Aside from knowing how to drive properly and acquiring your driver’s license, there’s one more thing you need to pay attention to if you want to be a responsible motorist on Philippine roads: your vehicle’s registration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
The official receipt (OR) of payment and certificate of registration (CR) that are acquired through the LTO are two of the most basic documents that every motorist needs. In this article, we go through all of the important details concerning the LTO’s MV registration system. We’re talking requirements, registration schedules, charges, and penalties—everything. In case you’re wondering, all the information here were lifted from the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) Portal.
Now, before you go scrolling through, we’re already warning you that this will be a very, very long guide. So, to help you navigate, we’ve listed the main points below. Click the blue words so you’ll have an easier time finding what you’re looking for.
- Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC)
- Documentary requirements for new vehicle registration
- Documentary requirements for the renewal of registration of all vehicle classifications
- Motor vehicle registration schedule
- Late registration penalties
- Other charges and fees
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Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC)
This is what car owners mainly pay for when registering a vehicle or renewing its registration. MVUCs are determined by gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle mass (GVM) and the classification. The LTO also charges different MVUCs for vehicles registered in 2000 or older.
For the purposes of this article, light vehicles are passenger cars with GVMs of up to 1,600kg, medium vehicles have GVMs between 1,601-2,300kg, and heavy vehicles have GVMs of 2,301kg or higher.
1) Aged private vehicles
- Light vehicles (MY1995-2000) – P2,000
- Light vehicles (MY1994 and older) – P1,400
- Medium vehicles (MY1997-2000) – P6,000
- Medium vehicles (MY1995 and 1996) – P4,800
- Medium vehicles (MY1994 and older) – P2,400
- Heavy vehicles (MY1995-2000) – P12,000
- Heavy vehicles (MY1994 and older) – P5,600
2) Private and government vehicles
- Light vehicles – P1,600
- Medium vehicles – P3,600
- Heavy vehicles – P8,000
- Utility vehicles with GVM up to 2,700kg – P2,000
- Utility vehicles with GVM from 2,701-4,500kg – P2,000 (plus P0.40 x GVM in excess of 2,700kg)
- Sports utility vehicles with GVM up to 2,700kg – P2,000
- Sports utility vehicles with GVM from 2,701-4,500kg – P2,000 (plus P0.46 x GVM in excess of 2,700kg)
- MCs without sidecars – P240
- MCs with sidecars – P300
- Trucks and truck buses with GVM 4,501kg and above – P1,800 (plus 0.24 x GVM in excess of 2,700kg)
- Trailers with GVM 4,501kg and above – P0.24 x GVM
3) Vehicles for hire
- Light vehicles – P900
- Medium vehicles – P1,800
- Heavy vehicles – P5,000
- Utility vehicles with GVM up to 2,700kg or 4,500kg – P0.30 x GVM
- Sports utility vehicles with GVM up to 2,700kg – P2,300
- Sports utility vehicles with GVM from 2,701-4,500kg – P2,300 (plus P0.46 x GVM in excess of 2,700kg)
- MCs – P300
- Trucks and truck buses with GVM 4,501kg and above – P0.30 x GVM
- Trailers with GVM 4,501kg and above – P0.24 x GVM
Documentary requirements for new LTO registration
1) Brand-new locally assembled/manufactured completely built units (CBUs)
- Original sales invoice
- Appropriate Insurance Certificate of Cover (COC)
- Original Certificate of Stock Reported (CSR)
- Original Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) MV Clearance Certificate
2) Brand-new imported CBUs
- Original sales invoice or commercial invoice issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
3) Brand-new local/imported trailers
- Original sales invoice or commercial invoice issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Original certificate of stock reported (CSR)
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
4) Tax-exempt vehicles
- Commercial invoice of MV or Certificate of Title issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Bureau of Customs (BOC) Certificate of Payment
- Certified True Copy of Tax Exemption Certificate
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR) if imported secondhand
- Certificate of Compliance to Emission Standards (CCES) if imported secondhand
5) Imported secondhand vehicle exempted from Executive Order No. 877-A, s.2010
- Original sales invoice and/or commercial invoice of MV/Certificate of Title issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
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6) Secondhand vehicles imported through the no-dollar importation
- Commercial invoice of MV or Certificate of Title issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Certified True Copy of the Authority under the No Dollar Importation issued by the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Import Services (DTl-BIS)
- Seizure proceedings and Notice of Award (if no authority from BIS)
- Original affidavit of first and last importation
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
7) Imported vehicles acquired through donation
- Commercial invoice of MV or Certificate of Title issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Original Deed of Donation duly signed by the donor and the donee
- Original Secretary’s Certificate/Board of resolution when donor is a corporation
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
8) Locally manufactured/assembled electric vehicles
-With new chassis or body and with new imported electric motor
- Original sales invoice
- Appropriate COC
- Original CSR for electric motor and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
9) Brand-new motorcycles with sidecars (TC)
- Original sales invoice
- Appropriate COC
- Original Affidavit of Attachment for Sidecar executed by the owner and mechanic stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original CSR for electric motor and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
10) Vehicles rebuilt with local chassis/body and with a used imported engine
- Original sales invoice of engine, chassis, and body
- Appropriate COC
- Original Affidavit of Rebuilt executed by the owner and/or mechanic with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority National Certificate 11 (TESDA NC 11) stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original CSR for engine and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
11) Vehicles rebuilt with engine and/or chassis that are parts of previously registered MVs
- Original sales invoice of body
- Appropriate COC
- Original CR and latest OR of payment of registration fees of the engine or chassis
- Original Affidavit of Rebuilt executed by the owner and/or mechanic with the TESDA NC 11 stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
12) Rebuilt trucks/buses with new or used imported engines and/or chassis
- Commercial invoice or original sales invoice from the country of origin
- Original sales invoice of body
- Appropriate COC
- Certified True Copy of DTI-BIS endorsement
- Original Affidavit of Rebuilt executed by the owner and/or mechanic with the TESDA NC 11 stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original CSR for engine and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
13) Rebuilt trucks/buses with new or used imported engines and/or chassis combined with a previously registered component
- Original sales invoice of body
- Appropriate COC
- Certified True Copy of DTI-BIS endorsement
- Original CR and latest OR of payment of registration fees (for previously registered engine and/or chassis)
- Original Affidavit of Rebuilt executed by the owner and/or mechanic with the TESDA NC 11 stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original CSR for engine and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
14) Rebuilt trucks/buses with engine and chassis purchased locally or from previously registered vehicles or combinations thereof
- Original sales invoice of body
- Appropriate COC
- Certified True Copy of DTI-BIS endorsement
- Original CR and latest OR of payment of registration fees (for previously registered engine and/or chassis)
- Original Affidavit of Rebuilt executed by the owner and/or mechanic with the TESDA NC 11 stating, among others, the date of completion
- Original CSR for engine and chassis
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
15) Imported MVs acquired through public bidding
- Certified True Copy of BOC official receipt proving payment of acquisition cost
- Appropriate COC
- Certified True Copy of decision on seizure proceedings
- Certified True Copy of Notice of Award
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
16) MVs under bond
- Certificate of Title or commercial invoice issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Duplicate copy of the Certificate of Payment issued by the BOC
- Certified True Copy of release of the MV by the authority of the Commissioner
- Certified True Copy of the Re-export Bond duly approved by the BOC to determine the effectivity date and duration of the MV’s temporary stay in the country
- Bill of Lading
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
17) MVs under written commitment
- Certificate of Title or commercial invoice issued by the country of origin
- Appropriate COC
- Duplicate copy of the Certificate of Payment issued by the BOC
- Certified True Copy of release of the MV by the authority of the Commissioner
- Certified True Copy of the Re-export Bond duly approved by the BOC to determine the effectivity date and duration of the MV’s temporary stay in the country
- Endorsement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) if the MV is embassy-owned
- Certified True Copy of the Bill of Lading
- Original CSR
- Original PNP-HPG MV Clearance Certificate
- MVIR
- CCES
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Documentary requirements for the renewal of registration of all vehicle classifications
1) Private vehicles
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- Certificate of Emission Compliance (CEC)
- Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)
2) Vehicles for hire
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- CEC
- TIN
- Confirmation of Franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
- Valid Motorized Tricycle Operator’s Permit (MTOP) for TCs
3) Government vehicles
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- CEC
- TIN
4) Diplomatic vehicles
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- CEC
- TIN
- Endorsement from the DFA Office of Protocol (for diplomatic or tax-exempt vehicles)
5) Other exempt motor vehicles (OEV)
-Vehicles from Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), and Cagayan Export Zone Authority (CEZA)
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- CEC
- TIN
- Certificate from SBMA/CDC/CEZA that assures the MV is still classified as OEV
6) Stolen and recovered motor vehicle
- Photocopy of CR and OR
- Appropriate COC
- Duly accomplished and approved MVIR
- CEC
- TIN
- Confirmation of Franchise from the LTFRB (vehicles for hire) or MTOP (for TCs)
- Endorsement from the DFA Office of Protocol (for diplomatic or tax-exempt vehicles)
- Certificate from SBMA/CDC that the MV is still classified as OEV
MV registration schedule
The last digit of a vehicle’s license plate determines the scheduled month for the renewal of registration. You can check out the list below for more details.
Scheduled month of registration according to the last digit of plate number:
- 1 – January
- 2 – February
- 3 – March
- 4 – April
- 5 – May
- 6 – June
- 7 – July
- 8 – August
- 9 – September
- 0 – October
The middle number for three-digit license plates or the second-to-the-last number for four- and five-digit plates will then determine the week when the motor vehicle registration must be renewed.
Scheduled week of registration according to the middle or second-to-the-last digit of plate number:
- 1, 2, 3 –First week, or any working day from the first to the seventh day of the registration month
- 4, 5, 6 – Second week, or any working day from the eighth to the 14th day of the registration month
- 7,8 – Third week, or any working day from the 15th to the 21st day of the registration month
- 9, 0 – Fourth week, or any working day from the 22nd to the 31st day of the registration month
Late registration penalties
- Beyond the registration week – P200
- Beyond the registration month but not more than 12 months – 50% of the MVUC rate
- More than 12 months but without apprehension for violation of the LTO laws, rules, and regulations during the period of delinquency – 50% of MVUC rate plus renewal
- More than 12 months but with apprehension for violation of the LTO laws, rules and regulations during the period of delinquency – 50% of MVUC rate plus renewal for every year of delinquency
Other charges and fees
- Annotation of mortgage, attachment and other encumbrances or cancellation – P30
- Change classification – P30
- Change chassis – P30
- Change denomination – P30
- Change color – P30
- Change denomination – P30
- Change engine – P30
- Change tire size – P30
- Change of venue of MV registration – P100
- Confirmation/certification/verification/clearance fee – P30
- Deed of assignment fee – P100
- Duplicate or replAcement of OR/CR – P30
- Penalty for late transfer – P150 per transfer
- Change body design – P100
- Revision of gross vehicle weight – P30
- Revision of record – P30
- Storage fee – P45
- Transfer of MV ownership – P50 per transfer
- Costs of plates for new vehicles (same costs for duplication or replacement)
- Regular MV plate – P450
- MC/TC plate (per piece) – P120
- Trailer plate – P225
- Costs of sticker
- Validation and plate year tags – P50
- Replacement of validation stickers – P200
