ILOILO City – Motorists using fake, counterfeit or unauthorized improvised license plates face a P5,000 fine, confiscation of the illegal plate and impoundment of their vehicles as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) launches a nationwide crackdown beginning today, Sept. 1.
LTO Region 6 warned motorists across Western Visayas to ensure their vehicles carry only official plates or properly authorized temporary or improvised plates as enforcement of existing regulations intensifies nationwide.
The crackdown implements LTO Memorandum Circular No. MVL-2026-5314, LTO MC No. VDM-2025-4674 and an LTO memorandum issued on Oct. 13, 2025.
According to Regional Director Gaudioso Gedudpan II, a fake or tampered license plate refers to one that is fabricated, altered, replaced or reproduced without valid authorization and made to appear as an official plate issued by the agency.
Vehicles must display either an official license plate issued by the LTO or an improvised or temporary plate with proper LTO authorization that complies with prescribed specifications and requirements.
15-DAY LIMIT
LTO-6 reminded motorists that temporary plates issued by vehicle dealers are valid for only 15 days while owners of newly registered vehicles await their official plates from the LTO.
Temporary plates may also be made by owners of vehicles that have not yet been assigned plate numbers and were not registered before the issuance of Memorandum Circular No. JMT-2023-2400.
Once the 15-day validity period expires, motorists are advised to secure from the LTO an authority to use a temporary plate, which is valid for another 90 days while awaiting the official license plate.
An improvised plate, meanwhile, may be made by a vehicle owner awaiting the replacement of a lost plate.
Such a plate must be accompanied by an LTO-issued authority to use an improvised plate and must comply with specifications under Memorandum Circular No. VDM-2024-2721.
The LTO also prescribes color specifications depending on the vehicle classification: black for private vehicles, green for electric and hybrid vehicles, and red for government vehicles./PN
