to obtain a duplicate PTS. As a result, the citizen will not be able to freely dispose of the car. Therefore, experts advise not to indicate document theft as a reason.

Should I buy such a car?

Many buyers are afraid to purchase a car if they have a duplicate title. However, any vehicle can (and is recommended) be inspected before purchase.

You can check your vehicle on the traffic police website in the “Services” section.

To carry out the check, you need to find out the VIN number of the vehicle or the body or chassis numbers, if available. The individual number can be found from the PTS, registration certificate, or looked at on the body of the car.

As a result of the check, you can obtain information:

• about the history of registration actions that have ever been carried out with this vehicle. Registration history will allow you to determine the number and status (legal or individual) of owners;
• about the participation of the car in road accidents and about the damage received. This aspect will allow you to make an independent conclusion about the technical condition of the vehicle;
• about the presence/absence of this car in the database of wanted cars. Checking against search databases completely eliminates the possibility of fraudulent activities and the purchase of a stolen car;
• about the presence/absence of restrictions imposed on the performance of registration actions with movable property. The presence of restrictions may result from the car being pledged, the owner’s failure to pay taxes, fines, alimony, and so on.

If any restrictions are imposed on the vehicle, then it will not be possible to register the car with the new owner.

You can also check using additional Internet services:

• On the website of the Federal Notary Chamber you can find out about whether a car is pledged. For verification, in the submitted form you must enter the full name, date of birth, region of residence and passport details of the owner of the vehicle if the owner of the car is an individual or the name of an organization, OGRN and Taxpayer Identification Number if the car belongs to a legal entity. The service also has the opportunity to conduct an audit of a foreign company;
• on the website of the RSA (Russian Motorists Union) you can obtain data on the validity of the MTPL car insurance policy presented by the owner, as well as information on payments made and the validity period of the document.

If, after all the recommended checks, it turns out that the car seller provided truthful information and the vehicle is not on the wanted list, is not in collateral, etc., then the duplicate PTS is not a basis for refusing to purchase the car.

The procedure for issuing a duplicate PTS if there are no free fields to fill out

The procedure for replacing a title that has run out of fields for entering new owners is carried out in accordance with Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 496 of June 23, 2005. The scheme of actions is not much different from the classic one. The citizen will have to:

1. Collect the necessary documents. The old PTS will have to be added to the list. In this case, there is no need to provide an explanation.
2. Wait for the package of documents to be verified and accepted. The vehicle is not inspected.
3. Receive a duplicate PTS. Typically, the document is provided on the day the application is submitted. The information is entered into the new passport without changes. The adjustment will only affect the “Special Information Clause” column. Information about the replacement is entered there.

The process is completed as quickly as possible.

What state duty do I need to pay?

The amount of the state duty is established by Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and varies depending on the totality of services provided:

The procedure for obtaining a duplicate title for a trailer

If you need to get a duplicate PTS, you can contact the manufacturer who sold the car, or the State Traffic Inspectorate. If the trailer has been registered, a duplicate is issued through the traffic police. The car owner is obliged:

1. Collect documents. The list includes a civil passport, STS, a sales contract and a receipt for payment of state duty. Its value is 800 rubles.
2. Submit the documents to the traffic police department and wait for the application to be reviewed.
3. Get a new title for the trailer. The action is carried out after checking the documents. The process usually takes one day.

Please note:
If the trailer has not been registered, the procedure for obtaining a title may take longer. The application is reviewed within 30 days. In this situation, the package of papers changes. You must provide a certificate confirming that the registration was not completed. Everything can be obtained from the traffic police. An application is written addressed to the head of the company where the trailer was purchased. A police certificate will be required. It is necessary to confirm the fact that there is no criminal case against the trailer.

Issuance of a duplicate PTS online through State Services

Obtaining a duplicate car passport can be done through State Services. The procedure allows you to avoid a personal visit to the State Traffic Inspectorate to submit an application. The person must perform the following actions:

• Go through the registration procedure on the State Services portal. If you already have a personal account, just log in.

• Click on Services and go to the section called Vehicle Registration.

• Among the options provided, you need to select Loss of documents or changes to vehicle data.

• The next action is to click on the item Receive STS, PTS or registration plates.

• In the section that appears, you need to study the information provided. If the citizen is satisfied with everything, he needs to click on the Get service link.
• The driver will see forms for entering data. Here you can indicate the date and time of your visit to the MREO, as well as the department that is most convenient for the citizen to get to.

The advantage of this method is the absence of queues. A citizen will be able to save on paying state fees if funds are deposited by bank transfer through the website. The need to visit the traffic police twice will disappear.

○ Rules for drawing up an application.

To obtain a duplicate PTS, you must write an application and indicate in it:

• The recipient of the petition (as a rule, this is the head of the MREO).
• Information about the applicant (full name, passport and contact details, registration address).
• The essence of the appeal is a request to issue a duplicate PTS.
• Information about the vehicle: make, year of manufacture, VIN number, date of purchase. If possible, also indicate the date the car was imported into the country.
• List of applications (documents provided).
• Date and signature of the applicant with transcript.