A heads-up to all motorcycle owners: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed several amendments to the Republic Act No. 11235, also known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act. These changes were signed into law on May 9, 2025, as Republic Act No. 12209.
Key among the amendments are reinforced license plate guidelines for motorcycles. RA 12209 requires that motorcycle license plates should be “bigger, readable, and color-coded.” The amendments also state that these new license plates must be legible from at least 15 meters from the motorcycle.
The President has given the Land Transportation Office until June 30, 2026, to produce, issue, and release these new plates.
Motorcycle owners whose license plates do not meet the new guidelines must renew their registration and apply for new license plates with the LTO. The agency has also been directed to provide a Certificate of Registration within two working days after the registrant has provided all the necessary documents. Current owners in need of new plates have until December 31, 2025, to do so, or a P5,000 fine will be incurred.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Harley-Davidson, MotoGP to launch new one-make race series with the Road Glide in 2026
DOTr and LTO will be suspending motorists based on social media posts
Before the amendments, motorcycle drivers and owners with unreadable license plates could be fined as much as P100,000. Other maximum fines and penalties have also been greatly reduced under RA 12209.
The amendments also call for dealers to register sold motorcycles within five working days of the owner’s authorization. For owners selling their motorcycles, they must also report the sale to the LTO. This must be done within five working days, or they may be slapped with a P5,000 fine.
New owners of secondhand motorcycles must also transfer the ownership within 20 working days of the acquisition. The same aforementioned fines could be issued to them.
RA 12209 has also amended the fines incurred for stolen, destroyed, and forged plates. Prison sentences have also been lowered, if not removed completely, for select offenses.
