Petition regarding number plates: there are calls in Ukraine to scrap front number plates on cars
Petition No. 41/010261-26ep was registered on 6 July 2026.
Its author, Dmytro Kotyk, is asking the Cabinet of Ministers to consider amending legislation and other regulatory acts to abolish the requirement for front number plates on passenger cars.
As of the evening of 7 July, the document had been supported by 40 people out of the required 25,000. There are 91 days remaining until the end of the signature collection period.
Why is there a proposal to do away with the front number plate?
The author of the petition notes that the front number plate detracts from the design of many modern cars, particularly those models which were not originally designed to accommodate one.
Furthermore, to fit the number plate, owners often have to:
- drill holes in the front bumper;
- fit additional frames or brackets.
In the author’s view, this can lead to damage to the vehicle.
What is being proposed as a replacement for the front number plate
The petition emphasises that there are now plenty of modern methods for identifying vehicles.
These include:
- automatic photo and video recording systems;
- government electronic databases;
- the vehicle’s VIN code;
- the rear number plate.
The author also suggests studying the international experience of countries where legislation permits the use of vehicles only with a rear number plate, and assessing the feasibility of applying such an approach in Ukraine.
What exactly is being requested of the Cabinet of Ministers
The appeal to the government proposes:
- to analyse the feasibility of making the use of a front number plate compulsory;
- should the conclusion be positive, to prepare the relevant amendments to the legislation;
- to ensure, following any such changes, an adequate level of road safety and the effective identification of vehicles.
The author also believes that the proposed changes will help simplify vehicle operation, preserve their design and take into account modern technological capabilities for vehicle identification.
Could the rules change right now?
At present, no amendments to the legislation have been adopted.
Under current Ukrainian law, owners of passenger cars are required to use two state number plates — one at the front and one at the rear. If the petition reaches the required 25,000 signatures, the Cabinet of Ministers will be obliged to consider it; however, this does not in itself mean that changes to the legislation will automatically be made.
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