What do old and new licenses look like?
In 2021, there are two types of driving licenses in Russia: old and new formats, although 90% of motorists already use their vehicles based on an improved model. Essentially it is thick cardboard encased in plastic. The information written there tells everything about the owner of the VU. Full identification of a person can be carried out using the photo that is present in this documentation. Let's try to compare the old and new format of rights: paper and plastic.
The old model was issued to Russian citizens until 2011. They differ from plastic in their larger size: twice the size of the new format. The paper version has a rectangular shape of 74×105 mm and the sheet is decorated in pink tones. The photo is located below, after all the basic information. Manufacturers applied pink grid protection with watermarks and inclusions to the paper to protect the documentation from counterfeiting. They glow under ultraviolet light, which is easy to check. Both sides of the old VU are protected by a monogram. They are also produced using a special font and printing method.
Expert opinion
Artemyev Dmitry
Experience as a forensic expert in the field of automotive technical examination for more than 2 years, more than 3 years of work in the field of insurance disputes, appealing guilt in road accidents.
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The new plastic is half the size: 85×55 mm and has a pink-blue tint. Car owners believe that it is more convenient and practical. The new licenses are made of denser material and have security marks. Main shield: the inscription “State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” along the entire perimeter and the sign “RUS”. The front side contains information about the owner, and the back indicates the categories that are open to the owner. The certificate is characterized by increased protection from moisture and fire.
What does the ID look like?
The new sample is significantly different from its predecessor and looks like a rectangular card with rounded corners. On the front side there is a photo of the owner and information about him. The other party has information about vehicle categories. There is also a validity period for each category and a separate column if you need to enter a restriction.
In Russia, the ID must contain other equally important information:
- Full name of the car owner.
- Information about where and when he was born.
- Information about the document.
- The exact date when the document was issued.
- Expiration date.
- The name of the government body that is responsible for issuing the permit.
- The information about the series and number is repeated twice.
- Standard size photo.
- The owner signs the photo. But this must be done as accurately as possible, as in a passport.
- The place where the driver lives permanently.
- Official permission to drive a vehicle of the category that is currently active.
The data is written in Russian, but under each line there is a Latin duplication.
The second side of the ID has a barcode, which is used when an automatic check occurs at the traffic police department. In addition, there is a list of all categories along with subcategories of vehicles. The next column contains information about issuance, followed by the expiration date. In the last column, restrictions that relate to certain categories are filled in. For example, category B1 has a restriction that is listed as AS. This means that drivers with this category are able to drive only vehicles that use a steering wheel for control.
Thanks to information technologies of the 21st century, new types of IDs have become more protected from fraudsters. The new material is moisture resistant, which also increases document protection.
Plus, the ID has other interesting properties:
- The barcode reads information about the owner, and you can also find out the activity of the document. The scanner does this job;
- the name of the authority is printed in special microtext - this gives full rights to drive a vehicle;
- special directive text is used to write the name of the certificate;
- the document contains an element that changes color;
- The driver's license number and series are indicated using luminescence technology. Therefore, under ultraviolet light, the symbols appear orange.
Now it has become clearer about what the document looks like. What is a VU, have you found out, and where is the series and number? Below you will find detailed information regarding this issue.
What data does it contain?
In addition to basic information, the VU contains additional information about the person.
Let's look at the entire list of data and differences between the samples:
| Old format | New format |
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On a note! It is worth noting that not only the series and number of the driver’s license differ in the documents. The updated format contains more detailed information than the old sample.
Where is the driver's license number on the license?
The device is identified by the number and series assigned to it. If we talk about the rights of a new type, then on the front side the necessary data is written in the fifth paragraph. There is also an identifier on the reverse side. It can be found in the lower corner, on the right. The numbers indicated on both sides must match. The first 4 digits are the series, the rest are the license number.
On old-style documents (before April 1, 2014), identifiers can be seen on the right side of the owner’s photo.
There is also a block with information about him, where it is written: full name, date of birth, date of issue.
On paper licenses, the identifier is found at the bottom; it is listed in the “Special Notes” section.
What is the series and number of a driver's license
Let's look at an example of a driver's license number to understand their meanings. According to the new model, it looks like this: 01 01 123456, and according to the old one: ABC 123456. These serial numbers are assigned by the traffic police system and thanks to them, records are kept of all issued licenses.
Rights allow you to find out the following data:
- Who is the owner?
- Validity.
- Open categories.
- Driver's date and place of birth.
- Special notes.
On a note! Falsifying documents is a crime. Driving with an expired driving license is an administrative offense. It will entail penalties and the risk of deprivation of the document.
Information about the number and series by last name
The official website of the traffic police does not allow you to find out your driver's license number by last name. Such information is not subject to disclosure. Information can be found without the Internet. It is enough to visit the nearest traffic police department and leave a request to receive the necessary information.
State traffic inspectors will compile the information for two weeks and then send it to the previously specified address. The citizen independently gets to the department and picks up the certificate. There is no need to pay. However, it will take time to receive it, so it is better to approach the documents responsibly and not lose them.
You can also submit an application to receive information via mail. You need to take the official form from the website, fill it out and send it by mail. But there is another way that is less time-consuming.
It is necessary to come to the insurers who issued compulsory motor liability insurance. Leave a request with them and wait. It is recommended to use this method if you need to obtain information extremely quickly.
Every car owner should have information on how to find out their driver's license number.
If you have the data with you, then you can easily find out how many fines currently need to be cleared, and also find out about the deprivation of the owner’s rights. Plus, this information makes it possible to navigate by the validity period of the document in order to replace it in time.
If the driver’s license has been revoked, the check will provide information about how much the driver’s license was deprived and when the decision was made. At the end of the period of validity of rights, information about them will not be in the official database.
When is it necessary to indicate VU data?
You can find out the series and number of a driver's license by last name through the official service of the State Traffic Inspectorate.
From the video you will learn what a new driver's license looks like:
This document identifies each driver and may be required:
- Registration of an insurance policy or registration of a person who is allowed to drive the vehicle.
- Checking the issuance of a driving permit.
- When replacing the VU.
- Loss.
- Validity.
- Damage.
- To check fines.
- To complete payment transactions.
- Filling out questionnaires.
- Legal or financial actions.
On a note! The ID is personal documentation and can be a substitute for a passport in some situations, as it can also confirm a person’s identity. Knowing the series and number, as well as where it is located, in some situations eliminates the need to carry it with you all the time.
How to find out your driver's license number
There are several ways to find your driver's license number using your passport.
When contacting the traffic police in person
I would like to note right away that this method is considered the most reliable. To provide information about the license number, you must personally contact the traffic police department and submit a request in writing, be sure to indicate in the text the reason for the application.
An example of filling out the application and the form itself is provided by department employees on site. The successful outcome of the application will be its registration by the inspector. The only drawback of this method is the duration of consideration of the application - approximately 30 days. You will have to wait a long time, but the service is provided free of charge and officially.
Online on the traffic police website
It is worth clarifying that there is no specific service for finding out a driver’s license number online on the website, but it is still possible to find out the series and license number by last name and passport details online.
To do this, you should go to the official website of the State Traffic Inspectorate and open the “Services” tab, while the lowest position will be occupied by the “Acceptance of requests” item, in which you can state the essence of your request, as well as attach the necessary documents.
You can receive an answer either in writing or electronically, it depends on your preference. The service for providing this information is also free.
If for some reason the response received states that there is no information about your driver’s license in the general database, but you are sure that it was obtained legally, contact the traffic police directly. Most likely, an error occurred as a result of which information about the document was deleted or entered incorrectly, therefore, in order to avoid unpleasant situations on the road in the future, this misunderstanding must be corrected as soon as possible.
Of course, there are some commercial sites that provide such information for a certain amount of money, but they do not take responsibility for the authenticity of the information. In such circumstances, you should not trust unofficial sources, much less provide them with your passport information.
Where to look
Each car owner can obtain this information via the Internet or look at other documents.
Let's define all types of viewing:
- To do this, you need to go to the traffic police resource and conduct a check.
- Through the State Services portal.
- Insurance agent or service of an insurance organization.
- The data is registered in OSAGO and if you have it on hand, you can find the information in this paper.
- Vehicle purchase and sale agreement.
To obtain information through official Internet services, you will need initial data.
The check is carried out:
- According to your passport.
- According to the citizen's full name.
On a note! The number will be written in the received data. If a citizen does not have any information about a person, then the verification will cause difficulties.
How to find out the series and number by last name
To view the data, you will need an Internet connection.
Let's look at the most common verification methods and step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- Public services. To do this, you must first register, then confirm your identity through the microfinance institution in your area or the passport office. Log in and find the “Traffic Police” tab. The resource will require you to enter driver data: full name or passport details. The information will be sent to your personal account.
- Checking the OSAGA policy through the insurance company's resource. To do this, you will need to go to the website of the insurance company and log in to the system. Find the insurance contract and read the information of interest in the body of the document. If the agreement is in paper form, then you can find the necessary information without the world wide web.
On a note! If the car owner has taken out an insurance policy without restrictions, then information about other drivers will not be indicated there.
Series and license number - how it is written, how many characters
The VP format has changed several times. At first it was a paper book, then a plastic card with letter designations for graphs.
And after Russia signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968, the need arose to bring the format into line with international standards.
This was required so that traffic police of the countries participating in the Vienna Agreement could navigate the driver's license and check it without knowing the native language of its owner.
In this regard, VP points began to be designated by numbers, and all information was indicated not only in Russian letters, but also in Latin letters.
As for the series and number of the VU, it is 10 characters. This format remains unchanged, regardless of whether it is a plastic card or a paper book. The first 4 characters are the series, the last 6 are the number.
This encoding makes each VI unique.
With a new type of license
On new computers, this information is also presented in the form of 10 digits, separated by two intervals. The innovation is that in the first 4 characters of a plastic card, two coincide with the region where it was issued.
The last 6 digits are a unique code indicating the ID number.
The new licenses provide a high degree of protection against counterfeiting. For example, these signs are applied using a luminescent method - when an ultraviolet ray is directed, the color of the font changes to orange.
Article on the topic: What new and old samples of driver’s licenses look like and what licenses are currently issued in the Russian Federation + photos with examples
In old-style certificates
In the old rights that were in force until 2011, these details also consisted of 10 characters. A distinctive feature of this format was that the series consisted not only of numbers, but also of capital letters. These were the last two signs.
Only those letters of the Russian alphabet that had a Latin equivalent were used.
What can you check at the traffic police?
The last way is to visit the State Traffic Inspectorate resource or come to the traffic police department in person. If you have a VU number, you can easily find the information you are interested in.
Let's consider a step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- Login to the Internet.
- Enter it into the search bar and go to the resource.
- In the list provided, you need to select the required check and enter the available data.
Expert opinion
Artemyev Dmitry
Experience as a forensic expert in the field of automotive technical examination for more than 2 years, more than 3 years of work in the field of insurance disputes, appealing guilt in road accidents.
Ask a Question
Before sending, you need to make sure that the information entered is correct. The service does not provide information by the citizen’s last name, but if you enter the digital identification number of the rights, you can actually obtain additional information about the owner of the documentation. It’s also easy to get information about a citizen’s fines and offenses. When visiting the State Traffic Inspectorate in person, you will not be able to obtain information about another person.
The service will allow you to find out the previous number of your license or that of another person, if other information is available.
