LTO to Apprehend Riders Using Improvised & Temporary Plates Starting November 1

Starting November 1, 2025, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will begin apprehending motorists who are still using improvised or temporary plates. The move, backed by Acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez, comes after the agency claimed to have cleared the nationwide license plate backlog earlier this year.

According to LTO Chief Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, there’s now “no more justification” for the use of makeshift or temporary plates for both cars and motorcycles. Mendoza urged motorists who have yet to claim their plates to do so by October to avoid penalties.

“Kaya sa hindi pa nakukuha ang kanilang mga plaka, we advise them to do so in order to avoid any inconvenience with regard to the strict implementation of this policy,” said Asec Mendoza.

Once the policy is implemented, LTO enforcers and other deputized personnel who enforce traffic rules and regulations will be advised to apprehend violators for violation of Joint Administrative Order 2014-001 and other existing laws, rules, and regulations.

Violators caught with unauthorized plates face a ₱5,000 fine, confiscation of the plate, and even refusal of registration renewal. Under the new rules, only those with official LTO authorization may use improvised plates, and these must clearly display the assigned plate number along with the label “Improvised Plate.”

The LTO says this crackdown aligns with its goal of ensuring that license plates and OR/CR documents are available upon the release of newly purchased vehicles.

However, while the agency insists the backlog has been cleared, many riders aren’t buying it. In fact, online reactions show a wave of frustration:

One motorist complained: “2018 model until now wala pa din tapos magbaba kayo ng ganyang batas? Kayo itong hindi nagbibigay ng plaka eh, tapos motorista mamomoblema!”

Another wrote: “Paano yung 2020 model? 5 years na wala pa rin. Binayaran naman namin ang plaka. Pag nahuli kami ng ₱5k, kayo ba magre-reimburse?”

A third rider shared: “Since 2019 wala pa rin plaka ko. Nag-request na ako, wala pa din. May bago akong binili, halos isang buwan na, wala pa rin plaka.”

Clearly, not everyone is convinced that the plate distribution problem has been solved. Motorists argue that before enforcing such a strict rule, the LTO should first ensure that all pending plates are actually delivered.

At the end of the day, Filipino motorists just want fairness. After all, why should we pay the price for delays that weren’t our fault?

What do you think, should the LTO push ahead with this crackdown, or should they fully fix the plate distribution problem first?