DIY plates are illegal according to the LTO

It’s been a confusing few days for vehicle owners as the Land Transportation Office is handing out different advisories in regard to the vehicle registration plate shortage that is happening right now. With that said, let’s clear the air about this recent conundrum regarding license plates.

Earlier in the week, the LTO came out and said that the agency is facing an impending scarcity of license plates by June and July, with the agency’s stock of blank plates numbering fewer than 3,000 for cars and 735,000 for motorcycles.

On Wednesday, April 26, current LTO chief Jay Art Tugade explained that the LTO is developing backup plans, which include allowing vehicle owners to generate their own temporary plates, in order to address the projected deficiency. In the event that a plate number is not issued, motorcycle owners can produce their own plate number, which should indicate the motor vehicle file number of the motorcycle.

When news of this statement got traction, however, Tugade clarified that drivers are still not allowed to print and manufacture their own license plates. In the press conference, Tugade mentioned that in his statement, he is pertaining to two types of plates, a temporary plate and an improvised plate. 

The temporary plate being referred to are the ones issued by the dealership for new cars and motorcycles. These temporary plates contain vital information such as the conduction sticker number for cars or the motor vehicle file number for motorcycles. Additionally, the plate must bear the name of the dealership and the region where the vehicle was purchased.

On the other hand, improvised plates are used as a replacement if your official LTO-provided plates are damaged, stolen, or heavily weathered. To get an improvised plate, you must first secure authorization from an LTO branch to create and use it. In the event that you are apprehended by a traffic enforcer, simply present the authorization document along with the vehicle's OR/CR.

For those who are planning to get a temporary plate, be warned that plates sold by online sellers or through local crafts shops are illegal. The LTO assured drivers however that it will be issuing a memorandum in regards to this issue in the coming days. Finally, the LTO reiterated that traveling in cars without plates is strictly prohibited.