Changing the color of a car at the traffic police in 2021: how to arrange for repainting?

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Tags:Protective filmHow to apply paint and varnishCar paintVarnishes and paint

Manufacturers produce cars in a palette of unobtrusive and standard colors. This, on the one hand, gives the consumer the right to choose at little expense to the company, and on the other hand, it does not in any way distinguish him from the crowd of identically painted vehicles. Many motorists can afford to repaint their car in a different shade.

The paint is applied in two ways:

• on the old coating, that is, it creates a color gradation. Otherwise called “local staining”. The new shade of enamel is not radically different from the old one;
• onto a previously cleaned base.

Local painting of a car
Repainting a car requires applying a new varnish coating. In this regard, there are 2 methods by which the transition between layers of enamels is made:

• Gradation, suggesting a transition through the varnish.
• Gradation, implying renewal of varnish.

When repainting a car a different color, a new layer of paintwork covers the primer. The next one covers the new and affects the old paintwork. At the last stage, varnish is applied.

Local painting of a car body
As a rule, car enthusiasts have more problems with repainting a car in a different shade, but with varnish. It is better if the entire part is matted, then varnish is applied to it, and when going over the varnish, the irregularities are polished using P2000 sandpaper - otherwise the transition will be visible.

To find out how much it costs to paint a complete car, consider the following cost items:

• services for removing the old enamel layer;
• new auto enamel, primer, varnish, putty (if required);
• works on applying paintwork;
• services for re-registration of car passport.

All-round car painting

Is it legal to paint a car?

There are certain contradictions here that mislead many car enthusiasts.
You need to know that the law does not prohibit repainting a car, but such actions must be properly documented by the traffic police. In general, as long as the car is stored in a garage, no one cares about such changes. But it will be possible to operate it only after appropriate registration. Without this, the car owner faces a fine. There is no need to take any permission in advance. The motorist must present a vehicle that has already been repainted. But you need to remember important rules. For example, it is strictly prohibited to use colors intended for ambulances, police, firefighters and other special vehicles. You should also pay attention to the places where the VIN code is stamped. You need to know that if it is painted over, traffic police officers may have unnecessary suspicions and unnecessary proceedings.

( Video : “Changing color in PTS. Car vinyl”)

Various color options

There are several options to change the color of your car. This is worth paying attention to, because further actions depend on it. So, there are three main options:

Full coloring

Often this option is chosen not just for beauty. Full painting allows you to restore the appearance of the car, for example, when the old paint is damaged and cannot protect the body from corrosion. If one color is used, there is no problem here. The already repainted car must be taken to the traffic police department for inspection. This will make the color change official. As for the combination of different colors, you need to be careful here. Some colors cannot be combined. For example, blue and white are the colors of police cars. This combination is prohibited. When a color change is made, all colors used are indicated. Similar shades are indicated by the same symbol. If the car owner wants to add something new to the design of the car, partial painting can be done.

Partial repainting

If the painting takes up less than 50 percent of the car, it is considered partial. Usually such a change does not need to be formalized. However, practice shows that recently inspectors often call this illegal actions. The thing is that the rules do not clearly explain in what specific situations partial repainting does not require registration. That is why, in order to avoid troubles, it is better to contact the traffic police department at your place of residence to find out whether your repainting needs registration. This also applies to special color films. Sometimes they may not differ from their native color. But it is also better to consult with the traffic police about whether they need to be formalized. If you use several colors, the documents will indicate the “combined” color.

Airbrush for cars

If when applying paint it is indicated that the car is “painted”, then in the case of airbrushing it is noted that it is “applied”. Many people confuse airbrushing with film. But it is not so. Airbrush is a design applied by an artist over a paint coating. Again, everything is ambiguous here. Essentially, airbrushing is just a minor change. But in order to avoid fines, in this case it is still recommended to contact the traffic police to find out whether your airbrush needs registration. The need for such consultations is explained by the fact that there are no regulatory documents on this matter. Therefore, the legality of changing the appearance of the car is determined by the inspector. Although his opinion is not always objective.

The process of complete repainting of a passenger car - cost and procedure

To properly repaint a car, you will need a range of professional equipment. We are talking about a high-quality compressor, a reliable spray gun, and a variety of materials for car painting. Many people will immediately be interested in the price of the issue. We will summarize the calculation below, but first, let’s say that the cost depends on the method of painting. During the process the following actions will be performed:

• washing out old paintwork, eliminating body defects, treating rust;

• choosing the materials that are needed to repaint the car, you need to choose the optimal kit;

• applying a primer that protects the metal from rust, washing the soil to an ideal state;

• painting, applying the necessary layers of paint and varnish material using a spray gun;

• drying the car, as well as carrying out specialized polishing to fix the varnish.

If you only read the above points, you will understand how to repaint your car. But this is only a superficial look at the problem. You need to get equipment somewhere, prepare the camera, rid it of dust, learn how to use the devices and completely eliminate technical problems. Therefore, most often it is worth turning to specialists.

When can you do without registration?

You can often change the appearance using a special film.
In such a situation, there is no need to formalize a color change. This color is not the main one, since under the film the body color remains the same. And the film can be removed at any time. Until relatively recently, the rules stated that if after repainting at least 50 percent of the old color remains, such changes were not subject to registration. However, today this rule does not apply. And in general, as already mentioned, the law does not currently indicate exact figures. This leads to the fact that when checking a car, the inspector determines the degree of staining “by eye”. Accordingly, the reviewer individually determines whether such a change needs to be recorded.

As for airbrushing or film, they are usually only partially applied to the car. Accordingly, in this case you can do without registration. Although experienced drivers claim that it is better to clarify such situations with the traffic police. There are cases when, even when applying a minor drawing, the inspector issued a fine. This is explained by the fact that even in this situation, the appearance of the car changes, which means that finding it is much more difficult if the need arises.

There is no need to re-register if the new color is practically the same as the old one. For example, the burgundy color became scarlet. They are both designated "red". This means that nothing needs to be changed in the documents. This also applies to situations where two colors on the car have swapped places. For example, the blue body and black roof were changed to a black body and blue roof. In fact, these two colors appear in the documents. Therefore, their location on the body is not important.

Nuances of appearance

Repainting a car has some pitfalls that drivers should be aware of:

• Vehicles cannot be decorated in the colors of special service vehicles.
• It is prohibited to paint over the area where the VIN number is indicated. Also, other markings on the vehicle must not be damaged. Changes may lead inspectors to believe that the car is listed as stolen.

Even more questions arise when the driver decides not just to repaint the car one color, but, say, several different ones, repaint only partially, or apply airbrushing or a sticker. Let's figure out what to do in these situations.

Partial repainting

Repainting can be considered such if the new color occupies no more than 50% of the surface area of ​​the car. In such a situation, no new documents need to be prepared. However, this rule is not clearly stated anywhere, so some inspectors may issue a fine, considering repainting illegal. To avoid possible problems, it is better to consult your local traffic police department.

In this topic we should also discuss applying color film to a car. Formally, it does not in any way affect the shade of the car, but it slightly changes its appearance. The question of whether something needs to be changed in the PTS in this case is again best discussed with the inspector.

More on the topic: The Ministry of Internal Affairs has simplified the procedure for registering cars

One color or several?

If the owner decides to repaint the car one color, then no problems should arise. The whole procedure follows a standard scenario (it will be described below) and is not fraught with great difficulties.

When using several colors, you need to choose those combinations that are permitted by law (for example, you cannot use combinations of white and red, since these are the colors of the ambulance). When registering, you must include in the documents all the shades used, indicating the technique for applying them. If there are very similar colors (emerald and light green), then it is enough to simply indicate green once.

Airbrush for cars

Previously, in the decrees of the state inspection, which related to changing the appearance of the car, the word “painted” was always written, which indicated the use of paint. Now it has been changed to “inflicted.” The essence of the new rule is quite ambiguous: it turns out that even any mark can be counted as a change in the exterior.

In any case, if you decide on any of the available types of repainting, or on applying individual signs, it is better to first contact the traffic police, where they will tell you whether registration is required or not. Even if you painted the car the same color after the repair, you should still consult with an inspector. This will help avoid fines and other troubles.

How to register a color change with the traffic police in 2021

Conventionally, the whole process can be divided into several main stages:

1. You need to start with repainting. Only after completing this procedure the car must be driven to the traffic police department. Fill out the appropriate form here. Its essence is that the driver asks to register a color change.
2. Owners of new cars need to be especially careful. If a car purchased at a dealership less than three years ago is being repainted, you must contact the Vehicle Tracing Department. Here you will receive documentary evidence that the car is not listed as stolen. With such a document, you can continue the registration procedure.
3. Before presenting the car for inspection, you must pay a state fee.
4. Having the receipt in hand, you can go to the traffic police department. Here you will be asked to place the vehicle on a special site, where it will be inspected. Naturally, the car must be clean. All areas of the body that are subject to inspection must be clearly visible. After the inspection, the inspector makes a decision that there are no violations. The corresponding mark is entered.
5. The car owner must submit all collected documents to the department responsible for registration. The re-registration procedure can last from one hour to one day. This is influenced by the workload of a particular traffic police department.
6. After receiving new documents, we can say that the re-registration procedure is over. In this case, all necessary changes will be made to the PTS.

How to repaint a vehicle in a different color

The color of a vehicle is one of the characteristics that must be indicated in the technical vehicle passport. Accordingly, if a car owner wants to change the color of the body, then he is obliged to register all changes made to the information contained in the traffic police.

Despite the fact that this procedure does not take much time, you will have to pay a state fee for it.

Entering such information into the database is mandatory even when the car is partially covered with film, despite the fact that it fully matches the color of the body. This coating changes the appearance of the vehicle, which can cause difficulties in the work of traffic police officers if the driver violates the Traffic Rules or the car is stolen.

The regulations do not contain information about what exactly is the color of the car, so the traffic inspector will independently decide on the legality of the owner’s actions.

In order not to find yourself in a difficult situation, it is best to first contact the traffic police and obtain official permission to change the color, although this is not necessary. According to the law, if the car was repainted in compliance with all requirements, then no one has the right to demand any explanations from the car owner during the inspection of the vehicle.

What papers do you need to collect?

In order for the re-registration procedure to take place without any difficulties, it is recommended to collect all the necessary documents in advance:

• a completed application for re-registration due to a change in the color of the vehicle;
• vehicle inspection report. It is issued after the inspector checks the vehicle;
• receipts confirming payment of the state fee, both for re-registration and for making changes to the PTS;
• a certificate confirming the existing registration of the vehicle;
• registration certificate;
• applicant's passport;
• documents on the basis of which the applicant is the owner of the car;
• If a representative acts on behalf of the owner, an appropriate power of attorney will be required.

Is repainting legal?

Repainting a car and otherwise changing its appearance is a common thing and is fully permitted by law if done in accordance with the rules.

Painting can be done in almost any car service, although the price for such a pleasure is decent and can reach 100 thousand rubles. This cost includes the paint itself, various manipulations to improve the coating and final polishing. It is advisable to choose a service with high-quality equipment and qualified craftsmen so that the work lasts longer. It is better not to paint it yourself, since without proper preparation all sorts of defects can form on the surface.

More on the topic: Classification of vehicles according to technical regulations

How to write an application to change the color of a car

As a rule, filling out the document does not cause any difficulties. Everything here is extremely simple. The main thing is to enter information into the appropriate fields very carefully. So, here is the information:

• address of the traffic police department and its full name;
• passport details of the car owner;
• request that re-registration be carried out precisely because of the change in color;
• list of documents attached to the application;
• information about the owner is indicated in the appropriate window;
• Below is a window intended for entering information about the car;
• there is a separate column that is used in the case when a trustee carries out the transaction instead of the owner;
• The date of submission of the document and signature are indicated at the bottom.

Sample

Reverse side

Fine for changing the color of a car

If the law requires registering a change in car color, then this must be done.
Otherwise, the owner of the modified car faces an administrative penalty, the amount of which is 500-800 rubles. However, this fine is provided for the first violation. If the driver is caught by the inspector again, the fine will increase to 5,000 rubles. You need to understand that paying a fine does not exempt you from re-registration. In any case, the driver will have to deal with this procedure. If a repainted car is stopped by an inspector for the third time, in addition to a fine, the owner may be deprived of his driver's license. To avoid such troubles, after a color change, it is recommended to contact the traffic police department within five days. There are situations when a repainted car is used for a long time. But when stopped by an inspector, the driver claims that the repainting was done only a couple of days ago, and he is sent to the traffic police department to make changes to the documents. But you need to understand that an experienced inspector does not always believe such an excuse. Firstly, you can tell by the paint that it was applied quite a long time ago. Secondly, the inspector has the right to demand proof of your words. For example, this could be a receipt for payment for the services of a car service center where the car was painted. If such a document is not available, the fine will still have to be paid.

Registering a new color: how and where to do it?

You can complete the necessary registration in two ways: directly through the traffic police or via the Internet, through the portal www.gosuslugi.ru. The time it takes to pass through all the authorities in both cases may be different, it all depends on the workload of the inspectors.

What papers do you need to collect?

It is best to start the registration procedure by collecting the necessary documentation. In addition to your passport, you will also need:

• PTS.
• STS.
• Insurance policy (CASCO or OSAGO).

The list of documents must be accompanied by a state fee, which must be paid in advance. Also, do not forget to take the necessary documents from the car service center where you had the repainting done.

This list can be expanded if the car belongs to a specific organization. Then you will need documents such as a representative’s passport, company registration certificate.

More on the topic: Can the traffic police deprive you of your license using a camera?

To change the color of the car you will have to pay two state fees. One is for issuing a new certificate (its cost is 350 rubles), the second is for making changes to the technical passport (also costs 350). Please note that until January 1, 2021, there is a 30% discount on these state fees (when issued through government services).

Algorithm for registration in the traffic police

The procedure for a motorist when repainting his vehicle is as follows:

1. The first step is to write a standard application for vehicle registration. In the appropriate section you need to indicate: “color change”. The application can either be printed and filled out at home, or obtained from the nearest branch.
2. Feel free to go to the traffic police with your documents ready. First, the car will be checked to see if it is wanted. This procedure is carried out for domestic cars up to 3 years old and for foreign cars up to 15 years old. Then there is a check of the correspondence of the numbers.
3. Afterwards, if everything is in order, the inspector puts the necessary stamp on the application and issues new documents to the owner.

As soon as all the stages at the traffic police are completed, you should go to the insurance company to re-register the papers.

You need to go to the state road safety inspectorate within the first five days after repainting your car. It is prohibited to drive a car without registration, unless, of course, you are driving it to the traffic police department.

Registration of painting through the government services website

It is also possible to complete the required documentation using the Internet. The advantage of this method is the 30% discount on state fees and a faster, on average, registration process. The procedure is as follows:

1. Log in to your personal account on the website.
2. Find the desired section using search.
3. Generate an invoice for payment of duties.
4. Pay the bill using bank transfer.

Afterwards, in any case, you need to go to the traffic police and continue registration there.