STARTING November 1, 2025, motorists can no longer use improvised and temporary license plates as authorities will commence the crackdown, with violators facing a P5,000 fine and confiscation of their plates.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO), in an advisory on October 2, 2025, has urged motorists to use the remaining days of October to visit the nearest LTO office and secure their license plate.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said motorists now have no justification to continue using makeshift plates, as the agency has cleared the backlog of license plates for both four-wheel vehicles and motorcycles.
“Kaya sa hindi pa nakukuha ang kanilang mga plaka, we advise them to do so in order to avoid any inconvenience with regard to the strict implementation of this policy. Let us take advantage of the entire month of October to do so,” Mendoza said.
The policy is aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to finally resolve long-standing plate distribution issues.
Under Joint Administrative Order 2014-001, motorists apprehended for using unauthorized plates will be fined P5,000.
Their improvised plates will also be confiscated, and vehicles using them will not be accepted for registration renewal.
Mendoza clarified that improvised plates may still be used if the vehicle owner has secured authorization from the LTO office that processed their duplicate plate request.
Such improvised plates must display the assigned plate number along with the words “Improvised Plate.”
The LTO said the enforcement of this policy is supported by ongoing efforts to expedite plate distribution nationwide and to ensure that both license plates and official documents (OR/CR) are released on the same day for newly purchased vehicles. (EHP)