LTO to enforce same-day release of license plates

MANILA, Philippines — Starting next month, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will begin implementing a policy requiring the release of license plates as well as the official receipt and certificate of registration (OR/CR) on the same day that new motor vehicles are turned over to the owners.

The policy will take effect on Oct. 15, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said yesterday.

Guidelines will be cascaded to all LTO district offices as well as car and motorcycle dealers, he said.

“This is in compliance with President Marcos’ directive to ensure that license plates and OR/CR are released in the soonest possible time,” Mendoza said.

Marcos had instructed the Department of Transportation and LTO to ensure that registration and plates for new vehicles are issued within three days.

The initiative is part of government efforts to prevent a repeat of the license plate backlog, which reached over 12 million in recent years.

The LTO announced last June that the license plate backlog had been cleared, a year after Marcos provided additional resources to address the problem.