License plates are meant to be attached to motor vehicles and not to be kept like souvenir or collectible items, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said on Saturday, Feb. 15, as it reminded motorists of fines for failure to do so.
LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II said owners of four-wheel vehicles no longer have reasons not to attach the license plates since the backlog was already resolved as early as early 2024.
The LTO earlier urged owners of four-wheel vehicles to claim their license plates from their car dealers amid reports from the motor vehicle dealers that a number of their clients have not yet claimed them.
For the motorcycle license plates, Mendoza said they are on the right track of addressing the backlog on or before the start of the second half of 2025.
“Motor vehicle ownership comes with numerous responsibilities and attaching the license plates as soon as they are already released is one of them,” said Mendoza.
“Based on the report of the PNP and even of our enforcers on the ground, we discovered that some motor vehicles are deliberately ignoring that responsibility,” he added.
Mendoza stressed that license plates are now souvenir items that should be kept at home or even inside the vehicles.
“They are meant to be attached to the motor vehicles and failure to do so is punishable by a fine of P5,000,” said Mendoza.
He is referring to the Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines which set a P5,000 penalty for motor vehicle owners for not or improper attachment of the license plates.
“We have a database of motor vehicle owners who already received the license plates so we urge them to immediately attach them because you may end up unnecessarily paying P5,000,” said Mendoza.