LTO suspends ban on improvised and temporary plates

Surprise? Maybe not. Just like many other ill-planned implementations by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the ban on the use of improvised and temporary vehicle plate numbers has been put on hold once again.

This was announced by the new LTO Chief Markus Lacanilao during a recent press conference held by the government’s transportation agency, and comes a couple of weeks after it was announced that motorists caught using these improvised plates will be fined starting November 1, 2025.

Lacanilao said that the agency needed to review several issues with regards to the issuance of license plates before enforcing the rule on motorists without the standard LTO plates, especially as the lack of license plates is beyond the control of many motorists.

Under his predecessor, former LTO Chief Atty. Vigor Mendoza, Memorandum Circular No. VDM-2025-4674 was signed on September 25, 2025, stating that all motor vehicles and motorcycles using improvised, provisional, or temporary plates are subject to apprehension and a fine of Php 5,000 starting November 1, 2025.

Also suspended is the policy requiring car and motorcycle dealerships to release the vehicle’s license plates and official receipt/certificate of registration (OR/CR) on the same day of the vehicle’s release date.

Do note, however, that there will still be apprehensions, at least for vehicles whose improvised plates do not adhere to the standard format required by the LTO. 

_{Photos by Julian Panlilio and Sam Surla}