13,676 Non-Commercial Vehicles from the Transnistrian Region Registered with Neutral License Plates and the “MD” Distinguishing Sign
Between September 1, 2018, and June 30, 2025, according to the State Vehicle Register, a total of 13,676 non-commercial vehicles from the Transnistrian region were registered with neutral license plates at the vehicle registration offices in the cities of Tiraspol and Rîbnița. Considering that by the end of 2024 the number of registered vehicles stood at 12,206, the year 2025 has seen a 12% increase, or an additional 1,470 vehicles.
It is worth noting that initial registrations at these subdivisions of the Public Services Agency resumed in August 2024 after a suspension caused by a blockade from Tiraspol, which had unilaterally withdrawn from the mechanism at the end of December 2021.
Registration with neutral plates does not replace the main process of registering vehicles with national-standard license plates, which remains widely used by residents of the Transnistrian region.
The neutral plate mechanism is a temporary measure that enables inclusion in the unified national registry, monitoring within both domestic and international road traffic, and ensures compliance with applicable regulatory requirements by drivers residing in the temporary perimeter not controlled by the constitutional authorities.
Access to international road traffic for these categories of vehicles is permitted only if the vehicle clearly displays the country identifier (“MD” sign) and the driver carries recognized national or international documents (driving license, valid passport, motor third party liability insurance policy, etc.).
