LTO chief clarifies: DIY plates are prohibited

LTO chief Jose Arturo Tugade. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) reminded drivers on Thursday not to make their own license plates as the agency awaits procurement to replenish their stock.

“Bawal po magprint ng sariling plaka, bawal po gumawa ng sariling plaka. Ang natukoy ko po doon sa nabanggit ko ay dalawang uri po ng plaka: meron po tayong temporary plate at meron din po tayong improvised plate,” LTO chief Jay Art Tugade explained during a press briefing.

(You are not allowed to print your own license plate. You are not allowed to make your license plate. I identified two types of license plates: we have the temporary plate and the improvised plate.)

“Pero nais ko lang pong ulitin ulit bawal po mag-print ng sariling plaka (But I just want to say again that printing your own license plate is prohibited,” he added.

As the LTO head revealed that car license plates might soon become insufficient, he also said that vehicle owners “can create a plate number” in case it actually happens.

His exact words on Wednesday were: “So, for example, motorcycle owners, in the absence of a plate number, they can create a plate number, and on the plate number, it will say the motor vehicle file number of the motorcycle.”

READ: LTO forecasts license plate shortage in June, July; makeshift plates possible

Now, he clarified his statement saying he did not mean “do-it-yourself” or DIY car license plates.

“Ulitin ko lang po, bawal po gumawa ng plaka. Bawal mag-imprenta ng sariling plaka. Bawal po ‘yang do-it-yourself plate,” Tugade reiterated in the briefing.

(I will just repeat it, making your license plate is prohibited. Printing your own license plate is not allowed. That do-it-yourself license plate is illegal.)

Temporary plates

He then explained that temporary plates refer to plates provided by car dealers on brand-new cars and motorcycles.

Temporary plates, he pointed out, contain the conduction sticker for cars and the motor vehicle file number for motorcycles.

“Since 2017, meron na pong polisiya sa use of temporary plates, hindi lang po ito basta-bastang plaka. Doon po sa polisiya ng LTO nakasulat po anong klaseng materyales ang gagamitin, anong detalye ang nakalagay, anong region binili, at pati pangalan ng dealer dapat nakasulat sa temporary plate,” Tugade noted.

(Since 2017 , there is already a policy on using temporary plates. It’s not just any license plate. That LTO policy provides what type of materials will be used [for the temporary license plate], what details should be printed, from what region the vehicle was bought, and even the dealer’s name should be printed on that temporary plate.)

“‘Yon po ang tinukoy ko noong nabanggit ko ang temporary plate (That’s what I was referring to when I mentioned the temporary plate),” he added.

Improvised plates

Tugade further explained that improvised plates refer to substitute plates used by vehicle owners who had their official plates stolen, lost, mutilated, or broken.

“Hindi naman po kasi pwede gumamit ng kotse, o ng motor, ng walang plaka, rule po natin ‘yan. Bawal gumamit ng kotse at motor ng walang plaka,” Tugade stressed.

(You can’t use a car or motorcycle without a license plate. That’s our rule. It is forbidden to use cars and motorcycles without license plates.)

READ: LTO extends license renewal deadline to Oct. 31, waives April 24 late penalties

He said improvised plates are obtained by going to the LTO office to seek authorization to use an improvised plate.

“‘Pag nabigyan ng authorization, pwede po kayo ngayon gumawa ng plaka, improvised for the time being,” said Tugade.

(Once authorization has been granted, you can now make a plate, improvised for the time being.)

“Kaya po namin pinapayagan ang paggamit ng improvised plates… para po magamit pa rin po ng may-ari ‘yung kotse at motor nila,” he added.

(We allow the use of improvised plates so that owners can still use their cars and motorcycles.)

READ: DOTr told: Solve license card shortage before LTO backlog grows

Tugade also noted that drivers of vehicles using improvised license plates could present their authorization and their vehicle’s car registration and official receipt if law enforcers stop them.

Asked where vehicle owners can get official improvised plates, Tugade said the LTO still has to devise a memorandum.

Just last week, Tugade revealed that the supply of driver’s license plastic cards was running low – which would compel LTO offices print new and renewed permits on the back of official receipts.

This problem is seen to affect 5.2 million motorists.

READ: Plastic card shortage to hit 5.2 million motorists

All these issues while the LTO is still resolving the past shortage of car license plates – which it had promised to fix (90 percent) by the end of 2023.

READ: LTO to finish 90% of license plates backlog by end of 2023

kga/abc