4-wheel vehicle owners required to get new plates

CEBU, Philippines - Starting this month, owners of four-wheel motor vehicles who will renew registration will be required, if they haven’t yet, to replace their license plates with the new standardized one.

Arnel Tancinco, regional director of the Land Transportation Office-7, has issued Memorandum Circular No. AVT-2014-1895 (replacement of the license plates for motor vehicles).

Under the memorandum, plates ending in “1” on January, plates ending in “2” on February, plates ending in “3” on March, plates ending in “4” on April, plates ending in “5” on May, plates ending in “6” on June, plates ending in “7” on July, plates ending in “8” on August, plates ending in “9” on September and plates ending in “0” on October.

Tancinco in his memorandum stated that motor vehicles with plate ending in “1” that have already renewed their registration in advance last month, shall have the option of applying for the replacement in the next registration year at any district office or anytime thereto by going back to the district office where the renewal was last effected.

The cost of the replacement plate shall be P450 only in addition to the payment of renewal of registration for 2015.

It added that the new standardized license plates shall bear the same alphanumeric character as the old plates.

It shall be released together with the third plate sticker to be placed on the windshield and appropriate locks to the motor vehicle owner or his/her authorized representative upon presentation of the 2015 official receipt and/or certificate of registration.

Tancinco said the attachment of any unauthorized plate/s or any accessory or device to and/or around the plate, or any manner of attachment that impedes in any way the visibility or reflectivity of the authorized plate and/or third plate sticker is prohibited.

Violators will be fined P5,000 under Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.

The memo added that replacement of plates is not applicable to the motor vehicles that have changed classification with pending issuance of the new standardized license plates, applied solely for miscellaneous transactions and applied for duplicate plates where vehicles is not yet due for renewal based on plate ending.

“The surrender of the old license plates shall not be required,” the memorandum added.  (FREEMAN)