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So, you got yourself a new motorcycle. If you got a brand new ride from an accredited importer or dealer, then you can just take advantage of the registration service that they offer along with the new motorcycle. It may take up to 6 months for the OR/CR to be released as it would depend on your dealership arrangements. Otherwise, you will need to take matters into your own hands and attend to the registration process at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) yourself if you wish to use your new motorcycle on public roads.

Also Read: How to Register Car in LTO and Get Certificate of Registration 

If you are to register your new motorcycle by yourself, then you will need to understand exactly how registration, ownership transfers, and other legal matters work as part of your motorcycle ownership responsibilities. In order to help you do this, we’ve put together a guide with everything you’ll need to know, including the steps, requirements, and other things you need to do to register your motorcycle (MC) in the Philippines.

LTO Motorcycle (MC) Registration

Registering your motorcycle in LTO is a mandatory first step for every new motorcycle owner. Whether you do it via the accredited dealer or importer or by yourself, you will need to process an LTO registration to get an LTO Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration (OR/CR) before you can legally use your motorcycle on public roads anywhere in the country.

Also Read: LTO: Car Dealers Must Display Vehicle Registration Processing Time in Showrooms

As it stands, a motorcycle (MC) registration is necessary because it is an offense to drive a vehicle without an OR/CR. Unless you are ready to pay fines, get it impounded, or get in a legal battle you can’t win, we suggest you only ride your motorcycle with the purchase documents for a week if it is not registered. Otherwise, you should refrain from riding it out on public roads.

Motorcycle Registration Validity Period

When you purchase a new motorcycle with registered engine displacements of 201 cc and above, your initial registration will have a 3-year validity period. If your motorcycle has a registered engine displacement of 200cc and below, then you are limited to a 1-year registration validity.

You will then need to process a registration renewal before the first registration expires, and you can check on the registration expiration date from your number plate information. 

Qualifications

According to the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the following can get any new motorcycle registered:

• Accredited importers
• Accredited dealers
• Motor vehicle owners 

Requirements for Initial Registration

Before starting with the motorcycle registration procedures, it is important to get the documentary requirements ready. Though you can just as easily obtain these documents near the LTO district office, it’s best to prepare them in advance and save even more time when you finally visit the LTO branch.

Here’s the list of requirements that you will need to prepare depending on the type of motorcycle that you are registering at LTO:

Brand New, Locally Assembled/manufactured Completely Built Units (CBU) / brand new local imported trailer vehicles

• Original Sales Invoice
• Original LTO copy or electronically-transmitted appropriate insurance Certificate of Cover (3rd party liability)
• Original copy of Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (PNP HPG) Motor Vehicle (MV) Clearance Certificate and Special Bank Receipt (SBR)
• Original Certificate of Stock Reported (CSR)
• Payment Reference Number (PRN), if payment was made through e-PAT

Additional Requirements for Specific Cases

For special registrations, LTO will require a few additional requirements due to legal policies or laws. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

New motorcycles with sidecar

For brand-new motorcycle with a sidecar (TC), you’ll need:

• Original Affidavit of Attachment for the sidecar, executed by both the owner and mechanic, stating the dates of completion

Used-Imported Motorcycles

Used-Imported Motorcycles are those which have been exempted from EO 156/877-A—a law which restricts the importation of used vehicles for use in the Philippines. 

For the initial registration of used-imported motorcycles which are exempt from this law, you must produce the following documentary requirements:

• One (1) photocopy of a commercial invoice/certificate of title with English translation authenticated by the Embassy
• Original, duly-accomplished motor vehicle inspection report (MVIR) with a certificate of compliance to emissions standards in the Philippines
• Requirements for Imported motor vehicles acquired through public bidding
• One (1) Certified true copy of Official Receipt (OR) to prove payment of acquisition cost
• One (1) Certified true copy of the Notice of Award

Note: For motorcycles acquired through this method, there are certain steps that must be followed in order to legally register the motorcycle in the Philippines. 

How to Register Motorcycle (MC) Vehicle in LTO

Steps may differ depending on location but the general process remains the same. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Visit the nearest LTO branch, regardless if it is a Regional, District, or Extension Office, as long as it comes with a new registration unit.

Step 2: Submit the required documents to the LTO Regional or District Office New Registration Unit.

Step 3: Proceed to the chosen LTO branches cashier, pay the fees, and wait for the OR to be issued.

Step 4: Present the OR at the next station in the LTO branches process.

Step 5: Wait for your OR again, together with the new CR, plates, and RFID sticker.

Note: If a motorcycle plate is not available at your preferred LTO branch, temporary plates may be provided at first.

Change of Ownership: Second-Hand Motorcycle Sale

If you are buying a pre-owned or second-hand motorcycle, then transferring the ownership of your second-hand motorcycle is one of the first things you should attend to though legally, the motorcycle can already be claimed as yours in full. Once done, there will be fewer questions asked when you present the documents proving your ownership at a checkpoint. 

For motorcyclists who are looking to facilitate a change of ownership, they can follow the steps listed below.

Documentary Requirements

Here are the documents you will need:

• MV Clearance Certificate from the PNP-HPG
• Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR)
• Latest OR and original CR
• Notarized Deed of Sale
• Proof of Insurance Coverage (CPTL)
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
• Photocopy of two (2) valid, government-issued IDs of the original owner and the new owner with three (3) signatures of each person per photocopy 

Brand new motorcycle with sidecar (TC)

• Original Affidavit of Attachment for sidecar executed by the owner and mechanic stating among other the date of completion.

Registration Procedures

To get it registered, this is what you need to do:

Step 1: Bring all requirements to the appropriate LTO Regional, District, or Extension office.

Step 2: Have an LTO evaluation officer inspect the vehicle to verify the motorcycle details.

Step 3: Head to the cashier and pay the LTO fees for transfer of ownership.

Step 4: Once completed, wait for the official receipt (OR) and the release of your new ownership documents.

Step 5: Create photocopies of the new documents for safekeeping.

Renewal of Motorcycle Registration

Once the initial registration of your brand-new or second-hand motorcycle has expired, you will have to undergo the process of renewing the registration of your motorcycle to be able to continue using it on public roads. Renewal of motorcycle registration must be done once a year, unless you got the three-year registration, and the price of registration will vary for different motorcycle types.

When to renew your motorcycle

If you need to renew your motorcycle registration, you will need to look no further than your number plate. Motorcycles with plate numbers provided by the LTO will need to refer to the last digit of the plate number for the month of registration.

Plate numbers ending with 1 will have to register in January, plates ending with 2 must register in February, and so on.

The second to the last digit of the motorcycle plate determines the week of the month that your motorcycle need to be registered. Plates with second to the last digit numbers ending in 1, 2, and 3 must register before the 8th day of the month, 4, 5, and 6 before the 15th day of the month, 8 and 9 before the 22nd of the month, and 9 and 0 before the last day of the month. 

Motorcycles with no plate numbers, on the other hand, will not be able to use the MV file number on the temporary plate as a basis for yearly registration. Instead, the owner will need to refer to the date of release from the dealership for the yearly registration. In case you can not remember this date, it would be best to visit the LTO branch where the motorcycle is registered for clarification.

If your motorcycle’s registration is expired, you will need to pay the late registration fines amounting to Php 100.00 for every week beyond the due registration date.

Important Reminders

When registering your motorcycle for the first time, here are a few things you need to remember:

• Motorcycle (MC) vehicle registration may be renewed one (1) month before the due date for renewal, but not later than the last working day of the week indicated by the second to the last digit of the plate number.
• Only official Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) inspection are accepted during renewals.
• Though motorists can still use the emission testing report from a Private Emission Testing Center (PETC) when renewing the vehicle’s registration at an LTO branch, online renewal would only accept inspection done through a Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC).
• If your motorcycle’s record has not been uploaded on LTMS, then you cannot renew the registration online. LTO will require you to still renew your vehicle the old-fashioned way—by visiting and transacting with any of their regional, district, and extension offices.
• If you lose the official receipt (OR) from the initial registration, you will need to obtain and submit an Affidavit of Loss instead of the OR.
• While you will need to present your Certificate of Registration (CR) at the LTO branch, you should not submit the original copy as the photocopy of the CR is enough to meet the requirements for registration renewal.

Video: LTO Motorcycle Registration

To learn more about how to register your motorcycle at LTO, this video posted by Switch Shift Motovlog can help you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For your reference, here’s a list of the common questions and answers about initial motorcycle registrations in the Philippines.

1. Can I drive my motorcycle without registration in the Philippines?

No. The Land Transportation Office (LTO) strictly implements the “No Registration, No Travel Policy” so all motor vehicles, motorcycle or otherwise, that use public roads or highways must be registered with LTO Philippines before they can be driven legally.

2. Can I transfer my next registration to anothe LTO DO? 

Yes. It is possible to transfer the registration of your motorcycle from the originating LTO DO to any LTO DO of your choice that is most convenient to you.  You will simply need to pay an additional Php100.00 charge when you process a Change of Venue (CV) of your vehicle registration.

3. Is it possible to change the number plate on my motorcycle? 

No. Like for any other motor vehicles, motorcycles also have number plates that last for a lifetime. A change of plate number is not allowed, thanks to Batas Pambansa Blg. 43: An Act Providing Number Plates to Owners of Motor Vehicles and Trailers, Amending for the Purpose Section Seventeen (17) of Republic Act 4136, specifically Section 1, Sec. 17, which states that the identification and letters of any motor vehicle number plate shall be permanently assigned to such motor vehicle during its lifetime. 

There might be exceptions to this rule, though. But only if you will process a change in denomination (i.e. from a private vehicle to for-hire or government to private, etc.).

4. Is it possible to renew my MC registration online via the LTMS?

Yes, but this is not for all (at the moment). Motorcycle owners who find it hard to spend an entire day at an LTO office to process a motorcycle registration renewal may now do so online, via the LTO Land Transport Managament System (LTMS) if and only if their motorcycle records have been uploaded on the LTMS system. Otherwise, they will need to go the old-fashioned way and visit an LTO branch to transact with the LTO. Once there, an LTO personnel will upload the vehicle information on LTMS and you may be able to do the renewal via the LTMS in the following years.

According to LTO, using the LTMS during registration renewal will require the MC to go through a Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) as only PMVICs have access to the LTMS. If you went through the emission testing  but through the Private Emission Testing Centers (PETCs), you will still need to do it via PMVIC as they need the center to send the MVIR electronically via the LTMS.

5. Is there a restriction when renewing motorcycle ownership via the LTMS portal?

Yes. There are quite a few conditions that need to be met to be eligible for online registration renewal of motorcycles. Unless the following conditions have been met, you will still need to visit an LTO branch. 

Here’s a list of the conditions you need to satisfy so you can renew your motorcycle registration online:

• It must be plain renewal only, with no additional transactions like change of denomination or change of venue
• Motorists must have an existing LTMS account
• MC for renewal must be linked to your LTMS account
• The last renewal must be either through LTMS or your last LTO visit must have ensured tha your document were uploaded in the LTO system
• Must be renewal processed by the MC’s current owner
• Only Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) inspection is accepted
• MC details must be updated on the LTMS portal
• Insurance coverage must be electronically transmitted for validation

6. Why it is important to get your OR/CR quickly?

Thanks to LTO’s ” No Registration, No Travel” policy, MC owners can only drive their motorcycles on public roads without registration for at most seven (7) days from the date of purchase. Otherwise, it is illegal to drive it on public roads until you get it registered and has the LTO OR/CR to back up your registration claims. Without the LTO OR/CR, you can only park your motorcycle at home lest you get apprehended for illegal use and have fines and penalties imposed on you.

7. Why is an insurance is so important when driving a motorcycle?

If you are not insured and you get involved in an accident, then you are going to have to pay for the damages out of your own pocket. These types of expenses could easily translate to paying from a few thousand to a couple of millions, especially if you get into an accident and injured another person or damaged a property.

8. Why do some dealers take months to get and release the OR/CR?

This is something that you will need to ask from the dealers themselves as processing the registration via the LTO branches doesn’t really take such a long time unless you miss out on a couple of documentary requirements. 

Summary

Registering your brand-new or second-hand motorcycle at LTO may not take much out of you, but it is kind of a big deal, especially if you wish to actually use the motorcycle instead of letting it accumulate layers of dust in your garage. It also doesn’t take much to do so.

Having said that, it is in your best interest to get the registration done and over with as soon as possible to enjoy the benefits and save yourself the trouble that an unregistered MC could bring.