Signs and Display Windows Under the New Rules

On March 1, 2026, Federal Law No. 168-FZ dated June 24, 2025, “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” entered into force, hereinafter referred to as the “Law on the Protection of the Russian Language.”

This law provides for new rules on the use of foreign words on signs, information boards and display windows. The use of foreign words for the purpose of publicly informing consumers will now be permitted only if equivalent text in Cyrillic and/or in the Russian language is placed nearby.

How the regulation has changed

Previously, restrictions on the use of foreign words applied only to advertising. The Law on the Protection of the Russian Language No. 168-FZ introduces the mandatory use of the Russian language in public information. This expands the restrictions and covers all signs, plaques and informational materials.

In other words, information on signs regarding the name of an organization, its operating hours, address and field of activity must be indicated in Russian. Foreign words may be retained only if a Russian translation is provided at the same time.

There are also requirements for the translation: the translation of texts in a foreign language must be identical in content, equivalent in placement and technical design, have the same parameters — color, font type and font size — and be clearly legible.

Exceptions to the requirements of the law

Company names, trademarks and service marks are likewise not covered by the Law on the Protection of the Russian Language. Taking into account Part 3 of Article 3 of the Law “On the State Language,” if a trademark contains foreign words and/or is written in Latin script, the placement of such an object of exclusive rights in advertising does not require translation into Russian.

What is the difference between a sign and advertising

The concept of advertising is set out in the Federal Law “On Advertising”:

Advertising means information distributed by any means, in any form and using any media, addressed to an indefinite group of persons and aimed at attracting attention to the advertised object, creating or maintaining interest in it and promoting it on the market.

In simple terms, advertising must have the following features:

1. It contains information about goods, works, services, events, the legal entity or individual themselves, a commercial designation, results of intellectual activity, etc.
2. It is addressed to an indefinite group of persons, for example, placed in the media or in publicly accessible places, distributed as branded products given as gifts to counterparties, consumers, etc.
3. Its purpose is to attract attention to the advertised object, distinguish it from similar goods and create interest in it for the purpose of market promotion.

Detailed explanations of the concept and features of advertising can be found in Order of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia No. 821/23 dated November 14, 2023, “On Approval of the Guidelines for Compliance with Mandatory Requirements ‘The Concept of Advertising’.”

Taking into account the provisions of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights,” indicating on a building, at the location of an organization, its name, including a name made using a trademark or part of a trademark, as well as the organization’s address and operating hours, falls within the mandatory requirements imposed on signs by the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights.”

Thus, information placed on signs, information boards and display windows includes:

1. the name of the organization;
2. its address;
3. operating hours;
4. the business profile.

Most often, such information is indicated at the location of the organization. In addition, a sign must not contain specific information about goods or services offered by the organization, or about the terms of their purchase or use.

Therefore, the main differences between advertising and information on a sign are as follows:

Purpose. Advertising is aimed at attracting attention and promoting goods or services on the market. Information on a sign is placed for the purpose of identifying the organization for consumers.

Content. Advertising contains information about a specific product, service or work. A sign indicates contact information and operating hours.

Business impact

By March 1, 2026, organizations, including individual entrepreneurs, must amend their signs and other informational boards: they must contain a translation of foreign words into Russian.

If you wish to keep Anglicisms on an information board, this can be done in two ways:

1. indicate a Russian translation of the foreign words;
2. register the foreign word as a trademark, or add a company name in a foreign language to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

Compliance with the requirements will be monitored by municipal authorities and Rospotrebnadzor. As for fines, they are established by Part 1 of Article 14.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation and will range from RUB 5,000 to RUB 10,000 for each violation.

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