The authors present the results of a study of state policy to support the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation. The purpose of the study is to identify problems that impede the integrated use of public administration mechanisms in this field and to offer some recommendations. It was revealed that the creation of conditions for ensuring the protection of national languages is one of the most important state functions. The Russian Federation has done a lot to consolidate the language guarantees of citizens through the use of a legal mechanism. The most difficult is the application of the social mechanism and the achievement of appropriate results in terms of the manifestation of civil initiatives, the preservation of the self-identification of nations and ethnic groups. There are also difficulties in the conscious choice of language, taking into account the existing historical experience of communication, education and economic relations, due to the awareness of the benefits for the life of citizens. This conclusion is illustrated by the authors of the article on the materials of the implementation of the language policy of the Republic of Dagestan.